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ainism believes that an immortal and eternal soul (jiva) resides within all living beings. But the soul being vulnerable
to the effects of deeds (karma) 'cause the soul to suffer by being subjected to repeated rebirths. Such suffering is believed to cease only when the chain of rebirth is broken to attain liberation - moksha.
Jainism has been founded by Vardhaman Mahavir who was called Jina, who lived c. 540-468 BC. The word Jain originates from Jina, meaning victory, conqueror or liberator.
The Jains have a chronology of their own which begins in the year 522 BC, which, according to their reckoning, was the date of Mahavir's death, aged 72. He was a prince in Bihar who, at the age of 30 was dissatisfied with life and after 12 years of severe asceticism, he attained enlightenment. He was preceded in history by a series of 23 Tirthankaras or trailblazers; the last one of these, Parshvanath, may have lived in the late eighth century BC.
The early Jains spread from Bihar, especially to Gujarat and South India. There was a clear distinction between the two main sects - the Shvetambaras (white clad) who permitted themselves a white loincloth as their sole possession, and the Digambaras (sky clad) who walked about stark naked being without any possessions, since they had vanquished all desires.
The Jain holy scripture is laid down in 12 books, called Angas, written in Prakrit. The Digambaras now fewer in number, maintain that the Angas were never composed by Mahavir, and instead follow books written by later religious Jain leaders. This is the so-called Secondary Canon, which in turn is followed by extensive theological literature. Through this, Jains are asked to practice the virtues of poverty, humility, purity, truthfulness, self-discipline, suffering, tolerance, innocence, abstention and asceticism. By conquering all his desires a person may breakout of the sansara or chain of rebirths and so end all suffering.
The cosmology of Jainism teaches that the world is eternal and space immense, though limited, and empty. In the centre of the disc-shaped earth, are the strata of kingdoms ruled by demons where the doomed suffer long but not eternal punishment. Above the earth, rise layers of skies and higher still, lovely heavens where different classes of Gods enjoy power and pleasure.
The Gods are great and may grant boons to mortals, but they too are not immortal, being subject to karma and the chains of reincarnation. Higher even than the abode of the Gods, beyond a disc which acts like a lid closing off the mortal realms, there lies the realm of those who have gained enlightenment and are therefore exempt from rebirth. The regions beneath and above the earth remain unchanged, but on earth ascending and descending epochs of history cause its people to grow taller and better, or smaller and meaner. At present we live in an era where people are becoming progressively more wicked and immoral. This deterioration will last for another several thousand years before there is an improvement in the moral standards on earth.
All the individual souls together form the spiritual substance of theuniverse. In essence, they are knowing and wise, but their wisdom is clouded by their own desire, which in turn is caused
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