Important Buddhist and Jaina texts

📚 Important Buddhist vs Jaina Texts – Comparative Table

🧾 Text	🕉️ Tradition	📌 Key Features / Contents
Tripitaka (Vinaya, Sutta, Abhidhamma)	Buddhist	Canonical texts of Theravāda Buddhism; Vinaya = monastic rules, Sutta = discourses, Abhidhamma = philosophy.
Milindapanha	Buddhist	Dialogue between Indo-Greek King Menander & sage Nāgasena—philosophical Q&A.
Dhammapada	Buddhist	Verses of Buddhist wisdom and ethics.
Mahavamsa / Dipavamsa	Buddhist	Historical chronicles of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Lalitavistara	Buddhist	Mahayana text describing Buddha’s life.
Avadanasataka	Buddhist	100 stories illustrating karma and moral lessons.
Jataka Tales	Buddhist	Birth stories of previous lives of the Buddha.
Nettipakarana	Buddhist	Theravāda Buddhist commentary/interpretative guide.
Visuddhimagga	Buddhist	A meditation manual by Buddhaghosa (5th century CE).

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🧾 Text	🕉️ Tradition	📌 Key Features / Contents
Agamas	Jaina	Jaina canonical texts of the Svetambara sect.
Purvas	Jaina	Original teachings of Mahavira—now mostly lost.
Kalpasutra	Jaina	Biography of Mahavira; recited during Paryushan.
Tattvartha Sutra	Jaina	Written by Umāsvāti—first Jain text in Sanskrit; covers Jain philosophy.
Parishishtaparvan	Jaina	Hemachandra’s text on Jain monk biographies.
Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana	Jaina	Hemachandra's lives of 63 Shalaka Purushas (great beings).
Acharanga Sutra	Jaina	Early Jain text detailing conduct for monks.
Bhagavati Sutra	Jaina	Dialogue-style Jain scripture covering metaphysics and ethics.
Samayasara	Jaina	A metaphysical treatise by Acharya Kundakunda.

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✅ Tips:

• Buddhist texts often deal with Buddha’s life, moral stories (Jatakas), and philosophy.

• Jaina texts emphasize conduct, karma theory, metaphysics, and biographies of Tirthankaras.

• Remember Tripitaka (Buddhist) ≠ Agamas (Jaina) — very commonly asked.

• Hemachandra is a key author for multiple Jain texts.

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