This paper compares Buddhist and Jaina attitudes towards warfare as reflected in textual sources related, directly or indirectly, to King Ajātaśatru’s/Kūṇika’s war against the Vṛjis (or the Licchavis and their allies). It argues that while the Buddhists and Jainas, who composed or redacted those sources, shared the same unwillingness to apply the principle of ahiṃsā to political utilization of military forces at the national level, they nonetheless held different opinions on the reconcilability of military obligations with ethical–religious values at the individual level. In particular, a comparative reading of a set of three parallel suttas in the Saṃyutta-nikāya (IV 308–311) and Section 7.9 of the Viyāhapannatti shows that although both the Buddha and Mahāvīra refute the Brahmanical idea of heavenly rebirths of battle-slain soldiers, the Buddha stresses the incompatibility of the warrior ethic with Buddhist values, while Mahāvīra addresses the possibility of combining military obligations with Jaina values.
目次
Buddhist Attitude towards Warfare in the Story of Ajātaśatru’s War against the Vṛjis and Related Material 96 Jaina Attitude towards Warfare in the Story of Kūṇika’s War against the Licchavis and Their Allies 102 Comparative Remarks 107