Jain dharm ko bahut purana maana jaata hai. Jainism ko anadi (anant) ya eternally existing dharm ke roop mein dekha jata hai—yaani shuruaat ka koi nishchit samay nahi maana jaata.

• Itihaskar roop se kahen to, historical dating ke hisaab se Mahavira (24th Tirthankar) lagbhag 6th century BCE ke aas-paas hue the. Digambar aur Shwetambar paramparaon mein is tareh ki tareekh ki kuch differences hoti hain.
• Jain dharm ke mool tatva, jaise anekantavada (anek roop se dekhna), syadvada (shayad aisa ho sakta hai) etc., yeh sab anadi dharm ki roop-rekha ke antaragat aate hain.
• Aakri baat yeh ki Jain dharm ko kai yugon se chalata aaya hua samjha jaata hai—yeh ek sanatan (eternal) dharm hai, jiska uddeshya jeevan ke utkarsh aur pravritti ko sahi marg par le jana hai.

Agar aap chahen to main iske baare mein Digambar aur Shwetambar dono paramparaon ki mukhya visheshtaon ko bhi saral bhaasha mein samjha sakta hoon.