Society towards the end of the Vedic period :

• Minute details of yajna and the priestly class acquired undue importance.
• The Varna System restrictions became very hard in the course of time.
• Attempts were made to give wider scope to religious thoughts from the Upanishad period, giving rise to different sects like shaira that emphasized worship of a particular deity.
• Realization that every person is free to seek ways for his salvation - upliftment led to the emergence of Jainism and Buddhism.
• These new religions stated that caste discrimination had no place in an individual’s upliftment.

Jainism :

• Jainism is one of the ancient religions in India.
• This religion gives importance to the principle of non-violence.
• The term Jain derives from the Word Jina, which means conquering the physical passions. Vardhaman Mahavir was called Jina.
• A person who attains Keval Dyan-religious knowledge is known as Tirthankara.

Vardhaman Mahavir [BC 599 to BC 527] :

• Born in Kundigram, near Vaishali in Vrijji Mahajanpada.
• Siddhartha and Trishala were his father and mother.
• Vardhaman Mahavir gave up all comforts and travelled to different parts of
• India.
• He had attained Keval Dyan after practised tapa rigorously for twelve and half years and conquered all bodily desires to attain enlightenment.
• Vardhaman Mahavir was the 24th Tirthankara.

Teachings of Vardharnan Mahavir :

• Vardhaman Mahavir preached Pancha Mahavratas consisting of Ahimsa,
• Satya, Asteya, Aparigraha and Brahmacharya.
• He emphasized the excellence of one’s character.
• He preached love of all living beings and asked people to practice mercy and compassion.
• He preached the idea of ‘Live and let live’.
• His other principles, called Tri-ratna included Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnan and Samyak Charitra.
• He rejected the caste system.
• He declared that women also had the right to undertake tapa, seek knowledge and renounce the world.

Buddhism :

Buddhism spread in India and in many countries outside India. Gautama Buddha was the founder of Buddhism.

Gautam Buddha (BC 563 to BC 483) :

• The human sorrow and its origin made Prince Siddharth, (birth name of Gautam Buddha) restless.
• In pursuit of a solution to this problem, he left the palace. He attained enlightenment under a pipal tree at Gaya in Bihar.
• After the attainment of divine knowledge under a pipal tree at Gaya, Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath near Varanasi.
• This sermon is called dhamma-chakka-pavattan (Dharmachakra-pravartan).
• He preached the fundamental principles of Buddhism in this sermon.

Teachings of Gautam Buddha :

Gautam Buddha provided answers to the questions related to the nature of life and the cause of human suffering in the form of the Aryasatyas or the Noble Truths.

• Dukkha (Suffering) : There is suffering in human life.
• The Cause of Dukkha : There is a cause of suffering.
• Dukkha-nivaran : It is possible to end suffering.
• Pratipad : Pratipad means the ‘way’. This way leads to the end of suffering. This is the way of good conduct. It is known as the Ashtangik or Eight-fold Path consisting of eight principles to be followed to put an end to suffering.

• He preached Panchasheel which consists of five rules of conduct.

Bauddha Sangha :

• Gautam Buddha organized his followers in Bauddha Sanghas to preach his religion to the people.
• Those who entered the Sangha were called Bhikkhus, They followed strict rules of conduct.
• There was separate Sangha of women, known as Bhikkunis.

Essence of his teachings :

• Gautam Buddha preached the virtues of freedom and equality. He refused to discriminate on the basis of Varna or between men and women. Like men, women too, had the right to their own upliftment.
• No one is greater or smaller by birth. Greatness depends on one’s behaviour and conduct.
• His teachings of Prajna — wisdom, sheel - moral virtue and Karuna - compassion are aimed at welfare of human beings.
• The virtue of tolerance preached by him is guiding principle not only for the Indian society but for the entire mankind even today.

Judaism Zionism : 

• In the first to third centuries AD, the Jews arrived at Kochi in Kerala.
• Their religion preaches ‘monotheism‘, i.e., God is one.
• It also preaches the virtues of justice, truth, peace, love, compassion, respect to the elders, charity and self-respect.
• Their place of worship is called Synagogue.

Christianity :

• This religion founded by Jesus Christ has spread all over the world.
• St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ reached India in the first century AD. He founded a church at Pallayur in Trichur district of Kerala. Christianity preaches ‘monotheism’, i.e. God is one who is Almighty and very kind.
• Jesus Christ is the son of the God and for deliverence of humanity from all sufferings he came to the earth.
• It preaches fraternity, love and forgiveness.
• The Bible is the holy book and Church is the place of worship of the Christians.

Islam :

• Islam is also a monotheist religion which believes in Allah and regards Mohammed as his Prophet.
• The message of Allah was delivered by Prophet and is compiled in the Quran.
• Islam preaches peace and surrender to Allah.
• India had trade relations with Arabia from the ancient times. The Arab traders brought Islam to Kerala in India.
• Mosque is the place of worship of the followers of Islam.

Zoroastrianism : (The followers of Zoroastrian religion are known as the Parsis.)

Since ancient times, the Zoroastrian people and Vedic people have shared ties.

• Zoroaster founded Zoroastrian religion in ‘Pars’ province in Iran.
• ‘Ahur Mazda’ their deity and Avesta is their holy scripture. The language of the Rigveda and Avesta is similar.
• The elements of fire and water are very important in their religion.
• Their fire temple is known as Agyari.
• They came to Gujarat in the eighth century CE.
• Good thoughts, Good words and Good deeds are three main principles preached by this religion.