Why is Jainism and Hinduism so same?

Living side by side for centuries made many things overlap naturally — like neighbors who borrow recipes or celebrate together.

Did Hinduism adopt practices from Jainism as well?

• Yes, early Vedic Hinduism had animal sacrifices and meat-eating. Jainism's super-strict non-violence pushed Hinduism to make ahimsa and vegetarianism much bigger deals later on — scholars agree the strong ethical version came from Śramaṇa traditions like Jainism and got absorbed into Hinduism over time. There are still mentions of Brahmins eating meat in ancient scripture.

Hinduism also inculcated ahimsa in it’s religion, It did exist but became a core pillar of hinduism.

• “Hinduism didn’t start with super-strict ahimsa — early Vedas had animal sacrifices. But when Jainism became popular and said ‘no killing’, Brahmins adopted it to compete and stop losing followers. That’s why later books like Mahabharata call ahimsa ‘the highest dharma’.”

Ludwig Alsdorf (German Indologist), book The History of Vegetarianism and Cow-Veneration in India (2010 English edition)

Christopher Key Chapple (modern scholar), paper “Ahiṁsā in the Mahābhārata” (1996/2016): He points out specific stories in the Mahabharata that look like they copied Jain ideas of non-violence, showing direct influence during the time Hinduism was writing its big epics.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak (famous Hindu leader and scholar): “Jainism has contributed to the world the sublime doctrine of Ahimsa… Bal Gangadhar Tilak has credited Jainism with the cessation of slaughter of animals in the Brahmanical religion.”

• Ideas of equality in spiritual potential (anyone can achieve liberation, not just priests) Jainism taught that liberation (moksha) is open to all — men, women, all castes — through personal effort, rejecting Brahmin priestly monopoly.

Religious Studies Center (BYU) on Jainism: Mahavira's enlightenment showed liberation wasn't limited to Brahmins, influencing broader Indian views (including Hindu) that cut across caste/sex lines.

Solid points that show Jainism as independent religion :

1. “Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, lived around 800–900 BCE — way before Mahavira and even before many Vedic ideas became strong. Historians accept him as real, and he already had a full Jain community with vows of non-violence, truth, no stealing, and no possessions. That shows Jainism was already going strong separately.”

2. “Jains have their own complete scriptures called Agamas — not the Vedas. Their monks follow super strict rules like no clothes for Digambara monks, extreme fasting, and sweeping the path so they don’t step on insects. Hindus don’t have that level of strictness for everyone.”

3. Even though Jains live among Hindus and share some festivals or culture, Indian courts have said many times: ‘Jainism is a separate religion.’