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"Jina.” A person who conquers his lower nature, passion, hatred and the like and brings into prominence the highest qualities and achieves the state of the Supreme Being is called a Jina. There have been several Jinas and there can be many more in the future. A Jina who is a guiding force to his followers, renews principles of religion and regenerates the community, is called a “Tirthankara".
Adinath who dates back to the beginning of the world was the first Tirthankara and founder of Jain religion according to Jain philosophy. Today in the twentieth century we live in the era of Bhagwan Mahavira, the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthankara. Bhagwan Mahavira was born in 598 B. C. in modern Bihar, lived up to the age of seventy-two years and attained Moksha, salvation, in 526 B. C. He revived the Jain philosophy about 2500 years ago. Since that time Bhagwan Mahavira has been the spiritual guide of the Jains.
Even now about four million Jains of India practise the preachings of Bhagwan Mahavira and it is the duty of their mentors to guide them in practising its spirit in this rapidly changing world. “What then, is the essence, the spirit of Jainism ?”
Jainism, viewed as a whole, rests on the four pillars which are Ahimsa. Non-violence, Anekantwad, the Theory of Relativity, Aparigraha, Nonacquisition and Karma, Deeds or Action. Ahimsa—Non-violence Bhagwan Mahavira has said:
सव्वे जीवा वि इच्छन्ति जीविउं न मरिज्जिउं Savve Jeeva Vi Ichhanti Jeevium Na Marijjium
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