Brahmacariya and Baṃbhacera: Buddhism and Jainism in interaction

In discussing Jaina idea of brahamcarya (baṃbhacera in Prakrit) and brahmacarīn (baṃbhacerī in Prakrit), we have to bear in mind that Jainism and Buddhism are two most important Śramaṇic traditions in ancient India and the Buddha and Mahāvīra are considered to be contemporary. These two traditions share many common elements (Nakamura, 1983). Consequently, they also transform the meaning of brahmacarya and brahmacarīn from a Brahmaṇic concern to a Śramaṇic perspective. Thus, before discussing Jaina idea of brahmacarya, it is helpful to take a look on early Buddhism. Reading from Pāli texts, we find that bráhman (neuter), either in the Ṛgvedic or Upaṇiṣadic sense (as sacred formulation or cosmic principle) is intentionally discarded by the Buddha when he employs the term brahman. For example, in the Tevijja Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya, 1: 235-253), the Buddha was mocking two young brāhmaṇas, asking them whether they had seen brahman face to face and if not how could they claim the companionshi