Who is The Founder Of Jainism? Myths and Truth

Who is The Founder Of Jainism? Really!

Who is the founder of Jainism? Well this question is wrong first of all. And I will provide you some rare facts about Jainism or Jain Dharama and I can do so coz I am Jain by birth and by Karma. First of All let me give you the Answer of your question. No one founded the Jainism. YES you read it right. No one Founded the Jain Dharama or Jainism it’s Eternal and part of Sanatan Dharma (in modern day Hinduism).

If you think or fell in trap of propaganda by some so called intellectuals that someone founded or created Jainism then I will bring you out form that misbelief or wrong information and at the end of this article you have some facts in your hands about your quo that is Who Is The Founder Of Jainism?

And One more thing Lord Mahavira doesn’t found the Jainism but Mahavir Swami was the 24th and Last Tirthankara of Jain Parampara. And one more thing Jainism is infinite time older than Buddhism. Jainism was here from the beginning of the time like it is an part of Santana Dharma.

Jainism is not a 2500 year old dharma, its is eternal and Jainism neither has beginning nor end as per scriptures mentioned below.

Who is The Founder Of Jainism – No One.

But Yea you can say like Jains believed that Bhagwan Mahavira Swami is (Shashan Nayaka) Ruler of Jainism in 5th Kal Khanada that Mahavir Swami took birth on this earth and Attain Nirvana. Teach and shows us the Path of Salvation and Ahimsa.

For that first you have to understand the Sanatan Dharma concept and for that I have already created a short blog. You can read later.

Jainism is the first religion to practice Ahimsa (non-violence) as a rule of life. It is a Buddhism, an order of monks, like Brahmanism. The primary figures of Jainism are 24 tirthankaras, the first a Rishabhanatha rsabhadeva, who lived according to tradition a million years ago, the youngest being Lord Mahavira (599-527 BCE) for this Time Span from Satyuga to Kalyuga.

In Vedic culture it is called as Satyuga and kalyuga time, in Jain culture is devided in 56 times such as Sukhma Kal to dukhma Kaal. And we all know that this time span is a loop itself one dies and second one take place for the same.

6 Kal Khanada in Jainism

1. Sushma – Sushma
2. Sushma
3. Sushma – Dushma
4. Dushma – Sushma
5. Dushma
6. Dushma – Dushma

Every Time Span has specific 24 Tirthankara period is pre decided. Like In this ERA you might have heard of Rishabhanatha Bhagwan to Bhagwan Mahavira. So when this 5 time loop or chakra ends new Tirthankara will born attain Nirvana and our future generation will worship that 24 Future Tirthankara. But This will happend when the new kal khanda (time loop) start.

Future Tirthankara in Jainism

Now you might be assuming what am I saying? Or do I have any proofs? Yes I have and this all information is written in Jain Scriptures as well. But like You know Jains and Hindus have don’t much time to read their sacred texts so 99 percent of them know nothing about this information.

Well Here is a list of Future Tirthankara. But Before Let me tell you the name of scriptures where you can find or get information about Future Tirthankara.

Source Scriptures :

1. Samvayang
2. Tithogali Pinnai (तित्थोगाली-पइण्णय)
3. Tiloy Pannati (तिलोय पण्णत्ति)
4. Harivansh Purana (हरिवंश पुराण)
5. Uttar Purana (उत्तर पुराण)
6. Trilok Sara (त्रिलोक सार)
7. Abhidhyan Chintamani (अभिधान चिन्तामणि )

P.S. : If you wish to read this great scriptures then you can visit this site : jainqq.org/

List of All 24 Future Tirthankara :

Well Take a look or Save this image in your phone and share to your Jain Friends or If you are Jain then Send it to your Jain Scholar Friends and let me know in comment box if I am wrong.

Some Questions to be answered

Here is the Interesting thing happened when you read this names you might find some difference in each table but don’t get so confused, there are few reason for this fluctuations.

First Reason is that this scripture were written in different time frames and as you know each and every Sage has different ability to sea future and names may vary due to individual perspective but most are common but the order of the list may vary. Don’t tell me that our ancient sages weren’t able to see the future?

They Attained Avadhi Gyan or Nimit Gyan while practicing the Akahand Bramcharya and Tapsya for a long period of time.

Second Reason is that We all know that Lord Mahaveer has 5 different names such as Veer, Ativieer, Vardaman, Sanmati, Mahaveer according to Uttar Purana. So We can’t deny the fact that Each Future Tirthankara will have many names so the Muni and Sages of Past inscribed from their different name.

Why Mahavira Swami is consider as founder of Jainism?

Well You might get your answer that who is the founder of Jainism? But you are not alone who believe that Mahavir Swami is the founder of Jainism. Many People do believe that same thing. I don’t know why people have this misbelief or wrong information and why don’t anybody fix this from the long period of time.

Mahavir Swami is Sahashan Nayak or you can say Ruling King of Jainism who teach us the values and virtues. If you have noticed a jaikara on Mahavir Jayanti it is like “वर्तमान शासन नायक महावीर स्वामी की जय” That means hail to lord Mahavira who showed us the path of Salvation.

There is a fact that no one can establish a dharma and dharma is far different from concept of religion. Dharam is eternal. May be our intellectual may get confused between founder and Sashan Nayaka.

There is reasonable historical evidence that between the 9th and 7th centuries BC the 23rd Tyrthankara, Parsvanatha, a predecessor of Mahavira lived. Although Mahaviras is considered a founder, he seems to have been in the tradition one of the beginnings of the following religions, which were later founded.

The principles and practices of the twenty-four Tirthankara paved the ground on which the various dogmas, theories and concepts of Jainism were built. A central feature of religion is to demonstrate ahimsa (non-violence in thoughts, words and deeds) and to conquer oneself and the world through the work of liberation.

And Every Tirthankara follow the path of of it’s own predecessor. That means Bhagwan Mahaveera had worshiped Parsvanatha along with 22 Tirthankara. Each Tirthankara followed the same.