Jains believe in rebirth of a soul until one gets liberation from karmic bondage. It is very difficult to get a human birth. Only human beings are capable of conquering their desires and passions, and attaining liberation. Even the heavenly beings have to be born as human to attain liberation. Jainism believes the universe to be eternal, its constituents, such as living and non-living things, may change form, but they are basically eternal, and are not created by any Supreme Being.
Time rotates in a cycle, like a wheel moving clockwise, descending and ascending.
The first tirthankara was Risabhdeva, who is traditionally believed to have lived thousands of centuries ago, and to have founded Jainism in this aeon. Jinas are those humans who, through their personal effort and self-realisation, have conquered their desires and passions and have become omniscient by shedding the obstructive karma attached to the soul. Moksa is the state of liberated souls who are no longer in bondage to the karmic cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Jains follow the philosophy and teachings of the Jinas to attain moksa for themselves. The first tirthankara, Risabhdeva, is mentioned in the Rig Veda, the oldest Hindu scripture, thought to be over 5,000 years old.