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Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and Jainism

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Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and Jainism with status quo religion

Religions offer beliefs and guidelines for a way of life that conforms to certain doctrines.

Various status quo religions like Islam and Christianity often offer their adherents strong beliefs,

including believing in an "Almighty God" and the concept of the last day where the universe as

we know it would end. However, other religions, including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and

Jainism, offer varying perspectives on the concept of life, the universe, and interactions with

humans. Buddhism, for example, does not ask its adherence to owe allegiance to any

supernatural being, nor does it ask them to believe in a day of judgment. Like Buddhism, Jainism

is less focused on the supreme beings and wants its adherents to live non-violent life.

On the other hand, Zoroastrianism follows a polytheistic approach to religion and teaches

its adherent about good and evil and supreme beings responsible for creation. Like Hinduism,

Zoroastrians are taught about Ahura Mazda, the supreme God who created the world (Bavadpour

et al., 2022). Religion teaches that the world was created as a point of intersection between good

and evil and a place where evil would be incapacitated.

How each religion 'knows the universe.'

The view of the universe and its origin is a concept that most religions have tried to

explain. The ancient Greeks saw Zoroastrianism as a paradigm of a dualistic worldview and

human destiny. According to the creation story of Zoroastrianism, Angra Mainyu dwelt below in

darkness and ignorance, while Ahura Mazda dwelled above in compassion and light (Shehu,

2020). They have always existed separately and exhibit conflicting characteristics. The first

manifestations of Ahura Mazda are seven celestial beings known as Amesha Spentas, who serve

him and reflect beneficial aspects of personality and creation, and infinite Yazatas, deities

worthy of worship. Ahura Mazda then constructed the material and visible universe to confine
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evil, the spiritual and physical components of Ahura Mazda's egg-shaped universe (getig)

(Shehu, 2020). Ahura Mazda produced the primordial bovine Gavaevodata and the archetypal

faultless man Gayomard. Angra Mainyu created demons, wicked daevas, and noxious creatures

(khrafstar), such as snakes, ants, and flies, whereas Ahura Mazda created the cosmos and

humans. Angra Mainyu created an evil counterpart for every good thing except people, which he

learned he could not match. Angra Mainyu plummeted into the cosmos from the bottom of the

sky, killing Gayomard and the bull. On the other hand, the wicked forces were trapped in the

universe and unable to escape. Mah, the Moon, protected the seeds scattered by dying animals

and primitive man. The bull's seed gave rise to all of the world's useful plants and animals, while

the man's seed gave rise to a plant whose leaves led to the first marriage (Kistaubayev, 2020). As

a result, humanity is trapped in a dual cosmology of the material and spiritual while engaged in a

continuous war with evil. The problems in this physical reality result from Angra Mainyu's

attack on creation, not its fundamental flaws. The flat, calm, always-day planet was assaulted and

transformed into a mountainous, turbulent half-night world.

On the other hand, Jains believe that time is infinite and without shape. It is shown as a

wheel with 12 spokes (ara), each signifying a year, with six spokes making an upward arc and

six spokes creating a downward arc (Jain, 2022). Humans increase in knowledge, age, size, and

happiness along the rising arc (utsarpini) but deteriorate along the descending arc (avasarpini).

The cycles combine to produce one Kalpa or revolution of the time wheel. These kalpas have no

beginning or conclusion and continue indefinitely. The Jain universe is uncreated and everlasting

(Jain, 2022). According to the Digambaras, time is the sixth substance, in addition to the five

essential components of reality (astikayas) of soul, matter, space, laws, and the arrest of motion.

Even though these components are everlasting and indestructible, their conditions vary regularly
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and exhibit three characteristics of emergence, stability, and fading away. Based on this

assumption, Jainism claims to provide a more accurate view of the world and its intricacies than

either Hinduism or Buddhism.

Whereas the focus of Buddhist cosmology is the universe as seen through the divyacakus

(Pli: dibbacakkhu), the "divine eye" through which a Buddha or an arhat can perceive all beings

arising (being born) and passing away (dying) within various worlds, and can tell from which

state they have been reborn, and into which state they will be reborn (Pong, 2018). People and

animals, among other things, can reincarnate as devas (gods), asuras (titans), pretas ("hungry

ghosts"), and hell-dwellers. Causes and conditions influence how sentient animals transition

from one stage of existence to another. The three criteria are generosity or giving, moral

behavior, meditative improvement, and their opposites. A person's moral character and

philanthropic behaviors impact their rebirth in Kama-Loka (desire realm). Rebirth in the form

world and Arupa-Loka necessitates meditation growth (formless realm). Liberation from all

rebirths necessitates intelligence as well as moral behavior and meditation.

