Jainism

Abstract

Jainism arose in the sixth century B. C. E., at about the same time and in the same place and for the same reasons as Buddhism, though “according to its own traditions, the teachings of Jainism are eternal, and hence have no founder.” The sage Mahāvīra (meaning “great hero” in Sanskrit; either 599–527 B. C. E. or 563–483 B. C. E.), a contemporary of the Buddha, was the last of the “spiritual victors” known as Jina, the 24 enlightened humans who, during the most recent descending cycle of time, followed and taught others how to follow the path across samsara (the river of suffering) toward moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth), thereby reaching omniscience by freeing their souls from all karma. Mahāvīra’s disciples, the followers of the Jina and the eternal concepts of Jainism, are known as Jains. Today, most of the approximately four million Jains worldwide live in India.

The number of suns in the entire region inhabited by humans is 2 + 4 + 12 + 42 + 72 = 132.

Sutra 4.14 of the Tattvãrtha Sutra