Buddha was influenced by Jainism

You're highlighting an intriguing perspective on the relationship between Buddhism and Jainism, and indeed, there are interpretations in certain traditions that suggest Buddha was influenced by Jainism or even followed it at some point. Let’s break down and explore the key aspects of what you're describing — particularly around Buddha's initial connection to Jainism, the food incident involving the flesh in his bowl, and the grief Buddha experienced after Mahavira's death — and how these elements fit into the broader historical and philosophical context.

Buddha's Possible Early Connection with Jainism

1. Buddha's Early Spiritual Quest:

   • Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was born into a Kshatriya (warrior) family and, like many spiritual seekers of his time, sought to understand the nature of suffering, life, and death. As you rightly mentioned, Buddha did not invent his spiritual path from scratch but emerged within a religious environment that was dominated by Hinduism (or Vedic traditions) and Jainism.

   • Jainism was one of the major religious traditions in India at the time. The strict asceticism of Jain monks, their focus on ahimsa (non-violence), and their emphasis on detachment from worldly pleasures influenced a number of spiritual seekers, including Buddha.

   • Some sources do suggest that Buddha might have initially practiced under Jain teachers or followed Jain ascetic practices before developing his own path.

2. The Jain Principle of Food Consumption:

   • One important element that could have led to Buddha's departure from Jainism is the strict dietary rules followed by Jains. In Jainism, the principle of ahimsa is extremely rigid, and it extends to the consumption of food. Jains avoid eating foods that could harm living beings — this includes root vegetables, which might kill the plant, and even filtering water to avoid killing micro-organisms.

   • Jain monks are also expected to eat their food in a specific manner: they should eat what is in their bowl without discarding anything. In this context, the incident with the flesh falling into Buddha’s bowl, as you describe, may have symbolized a point of deep philosophical reflection.

   • Buddha, seeing this, could have questioned whether such strict dietary rules were truly conducive to liberation. Was extreme renunciation of food and worldly comforts the path to true enlightenment, or was there a middle ground? This reflection may have led Buddha to develop his own approach: the Middle Path (the middle way between extreme asceticism and indulgence).

3. The “Food in the Bowl” Incident:

   • The story you're referring to — a piece of flesh falling into Buddha's bowl — could be seen as a symbolic representation of Buddha's rejection of Jain extremism.

   • It’s possible that Buddha’s question was whether purity and liberation could be attained by adhering to a strict dietary regimen like Jainism's. In his experience, the Middle Path emerged as an answer: a life that avoids both self-indulgence and self-mortification.

   • This shift marked the development of Buddha's philosophical and practical teachings, which focused on moderation in all aspects of life, including eating.

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Buddha’s Grief and Nirvana after Mahavira’s Death

Now, let’s address the second part of your question: the idea that Buddha’s grief over Mahavira’s death played a role in his attainment of Nirvana.

1. Mahavira’s Death and Buddha’s Spiritual Crisis:

   • Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, passed away shortly before Buddha began his teaching career. According to some sources, Buddha was likely aware of Mahavira's teachings and the impact he had on Indian spirituality.

   • The notion that Buddha felt grief or sorrow after Mahavira’s death is interesting and may be based on later mythological interpretations, but there is no definitive historical evidence to suggest that Buddha was a direct disciple of Mahavira. Buddha may have been influenced by Mahavira’s philosophy, but he did not follow Jainism in the traditional sense.

   • However, it is possible that Buddha felt a sense of spiritual connection with Mahavira and other contemporary religious figures. This grief could have symbolized Buddha’s recognition of the inevitability of death and impermanence, two central themes in Buddhist teachings.

2. The Role of Grief in Buddha’s Enlightenment:

   • It is also important to note that Buddha’s enlightenment (Nirvana) was not a moment of sadness or mourning, but rather a moment of realization about the nature of suffering, desire, and attachment. The Buddha's Nirvana was his liberation from the cycle of samsara (birth, death, and rebirth), not a result of external circumstances like the death of a contemporary.

   • That said, Buddha's personal journey towards enlightenment certainly involved grief, loss, and the recognition of the transience of life. His encounter with the reality of suffering, especially in the form of aging, sickness, and death, motivated him to seek a path that could end suffering — which ultimately led him to attain Nirvana.

3. Buddha’s Liberation (Nirvana) in Context:

   • Nirvana in Buddhism is the cessation of suffering, desire, and attachment. It is a state of ultimate peace and wisdom where one is free from the cycle of samsara.

   • While Buddha’s grief and reflections on the teachings of contemporaries like Mahavira may have influenced his journey, Nirvana is not viewed as something that occurs due to sorrow over someone’s death but as the ultimate realization of truth and the end of all ignorance and attachment.

   It’s possible that the narrative you mention, where Buddha’s grief over Mahavira’s death led him to Nirvana, represents a symbolic mythologization of the Buddha’s deeper philosophical transformation.

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Why Some Aspects Are "Erased" or Overlooked

The reasons why such stories or interpretations (like Buddha’s direct connection to Jainism or his grief leading to Nirvana) are either downplayed or ignored in mainstream historical narratives can be understood in several ways:

1. Establishing Buddhism’s Independence:

   • Early Buddhists likely sought to distinguish Buddhism from Jainism and other contemporary spiritual practices, presenting Buddha’s path as entirely unique. As such, stories that link Buddha too closely with Jainism could undermine Buddhism’s distinct identity.

2. Mythologization of Religious Founders:

   • Religious figures like Buddha often undergo mythologization over time, where certain aspects of their lives are emphasized or altered to serve specific religious or doctrinal purposes. This can result in the omission or reinterpretation of complex connections between different traditions.

3. Sects and Rivalries:

   • The rivalry between Jainism and Buddhism, especially as both religions developed distinct following and teachings, may have led to certain historical events being downplayed or misrepresented to serve the interests of the growing Buddhist community.

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Conclusion

The story of Buddha’s departure from Jainism and his subsequent grief over Mahavira's death offers an interesting lens through which to view the early history of Indian spiritual traditions. While there are symbolic stories that connect Buddha to Jainism — such as the incident with the bird flesh in his bowl — the core philosophical differences between the two traditions ultimately led Buddha to create his own spiritual path, centered on the Middle Path.

As for the grief over Mahavira’s death, it may be symbolic of Buddha’s recognition of the impermanence of life and his eventual attainment of Nirvana. However, the specific narrative you mention seems to be part of later mythological interpretations rather than a solid historical fact.

Let me know if you'd like to dive deeper into any of these ideas!