Exercise Solutions Available
Step-by-step answers for all textbook questions in this chapter
New Questions About Life
About 2500 years ago, thinkers began asking deep questions:
- What happens after death?
- Is there a permanent soul (atman)?
- What is the real meaning of the sacrifices?
These new ideas came through the Upanishads, Jainism (Mahavira) and Buddhism (the Buddha).
The Upanishads
- Thinkers in the Upanishads discussed the atman (the individual soul) and brahman (the universal soul).
- A famous thinker was Yajnavalkya.
- These ideas were for those who wanted to think deeply, not for everyone.
Mahavira and Jainism
- Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara, about 2500 years ago.
- He left home at 30 and lived a very simple life.
- His teachings:
- Ahimsa (non-violence) — strictly, even to small creatures.
- Truth, not stealing, simple living.
- Rejected the Varna system and animal sacrifice.
- His followers are called Jainas; their order is the Jaina sangha.
The Buddha and Buddhism
The Buddha's Life
- Siddhartha was a prince of the Sakya clan, born at Lumbini about 2500 years ago.
- He left home at 29, disturbed by suffering, and searched for the truth.
- After long meditation under a peepal tree at Bodhgaya, he found enlightenment and became the Buddha ("the wise one").
- He gave his first sermon at Sarnath and taught for about 40 years.
The Buddha's Teachings
| Teaching | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Four Noble Truths | Suffering exists; it has a cause; it can end; there is a path to end it |
| Eightfold Path | Right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration |
| Ahimsa | Non-violence |
| Karma | Our actions affect our future |
- He taught in Prakrit so common people could understand.
- He questioned sacrifices and the Varna system, and taught equality.
The Sangha
- Both Mahavira and the Buddha set up sanghas — orders of monks (bhikkhus) and nuns.
- Members left home, gave up family life, and followed strict rules (vinaya).
- They lived simply, taught people, and depended on gifts of food.
- Their shelters, called viharas, grew into monasteries.
Why People Liked These New Ideas
- They used Prakrit (the common language), not Sanskrit.
- They rejected animal sacrifice and the harsh Varna rules.
- They taught that a person's actions (karma) matter more than birth.
- They offered a path that ordinary people, including the poor and women, could follow.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Upanishad | Texts discussing the atman and brahman |
| Atman | The individual soul |
| Brahman | The universal soul |
| Tirthankara | A great teacher in Jainism (Mahavira was the 24th) |
| Ahimsa | Non-violence |
| Bodhgaya | Where the Buddha gained enlightenment |
| Sangha | The community of monks and nuns |
| Vihara | A shelter/monastery for monks and nuns |
| Karma | Actions that affect one's future |
Exam Tips
- Buddha: Prince Siddhartha → enlightenment at Bodhgaya under a peepal tree → first sermon at Sarnath.
- Four Noble Truths + Eightfold Path are the core of Buddhism — learn both names.
- Mahavira: 24th Tirthankara, taught strict ahimsa, truth, simple life; followers = Jainas.
- Sangha = order of monks/nuns; vihara = monastery — know both terms.
- Both taught in Prakrit and rejected Varna + sacrifice — the "why popular" question.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Buddha, earlier Prince Siddhartha of the Sakya clan, attained enlightenment under a peepal tree at Bodhgaya. He taught the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path — a life of ahimsa, right conduct and meditation.