Religious Movements in India: Buddhism, Jainism, Bhakti, Sufi

Religious reform movements shaped Indian civilization profoundly. Kerala PSC regularly tests founders, councils, teachings, and key differences. This note covers all four major movements in exam-ready format.

1. Buddhism

1.1 Life of Gautama Buddha

Event	Details
Birth	563 BCE (widely accepted), Lumbini (Nepal)
Birth name	Siddhartha Gautama
Father	Suddhodana (Shakya clan chief)
Mother	Mahamaya (died 7 days after birth); raised by Mahaprajapati Gautami
Wife	Yashodhara
Son	Rahula
The Great Renunciation (Mahabhinishkramana)	Left home at age 29
Enlightenment (Nirvana)	Under Peepal tree at Bodh Gaya, age 35
First Sermon (Dhammachakkappavattana)	At Sarnath (Deer Park) — “Turning the Wheel of Law”
Death (Mahaparinirvana)	483 BCE, Kushinagar (UP), age 80

1.2 Core Teachings

Teaching	Content
Four Noble Truths (Arya Satya)	1. Life is suffering (Dukkha) 2. Cause of suffering is desire (Samudaya) 3. Suffering can end (Nirodha) 4. Path to end suffering (Magga)
Eightfold Path (Ashtangika Marga)	Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration
Middle Path	Avoid extremes of indulgence and self-mortification
Three Jewels (Triratna)	Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha
Concept of God	Silent on God’s existence; focus on self-effort
Nirvana	End of cycle of rebirth; extinction of desire

1.3 Buddhist Councils

Council	Year	Place	Patron	Key Outcome
First	483 BCE	Rajagriha (Saptaparni Cave)	Ajatashatru	Vinaya Pitaka (Upali); Sutta Pitaka (Ananda) compiled
Second	383 BCE	Vaishali	Kalashoka	Split into Sthaviravada and Mahasanghika
Third	250 BCE	Pataliputra	Ashoka	Abhidhamma Pitaka compiled; missionaries sent abroad
Fourth	72 CE	Kundalvana (Kashmir)	Kanishka	Split into Hinayana and Mahayana; Mahavibhasha compiled

1.4 Hinayana vs Mahayana

Feature	Hinayana	Mahayana
Meaning	”Lesser Vehicle"	"Greater Vehicle”
Goal	Individual salvation	Salvation of all beings
Buddha is	A teacher/guide	God (worship of Buddha images)
Language	Pali	Sanskrit
Scripture	Tripitaka	Sutras
Spread	Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand	China, Japan, Korea, Tibet
Idol worship	No	Yes

1.5 Tripitaka (Three Baskets)

Pitaka	Content
Vinaya Pitaka	Monastic rules and discipline
Sutta Pitaka	Buddha’s sermons and teachings
Abhidhamma Pitaka	Philosophical analysis of teachings

---

2. Jainism

2.1 The 24 Tirthankaras (Key Ones)

Tirthankara	Details
Rishabhadeva (Adinatha)	1st Tirthankara; symbol — Bull
Parshvanatha	23rd Tirthankara; symbol — Serpent; lived in Varanasi
Mahavira (Vardhamana)	24th and last Tirthankara; real founder/reformer of Jainism

2.2 Life of Mahavira

Event	Details
Birth	540 BCE, Kundagrama (Vaishali, Bihar)
Father	Siddhartha (Jnatrika clan chief)
Mother	Trishala
Wife	Yashoda
Daughter	Priyadarshana (Anojja)
Renunciation	At age 30
Enlightenment (Kaivalya)	Under Sal tree at Jrimbhikagrama, age 42
Death	468 BCE, Pavapuri (Bihar), age 72
Title	Mahavira = “Great Hero”; Jina = “Conqueror”

2.3 Core Teachings

Teaching	Content
Triratna (Three Jewels)	Right Faith (Samyak Darshana), Right Knowledge (Samyak Jnana), Right Conduct (Samyak Charitra)
Five Vows (Pancha Mahavrata)	Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealing), Aparigraha (non-possession), Brahmacharya (celibacy — added by Mahavira)
Anekantavada	Many-sidedness of truth
Syadvada	Doctrine of “may be” (conditional predication)
Karma theory	Actions bind the soul with matter; liberation through austerity
God concept	No creator God; Tirthankaras are guides

2.4 Jain Councils

Council	Year	Place	Outcome
First	300 BCE	Pataliputra	Led by Sthulabhadra; 12 Angas compiled; split into Digambara and Shvetambara
Second	512 CE	Vallabhi (Gujarat)	Led by Devardhi Kshamasramana; final compilation of 12 Angas and 12 Upangas

2.5 Digambara vs Shvetambara

Feature	Digambara	Shvetambara
Meaning	”Sky-clad” (nude)	“White-clad”
Scripture	Reject current Angas as authentic	Accept 12 Angas
Women’s liberation	Not possible in female body	Possible
Mahavira’s marriage	Deny he married	Accept he married
Key region	South India (Karnataka)	Gujarat, Rajasthan

---

3. Bhakti Movement

3.1 Overview

Aspect	Details
Period	7th–17th century CE
Core idea	Devotion to a personal God as path to salvation
Origin	Tamil Nadu (Alvars and Nayanars, 7th–9th century)
Spread	Karnataka (12th c.) then North India (15th–17th c.)
Impact	Challenged caste rigidity; promoted vernacular literature; spiritual equality

