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KUMAR JAINS AND THEIR RELIGION IN AMERICA: A SOCIAL SURVEY 37
shows that somewhere in the period circa 1400 through 1200, Nami (21) was at Mithila in Videha country, and during his time, the composition of the Rgveda was said to have taken place. Between the period 1200 to 900 B.C.E.. Ariṣṭanemi was said to have lived along with Krishna, his first cousin. King Asvasena, father of Parsva (23), reigned Kasi in circa 900-897 B.C.E. The Upanisads were formed sometime in the eight century B.CE. The historicity of Parsva (23) and Mahavira (24) is well-known.
Followers of the Faith
Though its antiquity is deep, presently Janinism has a very small number of followers-just over ten million-almost all residing in India. But, the essence of the faith that was postulated by the Jinas, as many scholars have noted, has changed the religio-social and sociopsychical composition of India in terms of their peaceful coexistence, tolerance and multifaith living. Thus, the essence of Jainism may be measured by three of its principal doctrines: Non-violence, Karma and Anekanta, which were said to have been originated with the Jains. Therefore, Jains practice peace within and around all life-animate and inanimate-with possible physical and mental endurance; reincarnate life underlined by spiritual incline and decline depending on the karmic matter and flux one generates or degenerates, and they show tolerance by espousing that a 'Real' is expressed with due consideration to methods of standpoint and of dialectical predications qualified by the indeclinable syat (in view of) and eva (factored).9
The conduct of the faithful in the practice of the faith has been dealt extensively by Jina Mahavira, in the ancient text the Uttaradhyayana-sutra. It speaks thus of the Jaina practice that
There is no knowledge without Faith,
No Conduct is possible without knowledge. Without condut there's no liberation, And without liberation, no deliverance.
The Faithful Outside India
In order to study Jains and their community in the present, a general understanding of the history of Jainism from Mahavira times is very essential. Records show that Mahavira had travelled extensively in India as far south to Krishna river valley, and had influenced with
9. Canadian Studies in Jainism, pp. 18-19, forthcoming Dec. 1996.
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