Jainism is one of the oldest religions and was founded in the 6th century BC in India. Vardhamana, known to his followers as Mahavira, is traditionally known as the founder of Jainism. Mahavira was born in 599 BC in Bihar, India. His parents were of the Kashatriya caste. Mahavira was born into a wealthy family. His father was King Siddartha. He lived a life of luxury. Mahavira later married Princess Yasoda. They had a daughter named Anoja. Throughout this period Mahavira was not happy. He decided to leave behind all his wealth, luxury and loved ones in search of a religious answer to his unhappiness. Mahavira first went out and joined the ascetics. With them he didn't find what he was looking for. He believed that you had to practice extreme asceticism to find the soul's liberation from life. Mahavira also believed that to find liberation one must practice ahimsa, which means not harming life. To find total liberation from life, Mahavira imposed extreme measures of asceticism. He didn't want to become attached to people or things, he never stayed more than one night in any place. He swept the road before walking so as not to step on insects. He also filtered the water he drank to avoid swallowing any living creatures that might be living in it. Mahavira tormented his body by staying in the coldest places during winter and in the hottest places in summer. He always walked around naked. He only ate the food that was given to him. He avoided meat, as an animal would have to die, so Mahavira was a vegetarian. After twelve long years of the most extreme forms of asceticism, Mahavira achieved mokaha (liberation) from the bonds that bind one's soul to the endless cycle of birth. , death and rebirth. Thus Mahavira achieved the release of karma. Mahavira taught that karma accumulated over time was the result of any kind of activity. So for a Jian to escape karma and be free from life (reincarnation) he should do as little as possible. Jains believe that the world is composed of two substances. One is jiva (soul) and the other is ajiva (matter). The soul is life and matter is evil. Matter clings to one's body from past actions. As long as the soul is attached to matter, it cannot be freed from the cycle of lives.