Jainism vs Zoroastrianism

Jainism versus Zoroastrianism comparison chart
	Jainism	Zoroastrianism

Place of origin	India.	Persia (Iran)
Practices	Five vows of Truth, Non-violence, Non-stealing, Non-attachment, control over desires and senses. Greater emphasis on non-violence and truth. Also follow 3 jewels of Right Perception, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct	Fire is used in Zoroastrian worship. Zoroastrians also pray 5 times a day.
Use of statues and pictures	Common.	Permitted, there are several drawings regarding Prophet Zoroaster and symbolic images of God (Ahura Mazda).
Belief of God	Jainism does not believe in a Creator God.	One God.
Place of worship	Temple	Dar-e Mehr (Persian) or Agiyari (Gujarati) or Fire temple
Founder	Rishabhdev- 1st Tirthankar in this era, Further revived by Vardhaman Mahavir- 24th and final Tirthankar of this era	Zarathustra Haechataspa Spitama or Zoroaster (Greek) or Zartosht (Parsi)
Goal of religion	To gain liberation and be released from cycle of rebirths, adopt a path of non-violence towards all living beings.	To serve God, by good deeds towards others. To acquire and cultivate divine attributes, particularly “ good mind and righteousness; to elevate themselves in harmony with God and to listen to God’s guiding voice within them.
Literal Meaning	To become a Jina (liberated soul) by following the teachings of 24 Tirthankars (ford-makers/teachers)	Follower of Zoroaster.
Human Nature	Human suffering is due to negative effects of bad karma and excessive attachment to material aspects of world.	equal ability to do good or evil.
Life after death	Until liberation is achieved, circle of rebirths and deaths continue due to Karma via incarnations in any life form on earth, as also heavenly and hellish life forms.	Eternal life in Heaven, or in Hell.
Means of salvation	Goal is to unshackle the soul from bondages of karma which results in misery due to many rebirths and deaths. Once soul is freed from these bondages, it achieves Nirvana and becomes perfect soul free from all attachments, in an eternal blissful state	Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.
Followers	Jains.	Zoroastrians.
Scriptures	Religious scriptures called Agamas. Many other canonical texts.	The Zend Avesta.
Clergy	Monks, nuns.	Priests.
View of the Buddha	Buddha is considered as contemporary of Mahavir	N/A
Geographical distribution and predominance	Mainly in India, lower Asian subcontinent throughout, and America. Small groups exist in most countries.	Middle East, Central Asia and Northern India.
Status of women	Women can become nuns.	Equal to men
Concept of Deity	Numerous deities known as Tirthenkaras. But Jains do not worship them in literal sense of idol worship to ask favors. Rather, these Tirthankars are venerated as ideal Men and teachers whose teachings should be followed.	One Good God, Who is in cosmic battle with one evil god.
Principle	Respect all living things. Attain liberation by avoiding and shedding of bad karma which is the cause of rebirths and all sufferings. Five vows and three jewels.	Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.
About	Following the teachings of Mahavira.	Zoroastrianism is one of the most earliest monotheistic faith, in a concept of the one creator God (Known as Ahura Mazda)
Second coming of Jesus	Jains believe in pluralism, that is, truth has multiple view points. Thus it is accomodating of other religions' views.	N/A
Definition	Teachings of Tirthankars	Follower of Zoroaster.
Ressurection of Jesus	NA	Denied
View of other Dharmic religions	Comradeship with other Dharmic religions.	Zoroastrianism was founded in protest of worshipping numerous Aryan/Hindu deities.
Abrahamic Lineage	N/A.	N/A.
Population	50-60 million	Approx. 100,000 Zoroastrians in the world.
Concept of God	No creator God. Rather, Godliness is the inherent quality of any soul characterizing infinite bliss, power, Perfect knowledge and perfect Peace. One who achieves this state by breaking bonds of Karma and liberation from rebirths can be termed God.	One God
Angels	Concept of Yaksha, Yakshinis. They are celestial and heavenly beings who can aid and guide humans upon invoking. But they are not considered God and their worship is not encouraged as they are not perfect souls and haven't achieved Nirvana.	Angels serve Ahura Mazda.
Holy days/Official Holidays	Paryushan festival	Nowruz, Zartusht-no-diso, Jamshid nowruz
Time of origin	Very ancient. One of the oldest religions as origin of 1st Tirthankar is too ancient and obscure. Mahavir (24th Tirthankar) born in 599 B.C.E.	2000 B.C.
Authority of Dalai Lama	N/A.	N/A.
Authority of Pope	Not relevant	N/A.
Place and Time of origin	Unending and un-beginning...it has always existed and will continue to do so. Revived in every time cycle. Very ancient, origin obscure dating many millenia	Priests
Rites	Generally common.	Generally common.
Names of God	24 Tirthankars, besides some celestial beings are worshipped as Demi Gods though they are not liberated from cycle of rebirths.	Ahura Mazda.
Birth of Jesus	Not relevant	N/A. They believe that Zarathustra was virgin born.
Identity of Jesus	N/A.	Denied
Resurrection of Jesus	N/A.	Denied
Death of Jesus	N/A.	N/A.
View of God	Numerous deities.	God is All Good.
Virtue on which religion is based upon	Ahimsa (meaning non-violence, or pacifism).	Kindness.
Clothes	Avoid clothes made from animal products.	Zoroastrians traditionally wear a sacred thread around their waist, the kusti. Both men and women must cover their heads.
Praying to Saints,Mary, and Angel	N/A.	N/A.
Introduction (from Wikipedia)	Jainism ( /ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/; Sanskrit: जैनधर्म - Jainadharma, Tamil: சமணம் - Samaṇam Kannada: ಜೈನ ಧರ್ಮ - Jaina Dharma), is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings.	Zoroastrianism /ˌzɒroʊˈæstriənɪzəm/, also called Zarathustraism, Mazdaism and Magianism, is an ancient Iranian religion and a religious philosophy. It was once the state religion of the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires.

