Information About Jainism – One of the world’s oldest religions, Jainism has its roots in India and dates back at least 2,500 years. The liberation from the never-ending cycle of rebirth and the attainment of the all-knowing condition known as moksha are the two spiritual pursuits of Jainism. This can be accomplished through leading a life of ahimsa, or nonviolence, with the least amount of harm to other living things.
One of the 24 tirthankaras, or instructors, who followed, most notably Vardhamana Mahavira, the last of the tirthankaras and probably a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, continued the traditions of Jainism in major part. The necessity of self-control, meditation, and an ascetic lifestyle as the means to redemption was stressed by both Mahavira and Buddha. Their doctrine frequently ran counter to that of the Vedic priests of the day.
