The Jain philosophy was first elaborated by the Jain Tirthankara or wise person Rishabha Deva. He was one amongst the 24 Tirthankaras who govern the Jain religion. The first amongst them realised that the Adinath was the source of all Jain philosophy. Others who were important to develop and disseminate the Jain philosophy were Aristanemi and AjitNath.
Like the Buddhist philosophy, the Jains also oppose the primacy of Vedas to achieve salvation. They also argue that man is surrounded by pain and controlling the mind and regulating one’s conduct can stop the suffering faced by human beings. They argued that a man should control his mind by seeking the right perception and knowledge. If coupled by the right conduct, he would be able to go on the path of salvation.
According to the Jain philosophy, a man should practice brahmacharya or celibacy, if he wants to achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death on the earth. Several other major fundamentals of Jain philosophy are:
They believed that all the natural and supernatural things in this universe are based on seven fundamental elements, i.e.
jiva, ajivaa, asrava, bandha, samvara, nirjara and moksha.
There are two basic types of existences: One, Astikaya or something that has a physical shape like body. It can embrace and envelope a person. Second, Anastakiya, i.e.
that which has no physical shape, like ‘time’.
The Jain philosophy argues that everything that has a substance is called dharma. These substances are the basis of the qualities possessed by the object or man. These attributes or qualities are essential for existence.
Furthermore, while the substance is eternal and unchangeable; the qualities or the attributes keep changing.
For example, consciousness is the substance of the soul but one can be happy or sad depending on the mood, this ‘mood’ is the attribute that keeps changing.