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Discover the Jain faith by reading original articles and exploring beautiful manuscripts in stunning detail. Check out the hundreds of glossary entries, pictures, reading suggestions and our pick of the web plus the e-Library, timeline and even more. If you don’t know much about Jainism, select the picture or text to find out more.

The Jain universe online

The JAINpedia website has three principal aims: increasing knowledge among Jains, introducing Jainism to non-Jains, and offering academic resources. Each piece of content on the website is closely integrated with other parts, producing a seamlessly rich online experience. It is often cited as the most comprehensive and respected online resource on Jainism.

World of human beings

The JAINpedia website features over 5000 folios of important Jain manuscripts with explanations, translations and transliterations as well as over 130 original articles, with more to be added, and an extensive e-Library

Image of Padmavati anointed

Discover the Jain faith by reading original articles and exploring beautiful manuscripts in stunning detail. Check out the hundreds of glossary entries, pictures, reading suggestions and our pick of the web plus the e-Library, timeline and even more. If you don't know much about Jainism, select the picture or text to find out more.

Aḍhāī-Dvīpa (Or. 13937)

The JAINpedia website three principal aims are of increasing knowledge among Jains and non-Jains, and offering academic resources. Each piece of content on the website is closely integrated with other parts, producing a seamlessly rich online experience. it is often citied as the most comprehensive and respected online resource on Jainism.

Featured articles & manuscripts

Āyambil Oḷī

Āyambil Oḷī refers to both a twice-yearly festival and the fast associated..

Mahāvīr Jayantī

The festival of Mahāvīr Jayantī is celebrated annually in commemoration of the birthday of the 24th Jina, Mahāvīra…

Triśalā’s 14 dreams

The Kalpa-sūtra is the most frequently illustrated Jain text of the Śvetāmbara sect..

Aḍhāī-dvīpa (Or. 13294)

Aḍhāī-dvīpa is a Hindi term meaning ‘Two and A Half Continents’. The Two and A Half Continents where …

Highlights of JAINpedia

Summary highlighting the main aspects of JAINpedia

Jainism FAQs

Summary of the main Jain beliefs, practices and sects and describes what it means to be a Jain layperson & mendicant

Scroll through time

Put the Jain past and present into context in the timeline

Browse All Manuscripts

Explore over 5000 folios of important Jain Manuscripts

Jhayahi panca vi gurave, mangalacausaranaloyapariyariye.
Nara-sura-kheyara-mahie, arahananayage vire

Samaṇ Suttaṁ: 6

Meditate upon the five Supreme Souls, who afford fourfold shelter for the world and who are auspicious, the greatest among those deserving veneration, victors (over the passions) and worshipped by human beings, vidyadharas (demi-god) and gods.

Tattvārtha-shraddhānam Samyag-darshanam

Tattvartha Sutra: 1.2

To possess the enlightened worldview is to believe in the categories of truth

Jiva-ājiva-āsrava-bandha-samvara-nirjarā-moksās-tattvam

Tattvartha Sutra: 1.4

The categories of truth are:souls (sentient entities); non sentient entities; the inflow of karmic particles to the soul; binding of the karmic particles to the soul; stopping the inflow of karmic particles; the falling away of the karmic particles; liberation from worldly (karmic) bondage.

Jo Sahassam Sahassanam Sangaame Dujjae Jine
Aegam Jinijja Appaanam Aes Se Paramo Jao

Uttaradhyayana Sutra: 9.34

Victory over thousands of external enemies in the battlefield is insignificant, (it is of no avail) compared to the victory over one’s inner enemies; vanquishing one’s passion is an unparalleled conquest.

Maitri-pramod-karuny-mādhyasthāni Sattvagun-ādhikklīshyamānāvineyeshu

Tattvartha Sutra: 7.6

One must have friendliness towards all living beings, a feeling of praise for the virtuous, kindness for the miserable and one of neutrality towards the impertinent.

Treasure of JAINpedia

This Catalogue, in three volumes, sheds light on 1983 Manuscripts in 1425 entries. The Importance of the Catalogue is not merely scholarly; it is also religious. It is hoped that the catalogue will act as a springboard for the renewed academic study of Jainism.

Volumes 1 | 2 | 3 – View More

What's new

JAINpedia continues to grow, moving towards our goal of being the premier online reference source for the Jain faith.

June 2026 Update

Wellcome Collection To Return 2,000 Historic Jain Manuscripts To Institute of Jainology In Landmark Restitution Agreement. The collection of 2,000 manuscripts is the largest outside India, and many are already digitised and available here on Jainpedia. Read more

Featured Glossary Terms