Total USA Adherents: 130,000 +

Total Canada Adherents: 3,320 [Source: 2013 UN Religious Data]

Similar to Buddhas, the ancient Jain tradition traces its spiritual heritage to a series of teachers called tirthankaras. Because they seek liberation of the soul, the Jains have a strong ethic of non-violence which extends to a positive respect for all forms of life, including animal life. Not surprisingly, the Jains who have immigrated to North America have become an important voice in discussions of vegetarianism and animal rights.

The Jain community in America began only in the late 1960s as a response to the Immigration Act of 1965. Many Jains studying at American universities have resettled in the United States. Later, political turmoil in East African states forced a second migration of a number of Indians.

Total Jain Temples: 71

The United States contained the most Jain temples of any country in the Jain diaspora.

At least one third of the Jains living outside of India live in the United States.

USA State with Most Jain Temples: New York, yet pretty evenly dispersed through several states, some in remote places such as Nevada, Colorado; Martinez, Georgia; and Harvey, Louisiana.

In Southern California, the Jain Center of Southern California in Buena Park is the second largest in the world next to India.

Useful Websites

JainaTemples.org - a listing of Jain Temples in North America.

Jainism in America - a google search listing of links to Jainism in America.