HISTORY OF JAINISM OR INFORMATION OF JAINISM

I belong to the Jainism religion and share information about my  religion.Jainism is an ancient Indian religion that emphasizes non-violence and the ascetic life. It began in the sixth century BCE, the same time Buddhism was developing. It was a time and place of religious renewal, in which several groups reacted against the formalized rituals and hierarchical organization of traditional Hinduism. 

BHAGWAN MAHAVIR SAID

" If you kill someone,it is yourself you kill. if you overpower someone,it is yourself you overpower.

if you torment some one, it is yourself you torment."

Jains derive their name from the jinas, spiritual conquerors who have achieved liberation and perfection. Included among these are the 24 spiritual leaders called "ford-makers" or tirthankaras. The last of the tirthankaras was Mahavira (599-527 BC), a contemporary of the Buddha and the man generally considered the founder of Jainism.

24 tirthankars

1:Bhagwan Rishabha (Adinath) ji      2:Bhagwan Ajitnath Ji

3:Bhagwan Sambhav Nath Ji             4:Bhagwan Abhinandan-Nath Ji

5:Bhagwan Sumatinath Ji                   6:Bhagwan Padmaprabha Ji

7:Bhagwan Suparshvanath Ji           8:Bhagwan Chandra-Prabha Ji

9:Bhagwan Pushpadanta Ji              10:Bhagwan Shitalnath Ji

11:Bhagwan Shreyamsanath Ji       12:Bhagwan Vasupujya Ji

13:Bhagwan Vimalnath Ji                  14:Bhagwan Anantanath Ji

15:Bhagwan Dharmanath Ji             16:Bhagwan Shantinath Ji

17:Bhagwan Kunthunath Ji             18:Bhagwan Aranath Ji

19:Bhagwan Malinath Ji                   20:Bhagwan Munisuvrata Ji

21:Bhagwan Naminath Ji                22:Bhagwan Neminath Ji

23:Bhagwan Parshvanath Ji          24:Bhagwan Mahavira Ji

Jinas are believed to reside in the top level of heaven, above the realm of the gods. Accordingly, liberated souls are revered more than the gods.

Jainism incorporates the traditional Hindu concepts of karma and reincarnation, but rejects the Veda scriptures, castes and the idea of a creator god. The goal of life is to reach liberation by a life of purification and discipline as taught by the tirthankaras.

Like the Buddha, Mahavira was born into the warrior class. At the age of 30, he renounced the world to seek spiritual truth in ascetic solitude. He found enlightenment after 13 years of renunciation, and soon made 11 converts. All were former Brahmans and became disciples of Mahavira. Mahavira is said to have fasted to death (a practice called salekhana) at Pavapure (near modern Patna).

Load Mahvir's preaching was orally complied by this disciples into many texts. This knowledge was orally transferred from acharyas(gurus) to the discipls over the cours of about 1000 years. in olden times, monks strictly followed the five great vows of jainism. Even religion scriptures were considered possessions and therefore knowledge of the religion was never document.

Around 500 A.D.  which was 1000 years after Load Mahavir's nirvana(death),jain acharyas realized that it was extremely difficult to keep memorizing the entire jain literture complied by the many scholars of the past and present.A 1000 years later(1500 A.D.), the Swetambar sect divided into 3 subsects known as Swetambar Murtipujak, Sthanakvasi and terapanthi.
                                                                                                                                                     -Kripen Mehta