Jain Dharma is described in Jain tradition as an eternal, sanatan path. It is not considered to have a single starting point or founder; instead, the teachings are believed to have always existed and to have been revealed by a sequence of 24 Tirthankaras in different ages. The public teaching and organized community life around these principles began with Mahavira (the 24th Tirthankara) in the 6th century BCE, but the underlying dharma—ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), ahiṃsa, aparigraha (non-attachment), and anekantavada (many-sided truth)—is said to be timeless. Different Jain traditions (Śvetāmbar and Digambar) may differ in details of chronology and certain practices, but both regard Jain dharma as eternal and ancient. ( jainknowledge.com)

• Key idea: Jainism teaches that the path to liberation has always existed, and each half-cycle of time sees a succession of Tirthankaras who revive and renew that path. The historical marker often given is Mahavira in the 6th century BCE, but the dharma itself is considered uncreated and perpetual. ( jainknowledge.com)

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