Jainism, India's third religion, in contrast to Hinduism and Buddhism, has not yet been fully introduced to the Europeans, although this religion has quite a significant influence on the history, literature and the arts of the land of the Ganga; its unique dogmas and rites deserve, to a very great extent, the attention of the researchers on religion. The following pages endeavour to fill this lacuna and try to give, as far as possible, a complete, clear and objective picture of the growth and nature of Jainism of today.