History & Civics
What were the social and linguistic factors that made Jainism and Buddhism more accessible to the masses?
Answer
Social factors that made Jainism and Buddhism more accessible to the masses are:
- Both Jainism and Buddhism rejected the caste system and emphasized equality. They accepted followers from all varnas and backgrounds.
- The people sought and promoted love and harmony instead of caste distinctions and social divisions.
Linguistic factors that made Jainism and Buddhism more accessible to the masses are:
- The Vedic literature, written in Sanskrit, was difficult for the common people to understand. Jains and Buddhists rejected Sanskrit, the elite language of Vedic rituals.
- Buddhism primarily used Pali and Jainism used Prakrit, which were the language of the people. This made their teachings understandable and relatable to the general population.
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