New Religions Arise

• The same period of speculation on the Upanishads also led to the rise of two other religions:

• Jainism• Buddhism

• Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was born about 599 B.C. and died in 527 B.C.

• Mahavira believed that every living thing in the universe has a soul and so should not be harmed.

• Jain monks carry the doctrine of nonviolence to its logical conclusion.

• They sweep ants off their path and wear gauze masks over their mouths to avoid breathing in an insect accidentally.

• In keeping with this nonviolence, followers of Jainism looked for occupations that would not harm any creature.

• For that reason, many of them work in trade and commerce.

• Jains today are some of the wealthiest people in India.

• They believe in religious toleration and have not tried to convert followers of other faiths.

• Out of the 5 million Jains, most all of them live in India.