Influential individuals

Influential individuals in religion hold significant importance in the religion itself. All

three religions had influential individuals, including Buddha, and Zarathushtra from Buddhism

and Zoroastrianism respectively. Zarathushtra, an Iranian prophet and religious reformer who

lived before the sixth century B.C.E. and is better known outside of Iran as Zoroaster, is often

considered the Zoroastrianism’s founder (his name in Greek). Zoroastrianism also contains both

monotheistic and dualist elements. It likely influenced Islam, Christianity, and other major

Western religions such as Judaism.

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The Buddhism religion was built on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, popularly

known as Buddha (the "Enlightened One") (Gómez, 2020). An Indian yogi named Buddha had

remarkable success between the sixth and fourth century B.C.E. While the exact dates of

Buddha's birth and death are uncertain, his teachings acquired popularity during a period when

society was changing, and frustration with religious rituals and beliefs was at its peak.

In Jainism, Deeds of the 63 Illustrious Men, often known as the Universal History by

Western historians, is a mythology produced by the Jains. The 24 Tirthankaras/Jinas, ideal

human beings who visit to preach and symbolize the faith, are the most important people in this

history (Bavadpour et al., 2022). Mahavira, born Vardhamana and regarded as the 24th and last

Jina, was one of the most well-known Jinas. He was born about 599 B.C.E. into the warrior class

known as the Kshatriya, but many academics believe he was born later (Jain, 2022). He gave up

his earthly possessions and became a monk at 30. After more than 12 years of fasting and

meditation, Vardhamana acquired enlightenment and became Mahavira (meaning "Great Hero").

His death is claimed to have left behind a significant Jain community comprising 14,000 monks

and 36,000 nuns (Bavadpour et al., 2022). Other influential personalities include Rama, who is

regarded as a devoted, peaceful Jain, and Krishna, whom the Jains identify as a relative of the

22nd Tirthankara, Arishtanemi. The Jains retained their isolation and association with the

surrounding Hindu culture by embracing but redefining such key Hindu characters.

Many adherents and where each religion is mostly practiced.

Humans are regarded as religious beings and often peg their faith on certain religions.

While the religions in question do not form the most followed religions in the world, they have a

significant number of adherents and are concentrated in different regions of the world (Kieran,

2021). Zoroastrianism, an ancient pre-Islamic religion, is followed in isolated portions of Iran

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and, more prosperously, in India, where Parsis, or Parsees, are the descendants of Zoroastrian

Iranian (Persian) immigrants.

Jainism, together with Hinduism and Buddhism, is one of the three oldest religious

systems still practiced today in India. Most Jains live in India, although substantial groups may

also be found in Indian immigrant communities in Kenya, the United States, Canada, and the

United Kingdom. The 2020 census identified nearly 4.5 million Jains in India; however, some

Jains think the figure is greatly exaggerated (Basumatary, 2020). According to the World

Religion Database, there are around 250,000 Jains living outside of India.

Buddhism forms the largest population among the religions in question. The religion is

mostly practiced in the Far East, with most Confucian societies following Buddhism. Regions

like China, Nepal, South Korea, Myanmar, and Japan have the largest population of Buddhism

adherents. Other regions like Europe, America, and Africa also have significant populations of

Buddhism adherents. According to the 2020 world data, there were about 500 million Buddhists

worldwide (Kieran, 2021). This population is significant as it makes up about 7 percent of the

global population.

Key doctrines/beliefs

Ethics and code of conduct is another common aspect among religion. These ethics and

codes of conduct may be similar or different depending on the beliefs of any given religion. For

example, Buddhism offers a list ethics cand code of conduct that is documented in the Pali,

which include abstinence from harming living thing, sexual misconduct, taking things that are

not given freely, false speech and consumption of intoxicating drinks. Buddhism’s ethics and

code of conduct bears strong similarities with Jainism, which teaches its adherents to show high

standards of faithfulness and chastity and abstain from stealing, and possessiveness.
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Zoroastrianism, on the other hand, offers a blanket ethics and code of conduct which includes

good thoughts, good deeds and good words.

Religions are often defined by their doctrines and beliefs. The two major schools of

Buddhism are Mahayana and Hinayana. Mahayana Buddhists believe that if people follow the

proper path, they will be rescued. According to the Hinayana, each person is accountable for his

or her fate. Other Buddhist viewpoints, such as Tibetan "Hindu Tantric Buddhism" and Japanese

"Zen Buddhism," exist alongside these principles (Gómez, 2020). Zen Buddhism is a synthesis

of traditional Japanese beliefs and Buddhism as it was introduced to Japan by India. Hindu

Tantric Buddhism synthesizes traditional Tibetan beliefs such as magic, ghosts, and tantras with

