Jainism ( /ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/’ Sanskrit: जैनधर्म - Jainadharma, Tamil: சமணம் - Samaṇam) is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state of supreme being is called a jina (“conqueror” or “victor”). The ultimate status of these perfect souls is called siddha. Jainism is also referred to as shramana dharma (self-reliant) or the “path of the niganthas” (those without attachments or aversions) by ancient texts.

Jain doctrine teaches that Jainism has always existed and will always exist,^[1][2][3] although historians date the foundation of the organized or present form of Jainism to sometime between the 9th and the 6th century BCE.^[4][5]

It has been hypothesized that, like several traditions in Hinduism, Jainism may have had its roots in the Indus Valley Civilization, reflecting native spirituality prior to the Indo-Aryan migration into India.^[6][7][8] Other scholars suggested the shramana traditions were separate and contemporaneous with Indo-Aryan religious practices of the historical Vedic religion.^[9]

In the modern world, Jainism is a small but influential religious minority with as many as 4.2 million followers in India,^[10] and successful growing immigrant communities in North America, Western Europe, the Far East, Australia and elsewhere.^[11] Jains have significantly influenced and contributed to ethical, political and economic spheres in India. Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship and have the highest degree of literacy for a religious community in India^[12][13] and Jain libraries are the oldest in the country.