Place of origin

India.

Persia (Iran)

Practices

Five vows of Truth, Non-violence, Non-stealing, Non-attachment, control over desires and senses. Greater emphasis on non-violence and truth. Also follow 3 jewels of Right Perception, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct

Fire is used in Zoroastrian worship. Zoroastrians also pray 5 times a day.

Use of statues and pictures

Common.

Permitted, there are several drawings regarding Prophet Zoroaster and symbolic images of God (Ahura Mazda).

Belief of God

Jainism does not believe in a Creator God.

One God.

Place of worship

Temple

Dar-e Mehr (Persian) or Agiyari (Gujarati) or Fire temple

Founder

Rishabhdev- 1st Tirthankar in this era, Further revived by Vardhaman Mahavir- 24th and final Tirthankar of this era

Zarathustra Haechataspa Spitama or Zoroaster (Greek) or Zartosht (Parsi)

Goal of religion

To gain liberation and be released from cycle of rebirths, adopt a path of non-violence towards all living beings.

To serve God, by good deeds towards others. To acquire and cultivate divine attributes, particularly “ good mind and righteousness; to elevate themselves in harmony with God and to listen to God’s guiding voice within them.

Literal Meaning

To become a Jina (liberated soul) by following the teachings of 24 Tirthankars (ford-makers/teachers)

Follower of Zoroaster.

Human Nature

Human suffering is due to negative effects of bad karma and excessive attachment to material aspects of world.

equal ability to do good or evil.

Life after death

Until liberation is achieved, circle of rebirths and deaths continue due to Karma via incarnations in any life form on earth, as also heavenly and hellish life forms.

Eternal life in Heaven, or in Hell.

Means of salvation

Goal is to unshackle the soul from bondages of karma which results in misery due to many rebirths and deaths. Once soul is freed from these bondages, it achieves Nirvana and becomes perfect soul free from all attachments, in an eternal blissful state

Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.

