Jainism is an ancient religion from India that teaches that the way to liberation and bliss is to live lives of harmlessness and renunciation.
no one found jainism it is natural religion almost older than vedic
The Jain religion is one of the oldest religions in the world. The Jain religion was also known as Shraman Dharma, Nirgranth Dharma, etc. It is not an offshoot of any other religion but is an independent religion recognized by these various names during different time periods. It was has been taught by Tirthankaras also called Jina. A follower of a Jina is called a Jain and the religion followed by Jains is called Jainism
Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world. According to the tradition preserved in the scriptures, Jaina religion is eternal, and has been revealed again and again in every cyclic period of the world by innumerable Jinas (conquerors of Karmas) who are also known as Tirthankaras.

The whole span of time is divided into two equal cycles, Utsarpni (ascending) and Avasarpni (descending). Each Utsarpni and Avasarpni Kala is subdivided into six parts. The six divisions of Avasarpni are known as Sukhma-Sukhma (Happy-Happy), Sukhma (Happy), Sukhma-Dukhma (Happy-Unhappy), Dukhma - Sukhma (Unhappy-Happy), Dukhma (Unhappy) and Dukhma-Dukhma (Unhappy-Unhappy). The six divisions of Utsarpni start from Dukhma - Dukhma (Unhappy-Unhappy), and repeats in ascending order. The Utsarpni, therefore, marks a period of gradual evolution and the Avasarpni that of gradual devolution or decline in happiness, bodily strength, stature, span of life, and the length of the age itself. The First age being the longest and the Sixth the shortest.

The First, Second and Third ages are called Bhogbhumi and are based on enjoyment, they relies mostly on nature. Life in the other three ages is described as a Karambhumi, since it is based on individual effort. The fourth age of either cycle is supposed to be the best from the point of view of salvation. In this era 24 Tïrthankaras and other great personages which are called Treshath Shalaka Purush (63 Great Personalities) are born. Present era is called Fifth era of the Avasarpni (descending half-circle) of the current cycle of time, This era commenced a few years after Mahavira's nirvana (527 B.C.) and has 21000 years of duration
Twenty-four Tïrthankaras born at certain intervals in this era preached the true religion for the salvation of the world. Their names are : (1) Rishabha or Adinatha (2) Ajitnatha, (3) Sambhavnatha, (4) Abhinandannatha, (5) Sumatinatha, (6) Padmprabha, (7) Suparsávnatha, (8) Chandraprabha, (9) Suvidhinatha or Pushpadanta, (10) shitalnatha , (11) shriyansha, (12) Vaspujya, (13) Vimalnatha, (14) Anantnatha , (15) Dharmnatha, (16) Shantinatha, (17) Kunthunatha, (18) Arainatha, (19) Mallinatha, (20) Munisuvratnatha, (21) Naminatha, (22) Neminatha, (23) Parsávanatha, and (24) Vardhaman or Mahavira.

All the Tïrthankaras were Ksastriyas; Munisuvratnath and Neminatha belonged to Harivansa, and the remaining twenty-two to the Ikshuvansa race. According to the Jaina scriptures, RISHABHA OR ADINATHA, belonged to the Ikshuvansa family and was born at Ayodhya. He was the first Tirthankra of this era. His parents were Nabhiraja and Marudevi. His son's name was Bharata after whom India is said to be named. He was born at the end of bhogbhoomi period, in an age when people relied on nature, and nature was so benevolent that they got every thing they needed from the nature. They have not to produce anything for their living. He taught to the people, the arts of agriculture, cooking, writing, pottery, painting and sculpture for the first time at the start of fourth age which was the start of age of Karambhoomi. It was during his time that the institution of marriage, the ceremony of cremating the dead, started. We may, thus, look upon him as a great pioneer in the history of today’s human progress

The essence of Jainism is concern for the welfare of every being in the universe and for the health of the universe itself.
•Jains believe that animals and plants, as well as human beings, contain living souls. Each of these souls is considered of equal value and should be treated with respect and compassion.
•Jains are strict vegetarians and live in a way that minimises their use of the world's resources.
•Jains believe in reincarnation and seek to attain ultimate liberation - which means escaping the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth so that the immortal soul lives for ever in a state of bliss.
•Liberation is achieved by eliminating all karma from the soul.
•Jainism is a religion of self-help.
•There are no gods or spiritual beings that will help human beings.
•The three guiding principles of Jainism, the 'three jewels', are right belief, right knowledge and right conduct.
•The supreme principle of Jain living is non violence (ahimsa).
•This is one of the 5 mahavratas (the 5 great vows). The other mahavratas are non-attachment to possessions, not lying, not stealing, and sexual restraint (with celibacy as the ideal).
•Mahavira is regarded as the man who gave Jainism its present-day form.
•The texts containing the teachings of Mahavira are called the Agamas.
•Jains are divided into two major sects; the Digambara (meaning "sky clad") sect and the Svetambara (meaning "white clad") sect.
•Jainism has no priests. Its professional religious people are monks and nuns, who lead strict and ascetic lives.

Most Jains live in India, and according to the 2001 Census of India there are around 4.2 million living there. However, the Oxford Handbook of Global Religions, published in 2006, suggests that census figures may provide lower than the true number of followers as many Jains identify themselves as Hindu. The Handbook also states that there are around 25,000 Jains in Britain
One of the oldest religious traditions of India, Jainism has existed side by side with Hinduism throughout its long history.
jina or "Tirthankaras," taught a path to religious awakening based on renouncing the world by practice of strict religious austerity. Mahavira established a monastic community of both nuns and monks. This community is the oldest continually surviving monastic community in the world.

Main Tenets: Jains reject belief in a creator god and seek release from endless reincarnation through a life of strict self-denial. The title of Jina is given to those who are believed to have triumphed over all material existence. As all human activity accumulates karma, the force that perpetuates reincarnation, the only way to free one's jiva, or soul, from the bondage of material existence is by reducing this activity through ascetic practice. In addition, Jainism places a special emphasis on ahimsa ("non-injury") to all living beings. The concern for life is extended to all creatures, even minute microbes that are not visible. The Jain ideal is a mendicant ascetic who takes extreme measures to avoid injuring all creatures. Monks and nuns are sometimes seen with muslin cloths over their mouths to keep out flying insects, and they are enjoined to use small brooms to gently sweep away living creatures from their path, so as to not accidentally crush them.

Main Sacred Text: The sacred texts of the Jains are called Agamas,its 12 angaslord jinas preaching matirial preserved jain centre moodbidri thirth. The two main branches of Jainism share many of the same sacred texts in common, but since their split in the third century b.c., they have developed different traditions of textual transmission. Both branches claim that authority for the most ancient texts derives from Mahavira, who was in turn enunciating sacred truths that the Tirthankaras before him had taught. Handed down orally in the monastic communities, the sacred literature was not written down until about 6thc.b.c

There are several differences between the two traditions of Jainism,Digambaras ("sky-clad monastics"). the Shvetambaras ("white-clad monastics") and the Shvetambaras believe that monks and nuns should be permitted to wear a simple white robe. Digambaras require monks to be nude(skyclad) natural digamber is older than swetamber but philosophy almost same