Jainism: An Introduction

Jainism is traditionally known as Jain Dharma which is an ancient Indian religion. Followers of Jainism are called “Jains”. Jains trace their spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twenty-four victorious saviours and teachers known as tirthankaras. Jains believe that Jainism is an eternal dharma with the tirthankaras guiding every cycle of the Jain cosmology. The main religious premises of Jainism are ahiṃsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy or chastity), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness). Jainism has two major ancient sub-traditions Digambaras and Svetambaras.