Tamil jains are known as Samanars. Refereces to Jainism in Tamil Nadu (India) can be found in the Indian epic Valimiki Ramayana. Archaeological evidences such as stone cut inscriptions on Jainism are abundant all over Tamil Nadu.

During a famine in North India, Emperor Chandragupta Maurya renounced his throne and bcame a Jaina monk under the great Jaina scholar and pontiff Acharya Badrabahu. Jain monks follow strict and rigid code of conduct. Famine interfered with their routine and about 8000 monks migrated to southern India where Jain households were many to support such a large number of monks. Sri Vishakacharya, a distinguished scholar monk of this Sanga ( order of Jain/Buddhist monks) reached Tamil Madurai.

Through Tamil Nadu Jainism also spread to Sri Lanka as indicated in Mahavamsa, the Buddhist chronicle which records imperial donations to Jain monks.