ABSTRACT
Jainism (or Jinism) is the name given to the religious movement of the Jains, whose community follows the religious path established by Vardhamāna Mahāvīra, a prophet also known as the Jina, or “Victor.” Born in northern Bihar, India, Mahāvīra is alleged to have preached in the sixth century Bce. Thus, according to tradition, he lived in the same area, and at approximately the same time as the Buddha. The earliest developments of Buddhism and Jainism are comparable to some extent. In later centuries, however, their destinies diverged. While Buddhism was progressively suppressed in India, the Jains remained in their homeland where, today, they form an admittedly small but nonetheless influential and comparatively prosperous community of 2,604,837 people (1981 census).
