One's caste determined the range of jobs or professions from which one could choose. The ranking of the first three castes varied from village to village, depending on their importance to life in that village. The religious basis for the caste system is based in the Hindu concept of samsara, which is a meaningless cycle of birth, life, death and reincarnation. Through pure acts, thoughts and devotion, as well as fulfilling one's role to the best of their ability, one can be reborn into a higher caste, or even into a higher form of life, perhaps even becoming a god. Eventually, one can escape samsara and achieve enlightenment.
Bad deeds can cause a person to be reborn into a lower caste, or even as an animal.
The first Jina is traditionally believed to have been a giant who lived 8.4 million years ago. According to Jainism, he attained enlightenment after subjecting himself to 13 years of deprivation, and died in 420 BC by fasting to death. Jainists, much like Hindus and Buddhists, believe that the universe consists of a series of layers, and that everything is bound to it by karma. When it comes to enlightenment, however, they believe that it can only be achieved through asceticism. Jainism is divided into two sects.