In Jainism, the word 'Jina', from which 'Jain' is derived, means:

The word "Jain" comes from "Jina", which in Sanskrit means "conqueror" or "victor".

What does "Jina" mean?

A Jina is one who has conquered his inner enemies, such as attachment, desire, anger, greed, pride and deceit.

It does not mean a conqueror of other people or lands, but a conqueror of oneself.

The followers of the Jinas are called Jains.

Mahavira was called "Jina" after he attained supreme knowledge.

The 24 Tirthankaras are also called Jinas.

Other titles of Mahavira:

• "Mahavira": great hero.
• "Kevalin": the omniscient one, who has attained "kevala jnana" (perfect knowledge).
• "Nirgrantha": free from bonds; the early Jains were called "Nirgranthas".
• "Arhat": the worthy one.

Basic ideas of Jainism:

• Every living being, even plants, insects and water, has a soul (jiva).
• Karma is a kind of fine matter that sticks to the soul because of actions, and binds it to the cycle of birth and death.
• Liberation (moksha or kaivalya) is achieved when the soul is freed from all karma.
• Strict non-violence (ahimsa) towards all living beings is the central principle.
• Jains do not believe in a creator god; the universe is eternal.
• The path to liberation is through right faith, right knowledge and right conduct.

Spread of Jainism:

• Jainism spread in Bihar, then to Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan and other regions.
• It was supported by merchants and traders, as its strict rules of non-violence made farming difficult for its followers.

Jainism today:

• Jains are a small but influential community in India; according to the 2011 Census, about 0.4 per cent of India's population is Jain.
• Maharashtra has the largest Jain population, followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Why not the other options?

• ✗"Teacher", "enlightened one" and "liberated soul" are not the meaning of "Jina"; "Buddha" means "the enlightened one".