In this essay we will discuss about Jainism. After reading this essay you will learn about:- 1. Introduction to Jainism 2. Life of Mahavira 3. Main Jaina Sects 4. Growth of Jainism 5. Jaina Doctrines and Philosophy 6. Jaina Sanghas 7. Causes of the Rise of Jainism 8. Causes of the Decline of Jainism 9. Religious Texts of Jainas 10. [...]
Jainism has great antiquity. According to the Jains their religion originated in the remotest ages. They believed that Mahavira, the last Tirthankara was preceded by twenty-three other prophets. Mahavira was the twenty-fourth one. The historicity of the first twenty-two Tirthankaras starting from Rishabhnath to Neminath is doubtful. They are all shadowy figures wrapped up in mythology. The twenty-third Tirthankar Parsvanath [...]
The Jainas believed that their most important religious teacher Mahavira had twenty-three predecessors who were called tirthankaras. If Mahavira is taken as the last or the twenty-fourth tirthankara, the origin of Jainism would go back to the ninth century BC. Some Jainas believe that Rishabhadeve was the first tirthankara or teacher of Jainism, but he is associated with Ayodhya which [...]