Jainism is traditionally viewed as an eternal dharma (anadi-ananta)—without a beginning. Historically, the organized Jain teaching you read today is traced to Mahavira in the 6th century BCE, with 23 earlier Tirthankaras before him. If you count from Mahavira’s time (around 599–527 BCE), Jain history spans about 2,500 to 2,550 years as of 2025. Some traditions also note a slightly different dating for Mahavira, but the core idea remains: Jainism is timeless in doctrine, with a historical trace going back about 2,500 years. You can read more here