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Indian PhilosophyArticle 7 · Vol. 1, Issue 5, September 2026 · pp. 59–64
Two Paths Beyond Suffering: A Comparative Study of Dukkha in Jaina and Buddhist Philosophy
Mihirjauti Talukdar
Student, Department of Philosophy, Cotton University, Guwahati, Assam, India
Abstract
The problem of suffering is one of the central concerns of Indian philosophy. Jainism and Buddhism, both developing within the Śramaṇa tradition, pay particular attention to the questions of why people suffer and how they can be freed from suffering. Although both philosophies regard worldly existence as unsatisfactory and emphasize detachment, ethics and liberation, they explain suffering in different ways. Buddhism sees dukkha as one of the basic constituents of existence and associates it mainly with craving, attachment, ignorance and the impermanent nature of existence. Jainism, on the other hand, explains suffering primarily through the concepts of karma, bondage and the interaction between the soul and karmic matter. This paper compares the nature and causes of suffering in Jain and Buddhist philosophy and analyses their different approaches to liberation. Particular attention is paid to dukkha, karma, attachment, the concept of self and liberation. The paper argues that, although both traditions share a practical interest in overcoming suffering, their underlying metaphysical positions are significantly different. Jainism aims at the purification and liberation of an enduring soul, whereas Buddhism aims at liberation from craving and ignorance without accepting a permanent self. Their approaches therefore represent two closely related but distinct responses to the universal human experience of suffering.
Keywords:
DukkhaJainismBuddhismKarmaLiberation
How to Cite
Talukdar, M. (2026). Two Paths Beyond Suffering: A Comparative Study of Dukkha in Jaina and Buddhist Philosophy. Veritas: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(5), 59–64. https://doi.org/10.67788/veritas.2026.1.5.007
DOI: https://doi.org/10.67788/veritas.2026.1.5.007
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