Indian Buddhism before Buddhism's arrival in Tibet (meaningless mystical sentences). Buddhist

teachings include the concept of nirvana, which is the pinnacle of meditation. The Eightfold Path

is a major Buddhist principle between moderation and full abstention. This philosophy

emphasizes one difference between Mahavira, the most famous Jain philosopher, and Buddha

(Gómez, 2020). Mahavira advocated for more stringent abstinence. The aspects of the Eightfold

Path, which helps in accomplishing the human needs, are right perspective, right purpose, right

speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The

Four Noble Truths are linked to another Buddhist concept, the Eightfold Path. The first fact is

that life is difficult. The second fact is that negative acts and attitudes result in pain. The third

truth is the end of suffering, and the ultimate reality is the path to enlightenment, which

eliminates adverse attachment. Buddhist also offer its adherents a concept of journey of the soul

which explains how the soul interacts with the physical body (Gomez, 20202). The Buddhism

teaching views death and life as a continuum, where the soul continues to exist after death and

may be reborn.
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Ahimsa, "non-injury," is a type of disciplined nonviolence emphasized by the Jain faith

as a path to spiritual purity and enlightenment. The Jain faith seeks ultimate perfection and soul

purity, notwithstanding the Jain concept that no one may obtain nirvana in this tainted age (Jain,

2022). They think this can happen only when the soul is fully free of physical bodies (attained

moksha). The religion explains the human needs by the concept of Karma. The accumulation of

karmas, particles formed by a person's actions that attach themselves to the soul and bind it to

physical bodies over several incarnations, impedes soul release (Basumatary, 2020). As a result,

true self-realization and soul emancipation are hampered. As a result, Jain renunciants prefer a

human rebirth that will lead them to that condition via concentrated and meritorious tranquil

effort rather than fast knowledge. Jainism believes in humanity. Gods are not necessary to save

humanity from the universe's repercussions. Although Jain believes that the worldly world

should be avoided, many religions recognize that humans have spiritual and material

components. The spirit or soul must be liberated from the bad and prison-like body. Even if

everyone is perfect on the inside, this is tough for imperfect people. The dust on the soul must be

cleansed to unveil the boundless traits that lay latent within humans. Jains believe that humans

can remove negativity if nothing new is introduced. They also teach that when someone dies, the

soul transitions to a new body.

Zoroastrianism was an original attempt to combine a polytheistic religion like that of the

early Greeks, Latins, Indians, and other peoples under the worship of a single supreme deity

(Shehu, 2020). Its second defining feature, dualism, was never completely understood. When

good and evil struggle, good always wins. As a result, God's omnipotence is only restricted

briefly. Zoroastrianism tries to meet the human needs by explaining the purpose of humans on

earth. Everyone is compelled to join in this struggle because of their right to free will. People do
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it with the soul and body rather than against the body because the battle between good and evil

differs from the battle between spirit and matter (Kistaubayev, 2020). On the other side, human

labor has the drawback of needing to struggle for purity, prevent contamination by death's

energies, and interact with dead goods. Zoroastrianism also believes that humans have the mortal

body and the immortal soul (Kistaubayev, 2020). When humans die, the soul leaves the body but

remains within the physical world for three days and three nights.
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References

Basumatary, M. (2020). DOCTRINES OF JAINISM: ITS RELEVANCE TO PRESENT TIME

SITUATION. SÉÉÉÉÇEò-VÉèxÉÊɶ Éä¹ÉÉÆEò, 236.

Bavadpour, M. R., Yousef Jamali, M. K., & Jadidi, N. (2022). A comparative study of the

teachings and social and political functions of the two religions of Mehr and

Zoroaster. Political Sociology of Iran, 5(12).

Gómez, L. O. (2020). Buddhism as a Religion of Hope: Observations on the "Logic" of a

Doctrine and its Foundational Myth. Critical Readings on Pure Land Buddhism in Japan

(pp. 17–35). Brill.

Jain, Y. K. (2022). Implications of Doctrine of Jain Karma Theory for Social Development in

India. SWASTIKA: Epigraphy, Numismatics, Religion and Philosophy, p. 223.

Kieran, P. (2021). The world's religious traditions and global climate disruption. In Teaching

Climate Change in Primary Schools (pp. 46–59). Routledge.

Kistaubayev, S. U. (2020). ZOROASTRIANISM AND THE EXPRESSION OF THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATURE AND MAN IN ISLAM. Theoretical & Applied

Science, (4), 624-626.

Pong, H. K. (2018). Contributions of religious beliefs on the development of university students’

spiritual well-being. International journal of children's spirituality, 23(4), 429–455.

Shehu, F. (2020). Revisiting the Ancient Persian Religion of Zoroastrianism: Its Founder and

Sacred Scripture. AL-ITQAN: JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC SCIENCES AND

COMPARATIVE STUDIES, 4(1), 5–23.