Jainism, one of the three foremost religions based on early India, has been endlessly practised since around the mid of the first millennium BC. The word ‘Jainism’ is derived from ‘Jina’. It means 'liberator' or 'victor', referring to spiritual instead of the material conquest. Jains give high focus in a cycle of birth and rebirth, influenced by the outcomes of the individual's attitudes and actions. This concept is also known as 'karma'. 24 Jinas or Tirthankaras The definitive goal of the believer is to crack the cycle and attain liberation. To assist them in meeting the goal, Jains respect a group of 24 liberated souls known as Jinas or Tirthankaras, who work as teachers and role models to the realistic. The Jain scriptures also include different gods, goddesses and defensive deities who serve the Jinas and are many time focuses on independent cults. Different from the Jinas, these secondary deities are proficient of divine intervention, offering boons for the follower. Followers across the World At present, there are more than six million followers globally. Jainism has long been esteemed as the world's most peace-loving faith due to the strict policy of non-violence (ahimsa). Mahatma Gandhi who was born as a Hindu but he was a strong admirer of Jainism's lessons and adopted the policy of non-violence in his movement for the indepence of India. The Jains' dedication to non-violence and non-possession edges the sorts of the lay occupations they can follow.
