Jain dharm ka prarambh kisi ek vyakti ne nahi kiya tha. Jain dharm anadi (beginningless) maana jaata hai, yani iska koi aarambh nahi hai. Jain darshan ke anusar, is dharm ki sikhayein anant kaal se chali aa rahi hain. Har kaal mein Tirthankaron ke dwara yah dharm punarjivit hota hai.

Is yug ke 24 Tirthankaron mein se, sabse prasiddh Bhagwan Mahavir the, jo 24th Tirthankar the. Lekin unhone Jain dharm ki sthaapna nahi ki, balki purane siddhanton ko punarjivit kiya aur logon ko dharm ka marg dikhaya.

Jain dharm ki mool sikhayein ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (celibacy), aur aparigraha (non-possession) par adharit hain. Is dharm ka uddeshya atma ka shuddhikaran aur moksha prapt karna hai.

Toh, Jain dharm ka koi ek sthaapak nahi hai; yeh anadi aur shashwat dharm maana jaata hai, jo har yug mein Tirthankaron dwara punarjivit hota hai.