JAIN PHILOSOPHY: ITS RELEVANCE TO PRESENT TIME SITUATION

Abstract

Jainism is one of the important ancient and universal religious and cultural system of India which originated for the welfare of humanity. There are twenty-four Tirthaṅkaras in Jainism. Rishabanath was the founder of Jainism and was the first Tirthaṅkara and the last Tirthaṅkara was Vardhamāna Mahāvira who was also a contemporary to Gautama Buddha. The word Jainism is derived from ‘Jina’ which means conqueror-the one who has successfully conquered his passions and desires. It is applied to the liberated souls who have conquered passions and desires and karmas and obtained emancipation1