Jainism (/ ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm, ˈdʒaɪnɪzəm / JAY-niz-əm, JYE-niz-əm), [1] also known as Jain Dharma, [2] is an Indian religion which teaches a path toward spiritual purity and enlightenment through disciplined non-violence (ahimsa) to all living creatures.
A desire to preserve their religious identity has led expatriate Jains to form trans-sectarian organizations such as the Jain Samaj, founded in Europe in 1970, and the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (also known as JAINA), founded in 1981.
Jain tradition holds that Chandragupta Maurya became a disciple of the sage Bhadrabahu (l. c. 367 - c. 298 BCE), who was the last monk to retain full oral knowledge of the scriptures before they were written down.
The Jain religion includes more than just tolerance, non-violence, and reincarnation—and Jains desperately need to hear the gospel.
The Jain faith revolves around the notion of the soul – jīva. The ultimate objective of the Jain religion is for the soul to attain self-realisation, which is liberation.
According to Jain teachings, every soul is inherently divine and capable of achieving liberation (moksha) from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). Liberation is believed to be attained through the “Three Jewels” of Jainism: right knowledge, right faith, and right conduct.
The Jain community has contributed enormously to the arts, trade, politics and philosophy of India. Its most visible contribution can be seen in the nation’s sculpture and architecture.
The important thing to remember is that from the Jain perspective, all have the possibility of gaining liberation from the rounds of rebirth, and thus each soul or life is potentially as valuable as any other.