Some Important facts of Jainism

There are twenty four Tirthankara  and first one among them was ShriRishabhadeva as mentioned in the Yajur Veda. The 24th and the last Tirthankara was Mahavira . Mahavira was born about 580 B.C. in Northern India. Now there are about four million (as per 1991 census) followers in India. Now this figure may be much higher say about seven millions. Lord Mahavira preached atheism or the absence of god. Jainism also believes that one can achieve salvation (freedom from wheel of life i.e. rebirth). Jains use the word Karma to mean a substance that binds the soul to physical world. By causing sins you keep accumulating Karma whereas meditation and fasting burns the Karma. One can get freedom from rebirth (Salvation) only after burning the Karma accumulated in past lives.