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Introduction
India is the grand old mother of philosophy. Many questions arise in our mind about our life, life of otliers, the world, the Universe at large, and so on. These problems are still not solved to our entire satisfaction. Philosophy is an attempt at their solution.
Jainism, according to the ancient tradition of the Jainas, has been existing from times immemorial. The chief propounders of the Jaina Religion are known as Jinas as they have conquered all their internal enemies existing in all Samsāri Jivas ( worldly beings ) in the form of various passions and worldly desires, and known also, as Tirthankaras as they have established a System of Religion for the welfare of the masses. Numerous Tirthankaras have existed in ancient times,
During the present Avarsarpini era, Bhagavāna Śri Rigabhadéva Swāmi was the first Tirthankara of the present series of twenty-four Tirthankaras, and śramaņa Bhagavāna Mahāvira, Swāmî was the last. The existing Canonical Literature of the Jainas had been composed by the Gaşadharas (Chief disciples) of Sramaya Bhagavāna Mahāvīra and the learned Acăryas who have followed them.
The word "Jiva” comes from the root Jiv to live, and thus means "One that lives, i. e. to say, a living being." As Sankara, the great propounder of the Advaita Philosophy, puts it, distinguished from the Paramātman or the Supreme Soul,
