Question 4: Buddhism's noble truths

Buddhism's four noble truths stem from the Buddha's teachings about sorrow among the living

and how to alleviate it. These are the truth about suffering, the truth about why suffering occurs, the truth

about ending suffering, and the truth about the path guiding the end of suffering. While the truths

acknowledge pleasure and happiness in the world, they are meant to deal with world realities, including

sicknesses, aging, and dying. Basically, they help people understand suffering deeper, why it happens,

and give them hope and ways to end it. The four truths raise questions about religion and philosophy

because religions typically have a god or deity who is worshipped and revered. However, in Buddhism,

according to the teachings of the truths, everything revolves around suffering and how to resolve it to

achieve a free being, therefore leading many scholars to term it as a philosophy rather than religion.

The noble truths relate significantly to other philosophical schools of thought, which use logical

reasoning, evidence, and connections between evidence. For instance, the first noble truth involves

identifying suffering, while the second gives two main reasons why suffering occurs: ignorance and

desire. By desire, the teaching points to material and bodily longings that can never be fully satisfied,

leading to suffering. On the other hand, ignorance refers to people failing to open their eyes and see the

reality of things instead of wallowing in vices such as greed, hatred, and envy, all representing suffering.

These represent a philosophical path where the teacher attempts to let people know the consequences of

their actions and how such leads to their suffering. Similarly, the third noble truth teaches about the end

of suffering, which can either be on earth or in the spiritual world where one attains Nirvana, a state free

from suffering. Finally, the fourth noble truth introduces the noble Eightfold path, which branches down

into eight steps and three themes. Like other philosophical teachings, the noble truths involve logical

reasoning, questioning, and intellectual independence. While the truths bring out philosophical aspects of

Buddhism, other aspects, such as belief in reincarnation, tie Buddhism to religion, like how Christianity

talks of being reborn after baptism or death; Buddhism teaches of achieving a free state known as
Nirvana. Also, in Christianity, there are rewards for following the Bible's teachings, including heaven.

Similarly, Buddhism promises enlightenment, a state of freedom where no more suffering exists.

As mentioned above, Buddhist beliefs such as reincarnation rewards for following the teachings

classify it as a religion. Yet some of the teachings, especially in the truths, challenge its religious

standings. For example, emphasizing suffering only does not give the followers the relief required in a

spiritual quest. However, philosophy and religious Buddhism have co-existed in harmony for a long time.

This can be seen when people study Buddhist philosophy as a school of thought, with some

acknowledging it and others remaining silent about its supernatural features. For example, philosophers

and scholars can study the four noble truths and the liberation that results from knowing and accepting the

truth without viewing it as a reward for following religious teachings. Still, when people reach

enlightenment, they achieve a Free State without suffering, a religious belief, and promise. Additionally,

the Buddha's teachings cannot exist without certain aspects, such as rituals and ceremonies, which are

typical characteristics of any religion. For people to learn and follow the noble truths, they need temples,

monks, and religious festivals, which ties the two perspectives of religion and philosophy together.

Although it is possible for a non-Buddhist to follow the teachings and act upon them without indulging in

rituals and other religious aspects, philosophy, Buddhism, and religious Buddhism complement each

other perfectly.

Question 4: Buddhism and Jainism

Jainism and Buddhism arose as a revolt against the Vedic when Gautama Buddha and

Vardhamana Mahavira, who belonged to the royal Kshatriya clan, challenged the Vedas' authority under

the Brahmins. Both religions have similarities as well as differences, as both used the Upanishads as the

source of their ideas and borrowed heavily from the Aryan culture. Most of their similarities stem from

the fact that they both challenged the traditional Brahmanical Vedas carrying the revolution wave at the

time. The first thing the two religions rejected was the hierarchical system where the Vedas remained at

the top and the grand rituals involving animal sacrifices. The two religions stressed the importance of
animal life, arguing that violence and cruelty against animals were unjustified. Animals should accorded

the same rights as human beings according to these religions. Another similarity between Jainism and

Buddhism is the belief in Karma, a concept where an individual's spiritual life and beliefs determine

whether they received positive or opposing forces. Accordingly, reincarnation advanced these forces,

which are necessary to purify the human soul. Both religions do not teach about a supernatural being, a

god, or a divine being, but they acknowledge that everything exists through divinity. As such, the writings

of the religions are not from god, as most religions claim. Finally, both Buddhism and Jainism believe in

reincarnation, where individuals are reborn after death on earth and gain another form of body.

As much as the two religions are similar, they differ in several aspects, including the element of

rebirth. While Buddhism believes that enlightenment, also known as Nirvana, can break the cycle of birth

and rebirth, Jainism believes that an individual's deeds determine and drive the rebirth cycle to the point

of liberation. Another difference stems from the basis of religious teachings, with Buddhism emphasizing

how much suffering is in the world and how to avoid it, while Jainism's central teaching revolves around

respect for every being. Learning and practicing the truth leads one to enlightenment in Buddhism while

taking vows and following the jewels, which leads to liberation in Jainism. While there is no sin in

Buddhism, Jainism considers sinning as bringing harm to other beings. Buddhists believe in some beings

in heaven; though they have not yet achieved full redemption, they are placed on a higher spiritual ground

than human beings. On the other hand, in Jainism, the gods are only considered teachers, but they are not

revered or placed on a higher spiritual ground. Finally, both religions are found in different parts of the

world, with Buddhism most concentrated in Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka. At

the same time, Jainism is primarily popular in India and some small groups in several countries, including

America.

Even as they revolted against the Vedic religion, Buddhism and Jainism incorporated some

elements of the Vedic religion. For instance, their belief in Karma originated from the Vedic belief of

birth and rebirth, where negative and positive forces keep people attached to the world. Also, Upanishads
and other Vedic texts teach about the consequences of desire, including human suffering. These elements

are central to Buddhist teachings. The concept of non-violence and compassion in the two religions is also

borrowed from the Vedic teachings, which emphasize not causing harm to other beings. In Jainism, this

element is a principle of all actions, and people are judged through it. Another element that Buddhism and

Jainism borrowed from Vedic religion is the existence of divine places such as heaven and hell habited by

divine beings. Some of the names of the gods are similar to those of the Vedas, including Indra and

Brahma in Buddhism. Also, it is unclear whether Jainism has accepted or rejected the concept of divinity

entirely; it still holds beliefs about wise beings who teach the followers. Other elements incorporated by

the two religions include spiritual practices, such as meditation, nurturing certain behaviors and states of

the mind, and concentration.

Still, other elements of the Vedic religion were out rightly rejected by both Buddhism and

Jainism. These include the existence of a god, Ishvara, who created the universe. They also reject the

doctrine of atman, which teaches about self-existence; instead, Buddhism teaches a non-self-doctrine

emphasizing the impermanent of worldly things. The two religions also reject the rule of an eternal basis

of existence, also known as Brahman in Vedic. Finally, the religions reject some rituals, such as animal

sacrifice, which are marked by a horse sacrifice in Vedic. This follows the belief in respecting the rights

of animals just like other beings. All in all, Buddhism and Jainism borrow more than they reject from the

Vedic religion, making them one big doctrine with several different perspectives.