3.2 Key Bhakti Saints

Saint	Period	Region	Deity/Focus	Key Contribution
Alvars (12 saints)	7th–9th c.	Tamil Nadu	Vishnu	Composed Nalayira Divya Prabandham (4000 hymns)
Nayanars (63 saints)	7th–9th c.	Tamil Nadu	Shiva	Composed Tevaram and Tiruvachakam
Shankaracharya	788–820 CE	Kerala	Advaita (non-dualism)	Founded 4 mathas; Brahman alone is real
Ramanujacharya	1017–1137 CE	Tamil Nadu	Vishishtadvaita	Qualified non-dualism; Vaishnavism
Madhvacharya	1238–1317 CE	Karnataka	Dvaita (dualism)	God and soul are different
Basaveshwara	12th c.	Karnataka	Shiva (Lingayat)	Opposed caste; Vachana literature
Kabir	1440–1518	Varanasi	Nirguna Bhakti	Hindu-Muslim unity; Bijak (poems)
Guru Nanak	1469–1539	Punjab	Nirguna Bhakti	Founded Sikhism; Adi Granth
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu	1486–1534	Bengal	Krishna	Kirtan movement; Vaishnavism in Bengal
Mirabai	1498–1546	Rajasthan	Krishna	Devotional songs; defied social norms
Tulsidas	1532–1623	UP	Rama	Ramcharitmanas (Awadhi)
Surdas	1478–1583	UP	Krishna	Sur Sagar (Braj Bhasha)

3.3 Saguna vs Nirguna Bhakti

Feature	Saguna Bhakti	Nirguna Bhakti
God concept	God with form and attributes	Formless, attributeless God
Examples	Tulsidas (Rama), Mirabai (Krishna)	Kabir, Guru Nanak
Worship	Idol worship, temples	Meditation, inner devotion
Literature	Epics, devotional songs	Dohas, sakhis, shabads

---

4. Sufi Movement

4.1 Overview

Aspect	Details
Origin	8th century CE, Persia/Arabia
Meaning	From “Suf” (wool) — referring to coarse woolen garments of mystics
Core idea	Direct personal experience of God through love and devotion
Entry into India	11th–12th century CE
Impact	Promoted Hindu-Muslim harmony; composite culture; music (Qawwali)

4.2 Major Sufi Orders (Silsilas) in India

Order	Founder in India	Key Features
Chishti	Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer, 12th c.)	Most popular in India; simple living; music (Sama); open to all castes/religions
Suhrawardi	Bahauddin Zakariya (Multan, 13th c.)	Accepted state patronage; involvement in politics
Qadiri	Shah Niamatullah and Makhdum Gilani (15th c.)	Liberal; believed in tolerance
Naqshbandi	Khwaja Baqi Billah (16th c.)	Orthodox; opposed liberal policies; influenced Aurangzeb

4.3 Important Sufi Saints

Saint	Order	Period	Contribution
Moinuddin Chishti	Chishti	1141–1236	Settled in Ajmer; Dargah is major pilgrimage
Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki	Chishti	1173–1235	Delhi; disciple of Moinuddin
Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar (Baba Farid)	Chishti	1175–1266	Verses in Adi Granth of Sikhs
Nizamuddin Auliya	Chishti	1238–1325	”Sultan of Saints”; Delhi; Amir Khusro was his disciple
Amir Khusro	Chishti	1253–1325	Poet; invented sitar and tabla (traditional claim); Qawwali

4.4 Sufi Concepts

Concept	Meaning
Tawhid	Unity of God
Ishq	Divine love
Fana	Annihilation of self in God
Murshid/Pir	Spiritual guide
Murid	Disciple
Khanqah	Sufi hospice/monastery
Sama	Spiritual music/listening session
Silsila	Spiritual chain/order

---

5. Comparison Table: Buddhism vs Jainism

Feature	Buddhism	Jainism
Founder/Reformer	Gautama Buddha	Mahavira
Born in	Lumbini (Nepal)	Kundagrama (Bihar)
Core path	Middle Path	Extreme austerity
Non-violence	Important but moderate	Absolute and extreme (even microorganisms)
God	Silent	No creator God
Language of texts	Pali (Theravada)	Prakrit (Ardhamagadhi)
Councils	4 major	2 major
Major split	Hinayana vs Mahayana	Digambara vs Shvetambara
Spread	International	Mostly within India
Varna system	Opposed	Opposed
Patronage	Ashoka, Kanishka	Chandragupta Maurya (tradition)

6. PSC Quick-Fire Facts

Question	Answer
Buddha’s first sermon location	Sarnath (Deer Park)
Buddhist council where split into Hinayana/Mahayana occurred	Fourth (Kashmir, Kanishka)
Which Tirthankara added Brahmacharya as a vow	Mahavira (24th)
Shankaracharya was born in	Kaladi, Kerala
”Bijak” is associated with	Kabir
Most popular Sufi order in India	Chishti
Amir Khusro was disciple of	Nizamuddin Auliya
Baba Farid’s verses are found in	Adi Granth (Sikhism)
Ramcharitmanas was written by	Tulsidas
Alvars worshipped	Vishnu
Nayanars worshipped	Shiva
Language of Theravada Buddhism	Pali
Jain scripture compiled at Vallabhi council	12 Angas and 12 Upangas