First Tirthankara teaches humanity agriculture, crafts, Brahmi script, and 72 arts. Mentioned in Rigveda, Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata Purana. Jain symbols found in Indus Valley seals suggest pre-Vedic antiquity of the tradition.

23rd Tirthankara. Born in Varanasi. Established the fourfold Jain community. Nirvana at Sammet Shikhar. Contemporary Western historians consider him the earliest verifiable figure of Jain history.

24th and final Tirthankara of this era. 12.5 years of extreme austerity. Omniscience under Sal tree. Codified Anekantavada, Syadvada, and Karma physics. Contemporary of Gautama Buddha. Nirvana at Pavapuri.

The great Maurya emperor converts to Jainism, abdicates to his son Bindusara, and fasts to death (Sallekhana) at Shravanabelagola. Around the same era, a 12-year famine creates variations in oral scripture transmission — beginning the Digambara-Shvetambara schism.

Umasvati's Tattvartha Sutra — the only text accepted by all Jain sects — systematises all of Jain philosophy in 350 sutras. Remains the foundation of Jain philosophical education to this day.

Gaṇitasārasaṅgraha — arithmetic, fractions, algebra, geometry, combinatorics in a single systematised work. Logarithmic sequences 900 years before Napier.

Gommateshvara (Bahubali) statue at Shravanabelagola (981 CE — 17 metres), Dilwara temples at Mount Abu (1031 CE), Ranakpur with its 1,444 unique pillars (1438 CE).

Virchand Raghavji Gandhi presents Jainism to the Western world for the first time. His exposition of Anekantavada, Ahimsa, and Jain science deeply impresses the audience — beginning Western scholarly interest.

5.5+ million Jains across 60 countries. 4,000+ Tirthas active. Jain Vishwa Bharati integrating Jain science with modern research.