Maarg Manthan · Topic 8.5

Jainism (Tirthankaras, Anekantavada, Agamas)

Art & Culture › Religion, Philosophy, Buddhism & Jainism · Topic 8.5

Jainism is an Indian religion of non-violence and self-discipline that holds there are 24 Tirthankaras, the first being Rishabhanatha, the 23rd Parshvanatha and the 24th Vardhamana Mahavira. Mahavira, born near Vaishali in Bihar around 540 BCE, attained Kevala Jnana on the bank of the Rijupalika river and died at Pavapuri. Its core ideas are the five Mahavratas led by ahimsa, the Triratna of right faith, knowledge and conduct, Anekantavada or many-sided truth, and Syadvada. The canon is the Agamas in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, and the order split into Digambara and Svetambara.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Religion, Philosophy, Buddhism & Jainism

At a Glance

Tirthankaras 24; first Rishabhanatha, last Mahavira
Core teaching Ahimsa, five Mahavratas, Triratna
Philosophy Anekantavada, Syadvada
Canon Agamas in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit
Sects Digambara and Svetambara
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Religion, Philosophy, Buddhism & Jainism

Where Does It Fit?

This is the fifth topic of the macro on religion and philosophy. It comes after Buddhism and its councils, because the two reform religions arose together in the sixth century BCE. Previous topic: Ajatashatru, Mahakassapa Second Vaishali, Kalashoka, Sabakami Third Pataliputra, Ashoka, Moggaliputta Tissa Fourth Kashmir, Kanishka, Vasumitra Result Canon…">Buddhist Councils (First to Fourth). Next topic: Jain Councils.

Who Were the Main Tirthankaras and What Did Mahavira Do?

Item	Detail	Remember
First Tirthankara	Rishabhanatha or Adinatha, emblem bull	Tradition places him at the start of the age; the Bhagavata Purana mentions Rishabha
Twenty-third	Parshvanatha, born at Varanasi, emblem snake	Preached four vows, called Chaturyama: non-violence, truth, non-stealing and non-possession. Said to have lived about 250 years before Mahavira
Twenty-fourth	Vardhamana Mahavira, emblem lion, born near Kundagrama, Vaishali, Bihar, about 540 BCE (599 BCE in tradition)	Son of Siddhartha of the Jnatrika clan and Trishala, sister of the Licchavi chief. Wife Yashoda. Left home at 30
Enlightenment	Kevala Jnana after 12 years of penance, under a sal tree on the bank of the Rijupalika river at Jrimbhikagrama	Became Jina, the conqueror, and Mahavira, the great hero. Followers are called Jains
First disciple and chief disciple	Jamali, his son-in-law, was the first; Gautama Indrabhuti was the chief disciple (Ganadhara)	Mahavira organised the order into eleven Ganadharas
Death	Pavapuri near Rajgir, Bihar, about 468 BCE, at age 72	Called Nirvana. Observed in the Diwali tradition of Jains

What Are the Core Teachings and Sects of Jainism?

Five Mahavratas: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), aparigraha (non-possession) and brahmacharya (celibacy); Mahavira added the fifth to the four of Parshvanatha
Triratna: three jewels: Samyak Darshana (right faith), Samyak Jnana (right knowledge) and Samyak Charitra (right conduct)
Anekantavada: the doctrine of many-sidedness, which says that reality has many aspects and no one view is complete
Syadvada: the doctrine of maybe, which expresses truth in qualified statements; Nayavada is related
Jiva and ajiva: souls and non-soul matter; karma is seen as fine matter that binds the soul
Moksha: release of the soul by stopping new karma and destroying old karma through austerity
Digambara: the sky-clad sect whose monks go without clothes; linked with Bhadrabahu and strong in the south and Karnataka
Svetambara: the white-clad sect, linked with Sthulabhadra, strong in Gujarat and Rajasthan

What Else Should You Remember?

Alternate names: Jain Dharma, Nirgrantha (free from bonds) and Jina-shasana are old names; Tirthankara means ford-maker
Agamas: the Svetambara canon of 45 texts in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, including 12 Angas, 12 Upangas, 10 Prakirnakas, 6 Chedasutras, 4 Mulasutras and 2 Culikasutras; Digambaras say the original Agamas were lost and follow texts such as the Shatkhandagama
Language: Jains used Prakrit rather than Sanskrit for teaching, as in Prakrit Literature
Split: traditional accounts link the split to a famine in Magadha, when Bhadrabahu went south with Chandragupta Maurya to Shravanabelagola
Sallekhana: the ritual fast unto death for monks and old persons
Jain councils: the councils at Pataliputra and Valabhi settled the canon, as in Jain Councils
Royal patrons: Bimbisara, Ajatashatru, Chandragupta Maurya, Kharavela of Kalinga, the Ganga kings of Karnataka, Rashtrakutas such as Amoghavarsha and the Solanki kings of Gujarat
Kharavela: the Hathigumpha inscription at Udayagiri near Bhubaneswar in Odisha tells of the Jain king Kharavela
Gomateshwara: the monolithic statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka, set up around 981 CE under the Ganga minister Chavundaraya
Dilwara temples: marble temples at Mount Abu in Rajasthan of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries
Art: see Jaina Art & Architecture and Jain Sculptures for caves, temples and bronzes
Literature: Hemachandra of Gujarat in the twelfth century wrote on grammar, poetry and history
Population: Jains were about 0.4 percent of Indians in Census 2011, with large numbers in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat
Difference from Buddhism: Jainism stresses strict non-violence and severe austerity, accepts the soul, and stayed in India, while Buddhism taught the middle path and spread across Asia

