Early life of buddha and mahavira biography

There are many similarities between the life of Mahavira and the Buddha.

• Both were born in the northeast of the Indian subcontinent in the 6th Century BC.
• They both were born to royal families living an early life of material comfort.
• They both married and a had a child.
• In their 20s, they both renounced worldly possessions and left their families and kingdoms to pursue spiritual enlightenment as ascetics.
• After a period of intense spiritual discipline and asceticism, both attained spiritual liberation and after began to teach and preach on a practical spirituality which emphasised a path to spiritual liberation.
• There were many similarities in their teachings – ending caste distinctions, teaching ahimsa, meditation, reincarnation and compassion to living beings.
• They both spoke in the common language and taught in simple parables, downplaying Sanskrit texts.
• They are both pictured sitting in the lotus posture.
• Both overcame religious convention to accept women as