▁India . ▁It ▁continues ▁the ▁ancient ▁ ▁tradition , ▁which ▁co - ex isted ▁with ▁the ▁V edic ▁tradition ▁since ▁ancient ▁times . ▁The ▁distingu ishing ▁features ▁of ▁J ain ▁philosophy ▁includes ▁a ▁mind - body ▁dual ism , ▁den ial ▁of ▁a ▁cre ative ▁and ▁om n ip ot ent ▁God , ▁kar ma , ▁an ▁et ernal ▁and ▁un created ▁universe , ▁non - vi ol ence , ▁the ▁theory ▁of ▁the ▁multiple ▁fac ets ▁of ▁truth , ▁and ▁a ▁mor ality ▁based ▁on ▁liber ation ▁of ▁the ▁soul . ▁J ain ▁philosophy ▁attempts ▁to ▁explain ▁the ▁r ationale ▁of ▁being ▁and ▁existence , ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁Un iverse ▁and ▁its ▁constitu ents , ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁bond age ▁and ▁the ▁means ▁to ▁achieve ▁liber ation . ▁It ▁has ▁often ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁an ▁asc etic ▁movement ▁for ▁its ▁strong ▁emphas is ▁on ▁self - control , ▁a uster ities ▁and ▁ren unci ation . ▁It ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁called ▁a ▁model ▁of ▁philosoph ical ▁liberal ism ▁for ▁its ▁ins istence ▁that ▁truth ▁is ▁relative ▁and ▁mult if ac et ed ▁and ▁for ▁its ▁willing ness ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁all ▁possible ▁view - points ▁of ▁the ▁rival ▁philosoph ies . ▁J ain ism ▁strongly ▁u ph olds ▁the ▁individual istic ▁nature ▁of ▁soul ▁and ▁personal ▁responsibility ▁for ▁one ' s ▁dec isions ; ▁and ▁that ▁self - re liance ▁and ▁individual ▁efforts ▁alone ▁are ▁responsible ▁for ▁one ' s ▁liber ation . ▁ ▁The ▁contribution ▁of ▁the ▁J ains ▁in