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Tirthankara details: number, emblems, Rishabhanatha, Parshvanatha and Mahavira
Mahavira’s life: birth place, enlightenment site and death site
Doctrines: five vows, Triratna, Anekantavada and Syadvada
Sects: Digambara and Svetambara and their leaders
Common errors: saying that Parshvanatha taught five vows, or that Jainism rejects the idea of the soul

As an analytical point, Anekantavada offers a useful base for tolerance, dialogue and pluralism in public life, and the ahimsa ethic has influenced Indian thought, from Gandhi’s methods to modern vegetarian and environmental ethics.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Life facts Places and clans
Doctrines Vows and jewels
Mains Pluralism and ahimsa

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Jain councils that fixed the canon. Next topic: Jain Councils.

Key People and Terms

Tirthankara Ford-maker
Kevala Jnana Perfect knowledge
Jina Conqueror
Triratna Three jewels
Anekantavada Many-sidedness
Sallekhana Fast unto death

Study this topic together with these linked topics from other subjects.

Vardhamana Mahavira and Jainism (Ancient History)
Doctrines, Spread and Contribution of Jainism (Ancient History)

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

24 Tirthankaras; first Rishabhanatha.
Parshvanatha: four vows; Mahavira added brahmacharya.
Kevala Jnana: Rijupalika river, sal tree.
Death: Pavapuri.
Canon: Agamas, Ardhamagadhi.

Do Not Confuse With

Digambara and Svetambara Sky-clad versus white-clad
Anekantavada and Syadvada Many-sided reality versus the method of qualified statements
Jainism and Buddhism Strict austerity and soul versus middle path and no-self

Memory Hook

Twenty-four fords, five vows, three jewels, one many-sided truth.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the relevance of Jain ethics and pluralism today. These points give a balanced frame.

Ethics Ahimsa and restraint
Pluralism Anekantavada
Heritage Art, trade, literature

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the relevance of Mahavira’s teachings, particularly ahimsa and Anekantavada, in the contemporary world.”

How to Answer

Teachings Vows and jewels.
Ideas Many-sidedness.
Relevance Tolerance and ecology.
Way Dialogue and restraint.

GS Relevance

Prelims: Tirthankaras, life of Mahavira, doctrines, sects, canon, patrons. GS Paper 1: Indian culture, religion and philosophy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jainism?

Jainism is an ancient Indian religion that teaches non-violence, truth and self-discipline as the path to liberation of the soul. It recognises 24 Tirthankaras, the last being Mahavira in the sixth century BCE. Its followers, called Jains, are divided mainly into the Digambara and Svetambara sects.

Who founded Jainism?

Jainism has no single founder. Tradition holds that 24 Tirthankaras taught the faith in succession, from Rishabhanatha to Mahavira. Vardhamana Mahavira, born near Vaishali around 540 BCE, is regarded as its last and most historical teacher, and Parshvanatha, the 23rd, is also treated as historical.

What are the main teachings of Jainism?

The main teachings are the five Mahavratas of non-violence, truth, non-stealing, non-possession and celibacy; the Triratna of right faith, knowledge and conduct; and Anekantavada, the view that truth has many aspects. Jainism rejects a creator god and teaches liberation through karma control and austerity.

What is the difference between Digambara and Svetambara?

Digambara monks, whose name means sky-clad, give up clothes, and the sect holds that women cannot reach moksha in that birth and that the original Agamas were lost. Svetambara monks wear white robes and accept the 45 Agamas. Digambaras are stronger in the south, Svetambaras in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

What is Anekantavada?

Anekantavada is the Jain doctrine of many-sidedness. It holds that reality has infinite aspects and that any single view shows only part of the truth, just as the blind men in the elephant story each describe one part. It supports tolerance and is expressed through Syadvada.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Mahavira attained Kevala Jnana on the bank of the Rijupalika river.

True

After twelve years of penance.

2 Parshvanatha prescribed five Mahavratas.

False

He taught four; Mahavira added brahmacharya.

3 The Agamas of the Svetambaras are in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.