JAINS, an important sect of dissenters from Hinduism, whose wealth gives them greater influence than their numbers, only 1,252,105 in 1931. Being generally traders they are found in most Indian cities, especially in those of Mewar, Guzerat and the upper Malabar coast. Their religious centres are Mt. Abu in Rajpiltana, Girnar and Satrunjaya, "one of the loveliest temple cities of the world," and Ellora. Jainism is at least as old as Buddhism, the canons of the latter referring to it as a rival sect, the Nirgrantha, (Skt. "free from bonds").
Vardhamana Mahavira, their last leader, is identifiable on strong grounds with Nigantha Nata-putta (Nirgrantha of the Jnatrika clan) of the Buddhist Pitakas and Buddha's contemporary. But Jain tradition claims a far greater antiquity, averring that Maha vira was preceded by 23 Tirthankaras or saints who have attained nirvana and are also called Jinas, "conquerors" or leaders of schools of thought, whence the term "Jain." But how far these
were historical personalities is open to grave doubt. The first, Rishabha, depicted as a golden bull, is probably mythical. The 23rd, Parshva ("a snake, and blue"), has better claims to have founded the sect some 25o years before Mahavira. The Tirthan karas, though without care for or influence on the world, are worshipped as gods (devas), the three mentioned being specially affected, while Nemi or Aristan emi, Parshva's predecessor (a black conch) also has many tem ples. Nemi is indeed related to Krishna in legend and this may indicate that he too is purely mythical. Mahavira, on the other hand, is said to have been a Kshatriya (like all the rest of the 24 Jinas) of Vaishali, 27m. north of Patna; brought up as a pious Jain he became a monk who dis carded clothing; and after in structing II disciples he died at Pava (confirmed by Buddhist canons) aged 72, probably in 476 or 477 B.C.