Jainism

An ancient non-theistic religion from India that has no gods and teaches salvation through reincarnation and non-injury to living creatures. The three guiding principles, the “three jewels,” are 1) right belief, 2) right knowledge, and 3) right conduct. The supreme principle of living is nonviolence (ahimsa). Jainism has no priests. Its professional religious people are monks and nuns who lead strict and ascetic laives. Most Jains live in India, and according to India’s 2001 Census there are around 4.2 million living there, although census figures may provide lower than the true number of followers as many Jains identify themselves as Hindu.