Followers

Jains.

Zoroastrians.

Scriptures

Religious scriptures called Agamas. Many other canonical texts.

The Zend Avesta.

Clergy

Monks, nuns.

Priests.

View of the Buddha

Buddha is considered as contemporary of Mahavir

N/A

Geographical distribution and predominance

Mainly in India, lower Asian subcontinent throughout, and America. Small groups exist in most countries.

Middle East, Central Asia and Northern India.

Status of women

Women can become nuns.

Equal to men

Concept of Deity

Numerous deities known as Tirthenkaras. But Jains do not worship them in literal sense of idol worship to ask favors. Rather, these Tirthankars are venerated as ideal Men and teachers whose teachings should be followed.

One Good God, Who is in cosmic battle with one evil god.

Principle

Respect all living things. Attain liberation by avoiding and shedding of bad karma which is the cause of rebirths and all sufferings. Five vows and three jewels.

Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.

About

Following the teachings of Mahavira.

Zoroastrianism is one of the most earliest monotheistic faith, in a concept of the one creator God (Known as Ahura Mazda)

Second coming of Jesus

Jains believe in pluralism, that is, truth has multiple view points. Thus it is accomodating of other religions' views.

N/A

Definition

Teachings of Tirthankars

Follower of Zoroaster.

Ressurection of Jesus

NA

Denied

View of other Dharmic religions

Comradeship with other Dharmic religions.

Zoroastrianism was founded in protest of worshipping numerous Aryan/Hindu deities.

Abrahamic Lineage

N/A.

Population

50-60 million

Approx. 100,000 Zoroastrians in the world.

Concept of God

No creator God. Rather, Godliness is the inherent quality of any soul characterizing infinite bliss, power, Perfect knowledge and perfect Peace. One who achieves this state by breaking bonds of Karma and liberation from rebirths can be termed God.

One God

Angels

Concept of Yaksha, Yakshinis. They are celestial and heavenly beings who can aid and guide humans upon invoking. But they are not considered God and their worship is not encouraged as they are not perfect souls and haven't achieved Nirvana.

Angels serve Ahura Mazda.

Holy days/Official Holidays

Paryushan festival

Nowruz, Zartusht-no-diso, Jamshid nowruz

Time of origin

Very ancient. One of the oldest religions as origin of 1st Tirthankar is too ancient and obscure. Mahavir (24th Tirthankar) born in 599 B.C.E.

2000 B.C.

Authority of Dalai Lama

N/A.

Authority of Pope

Not relevant

N/A.

Place and Time of origin

Unending and un-beginning...it has always existed and will continue to do so. Revived in every time cycle. Very ancient, origin obscure dating many millenia

Priests

Rites

Generally common.

Names of God

24 Tirthankars, besides some celestial beings are worshipped as Demi Gods though they are not liberated from cycle of rebirths.

Ahura Mazda.

Birth of Jesus

Not relevant

N/A. They believe that Zarathustra was virgin born.

Identity of Jesus

N/A.

Denied

Resurrection of Jesus

N/A.

Denied

Death of Jesus

N/A.

View of God

Numerous deities.

God is All Good.

Virtue on which religion is based upon

Ahimsa (meaning non-violence, or pacifism).

Kindness.

Clothes

Avoid clothes made from animal products.

Zoroastrians traditionally wear a sacred thread around their waist, the kusti. Both men and women must cover their heads.

Praying to Saints,Mary, and Angel

N/A.

Introduction (from Wikipedia)

Jainism ( /ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/; Sanskrit: जैनधर्म - Jainadharma, Tamil: சமணம் - Samaṇam Kannada: ಜೈನ ಧರ್ಮ - Jaina Dharma), is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings.

Zoroastrianism /ˌzɒroʊˈæstriənɪzəm/, also called Zarathustraism, Mazdaism and Magianism, is an ancient Iranian religion and a religious philosophy. It was once the state religion of the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires.

Jainism vs. Zoroastrianism

Comparison chart

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