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JAINISM
Jainism is one of the three great religions originating in India, and its greatest teacher was Mahavira, a contemporary of Buddha, who died in approximately 526 BCE. Like Buddha, Mahavira was a prince who renounced his position and wealth at the age of 30 to become a spiritual pilgrim, following a way of meditation, silence, fasting and teaching, but Jain teachings did not originate with Mahavira, who is considered the last of 24 Tirthankaras or pathfinders, who have guided its evolution and elaboration.
In Jain cosmology the universe is without beginning or end. Rather, it passes eternally through long cycles of progress and decline. Jainism teaches reverence for all forms of creation, condemns all killing and violence, and requires a life of ecological harmony and preservation of the natural environment. In a world newly aware of the fragility of the earth, Its gentle ascetic teachings offer valuable clues to global survival. Jains represent a tiny percentage of the world’s religions (0.07%) and until very recently were found only in their native India.
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