Vardhamana (approximately 599 BC - 527 BC), formerly known as Nigathanataputta, was a famous ancient Indian thinker and the founder of Jainism. He was honored as such by his followers. It is Mahavira (meaning Mahavira). Ramana was born in northeastern India in 559 BC, the same area as Sakyamuni's birthplace, but he was born slightly earlier. Like Sakyamuni, he was the son of a tribal leader and grew up in a good environment. At the age of thirty he gave up his property, family (he had a wife and daughter) and comfortable surroundings and decided to run away in search of the truth. Bodhisattva and Sakyamuni lived in the same era. In Buddhist legends, he is regarded as one of the six heretic masters. Jains believe that he was the 24th and last tirthankara1.