Answer

Jainism and Buddhism both emerged in ancient India and share some ethical ideas, but they differ deeply in doctrine.

The main doctrinal differences are:

• Jainism accepts an eternal soul; Buddhism generally teaches no permanent soul.
• Jainism emphasizes non-violence as the highest religious principle; Buddhism emphasizes the Middle Path and compassion.
• Jainism teaches liberation through strict ascetic discipline and the removal of karma; Buddhism teaches liberation through wisdom, ethical conduct, and meditation.
• Jainism views karma as a subtle material substance that binds to the soul; Buddhism treats karma mainly as intentional action and its results.
• Jainism does not have a creator God and strongly rejects dependence on divine grace for liberation; Buddhism also does not rely on a creator God, but its path is structured differently.
• Jainism preserves a highly rigorous monastic ideal and lay discipline; Buddhism has a broader range of schools with different practices and levels of asceticism.

Explanation

Here is a clearer comparison:

1) Soul vs. No-soul

• Jainism: Believes in the jīva — an eternal, individual soul in every living being.
• Buddhism: Teaches anattā/anātman — no permanent, unchanging self.

This is one of the biggest differences.

2) Karma

• Jainism: Karma is understood as a kind of subtle matter that attaches to the soul because of actions, speech, and thoughts.
• Buddhism: Karma means intentional action and its moral consequence.

3) Liberation

• Jainism: Liberation comes by stopping new karma and destroying existing karma through:

- right faith - right knowledge - right conduct - austerity and penance

• Buddhism: Liberation comes through:

- wisdom - ethical conduct - meditation - insight into suffering and impermanence

4) Non-violence

• Jainism: Ahimsa is the supreme principle and is taken in the most rigorous form possible.
• Buddhism: Ahimsa is important, but the central framework is the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

5) Asceticism

• Jainism: Especially for monks and nuns, asceticism is very strict.
• Buddhism: Rejects extreme self-mortification as ineffective and teaches the Middle Way.

6) View of the world and purification

• Jainism: The soul is pure in its natural state but becomes covered by karmic bondage.
• Buddhism: Focuses less on a permanent soul needing purification and more on ending ignorance, craving, and suffering.

7) Scriptural and philosophical structure

• Jainism: Centers on the teachings of the Tīrthaṅkaras, especially Mahāvīra in the present age.
• Buddhism: Centers on the teachings of the Buddha and the path he discovered.

Spiritual Understanding

From a Jain perspective, the key distinction is that Jainism places great emphasis on the eternal soul and its purification through strict discipline and non-violence. Buddhism, by contrast, denies a permanent self and builds its path around ending suffering through insight and practice.

So while both traditions value ethics, discipline, and liberation, their philosophical foundations are not the same.

Takeaway

In simple terms:

• Jainism: “The soul is real, karma binds it, and liberation comes through purification.”
• Buddhism: “There is no permanent soul, suffering arises from ignorance and craving, and liberation comes through insight.”

If you want, I can also give you this comparison in a table format for easy study.