religion kundakunda
West Bengal is an Indian state , located in East ___MASK14___ on the Bay of Bengal . It is ___MASK14___ ' s fourth - most populous state , with over 91 million inhabitants . It has a total area of , making it similar in size to Serbia . A part of the ethno - linguistic Bengal region , it borders Bangladesh in the east and Nepal and Bhutan in the north . It also has borders with five Indian states , including Odisha , Jharkhand , Bihar , Sikkim and Assam . ___MASK15___ ( or ) is a religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions , beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha . ___MASK15___ originated in India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE , from where it spread through much of Asia , whereafter it declined in India during the middle ages . Two major extant branches of ___MASK15___ are generally recognized by scholars : Theravada ( Pali : " The School of the Elders ") and Mahayana ( Sanskrit : " The Great Vehicle "). ___MASK15___ is the world ' s fourth - largest religion , with over 500 million followers or 7 % of the global population , known as Buddhists . Indian religions , also termed as Dharmic faiths or religions , are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent ; namely ___MASK99___ , ___MASK65___ , Buddhism and Sikhism that follow the rules of Dharma . These religions are also classified as Eastern religions . Although Indian religions are connected through the history of India , they constitute a wide range of religious communities , and are not confined to the Indian subcontinent . ___MASK65___ ( or ), traditionally known as Jain Dharma , is an ancient Indian religion belonging to the " ramaa " tradition . The central tenet is non - violence and respect towards all living beings . The three main principles of ___MASK65___ are " ahimsa " ( non - violence ), " anekantavada " ( non - absolutism ) and " aparigraha " ( non - possessiveness ). Followers of ___MASK65___ take five main vows : " ahimsa " ( non - violence ), " satya " ( not lying ), " asteya " ( not stealing ), " brahmacharya " ( chastity ) and " aparigraha " ( non - attachment ). Jain monks and nuns observe these vows absolutely whereas householders (" rvakas ") observe them within their practical limitations . Self - discipline and asceticism are thus major focuses of ___MASK65___ . Notably , Mahatma Gandhi was greatly influenced by ___MASK65___ and adopted many Jain principles in his life . Odisha ( formerly Orissa ) (() is one of the 29 states of ___MASK14___ , located in the eastern coast . It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the north - east , Jharkhand to the north , Chhattisgarh to the west and north - west , Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to the south and south - west . Odisha has of coastline along the Bay of Bengal on its east , from Balasore to Malkangiri . It is the 9th largest state by area , and the 3rd largest by tribal population . Odia ( formerly known as " Oriya ") is the official and most widely spoken language , spoken by 33 . 2 million according to the 2001 Census . Niyamasara is a Jain text authored by " Acharya Kundakunda ", a Digambara Jain acharya . It is described by its commentators as the Bhagavat Shastra . It expounds the path to liberation . ___MASK99___ is a religion , or a way of life , found most notably in India and Nepal . ___MASK99___ has been called the oldest religion in the world , and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as "", " the eternal law ," or the " eternal way ," beyond human origins . Scholars regard ___MASK99___ as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions , with diverse roots and no founder . This " ___MASK86___ synthesis " started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE following the Vedic period ( 1500 BCE to 500 BCE ). Acharya Kundakunda is the most revered Digambara Jain monk , who lived in around 1st century B . C . He authored many Jain texts such as : Samayasara , Niyamasara , Pancastikayasara , Pravachanasara , Atthapahuda and Barasanuvekkha . He occupies the highest place in the tradition of the Jain acharyas . In Indian religions and society , an acharya ( IAST : ) is a preceptor or instructor in religious matters ; founder , or leader of a sect ; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men . The designation has different meanings in ___MASK99___ , ___MASK15___ , ___MASK65___ and secular contexts . It is also a Brahmin surname found in Nepal and across India , including Odisha , West Bengal and Maharashtra . Maharashtra ( Marathi :          pronunciation : , abbr . MH ) is a state in the western region of ___MASK14___ and is ___MASK14___ ' s third - largest state by area and is also the world ' s second - most populous sub - national entity . It has over 112 million inhabitants and its capital , Mumbai , has a population of approximately 18 million . Nagpur is Maharashtra ' s second capital as well as its winter capital . Maharashtra ' s business opportunities along with its potential to offer a higher standard of living attract migrants from all over ___MASK14___ .