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Tirthankara

In Jainism, a tirthankara (Sanskrit: tīrthaṅkara; English: literally a


'ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the dharma
(righteous path).[1] The word tirthankara signifies the founder of a
tirtha,[2] which is a fordable passage across the sea of interminable
births and deaths, the saṃsāra. According to Jains, a tirthankara is a
rare individual who has conquered the saṃsāra, the cycle of death
and rebirth, on their own, and made a path for others to follow. After
understanding the true nature of the Self or soul, the Tīrthaṅkara
attains Kevala Jnana (omniscience), and the first Tirthankara
refounds Jainism. Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow
the new teacher from saṃsāra to moksha (liberation).[3][1][4]
Jain miniature painting of 24 Jain Tirthankaras,
The tirthankara Māllīnātha is believed to be a woman named Malli
Jaipur, c. 1850
bai by Svetambara Jains while the Digambara sect believes all 24
tirthankara to be men including Māllīnātha. Digambara tradition
believes a woman can reach to the 16th heaven and can attain
liberation only being reborn as a man.

In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided in two halves,


Utsarpiṇī or ascending time cycle and avasarpiṇī, the descending
time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cosmic time
cycle, exactly twenty-four tirthankaras grace this part of the
universe. There have been an infinite number of tirthankaras in the
past time periods.[5] The first tirthankara in this present time cycle
was Rishabhanatha, who is credited for formulating and organising
humans to live in a society harmoniously. The 24th and last
tirthankara of present half-cycle was Mahavira (599–527
BC).[6][4][7] History records the existence of Mahavira and his
predecessor, Parshvanath, the twenty-third tirthankara.[8]

A tirthankara organises the sangha, a fourfold order of male and


female monastics, srāvakas (male followers) and śrāvikās (female
followers).[9]
The 24 Tirthankaras forming the tantric meditative
syllable Hrim, painting on cloth, Gujarat, c. 1800
The tirthankara's teachings form the basis for the Jain canons. The
inner knowledge of tirthankara is believed to be perfect and identical
in every respect and their teachings do not contradict one another.
However, the degree of elaboration varies according to the spiritual advancement and purity of the society during their period of
leadership. The higher the spiritual advancement and purity of mind of the society
, the lower the elaboration required.

While tirthankaras are documented and revered by Jains, their grace is said to be available to all living beings, regardless of religious
orientation.[10]

Tīrthaṅkaras are arihants who after attaining kevalajñāna (pure infinite knowledge)[11] preach the true dharma. An Arihant is also
called Jina (victor), that is one who has conquered inner enemies such as anger, attachment, pride and greed.[3] They dwell
exclusively within the realm of their Soul, and are entirely free of kashayas, inner passions, and personal desires. As a result of this,
unlimited siddhis, or spiritual powers, are readily available to them – which they use exclusively for the spiritual elevation of living
beings. Through darśana, divine vision, and deshna, divine speech, they help others in attaining kevalajñana, and moksha (final
liberation) to anyone seeking it sincerely.

Contents
Meaning
Tīrthaṅkara-naam-karma
Panch Kalyanaka
Samavasarana
Tīrthaṅkaras of present cosmic age
List of the 24 tirthankaras
Present cosmic age
Next cosmic age
Iconography
In other religions
Gallery
See also
References
Citations
Sources

Meaning
The word tirthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha which means a fordable
passage across the sea of interminable births and deaths (called
saṃsāra).[12][13][14][15] Tirthankaras are variously called "Teaching Gods", "Ford-
-Crossing.[16][15]
Makers", "Crossing Makers" and "Makers of the River

Tīrthaṅkara-naam-karma
Jain texts propound that a special type ofkarma, the tīrthaṅkara nama-karma, raises
a soul to the supreme status of aTīrthaṅkara. Tattvartha Sutra, a major Jain text, list Tirthankara images at Siddhachal
Caves inside Gwalior Fort.
down sixteen observances which lead to thebandha (bondage) of this karma:[17]

Purity of right faith


Reverence
Observance of vows and supplementary vows without transgressions
Ceaseless pursuit of knowledge
Perpetual fear of the cycle of existence
Giving gifts (charity)
Practising austerities according to one's capacity
Removal of obstacles that threaten the equanimity of ascetics
Serving the meritorious by warding off evil or suffering
Devotion to omniscient lords, chief preceptors, preceptors, and the
scriptures Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara
Practice of the six essential daily duties
Propagation of the teachings of the omniscient
Fervent affection for one's brethren followingthe same path.
Panch Kalyanaka
Five auspicious events called, Pañca kalyāṇaka marks the life of every
tirthankara:[18]

1. Gārbha kalyāṇaka (conception): When ātman (soul) of a tirthankara


comes into his mother's womb.[19]
2. Janma kalyāṇaka (birth): Birth of a tirthankara.Indra performs a
ceremonial bath on tirthankara on Mount Meru.[20][21]
3. Tapa kalyāṇaka (renunciation): When a tirthankara renounces all worldly
possessions and become an ascetic.
4. Jñāna kalyāṇaka: The event when a tirthankara attainskevalajñāna
(infinite knowledge). Asamavasarana (divine preaching hall) is erected
from where he delivers sermons and restoressangha after that. Auspicious dreams seen by a
tirthankara's mother during
5. Nirvāṇa kalyāṇaka (liberation): When a tirthankara leaves his mortal
body, it is known as nirvana. It is followed by the final liberation,moksha. pregnancy
Their souls dwells in Siddhashila after that.

Samavasarana
After attaining kevalajñāna, a tirthankara preaches the path to liberation in the
samavasarana. According to Jain texts, the heavenly pavilion is erected by devas
(heavenly beings) where devas, humans and animals assemble to hear the
tirthankara.[22] A tirthankara's speech is heard by all humans and animals in their
own language. It is believed that during this speech, there is no unhappiness for
miles around the site.[23]

Tīrthaṅkaras of present cosmic age Samavasarana of Tirthankara


Rishabha (Ajmer Jain temple)
Jainism postulates that time has no beginning or end. It moves like the wheel of a
cart. The wheel of time is divided in two halves, Utsarpiṇī (ascending half cycle)
and Avasarpiṇī (descending half cycle). 24 tirthankaras are born in each half of this cycle. In Jain tradition the tirthankaras were
royal in their final lives, and Jain texts record details of their previous lives. Their clan and families are also among those recorded in
very early, or legendary, Hindu history. Jain canons state that Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara,[12] founded the Ikshvaku
dynasty,[24] from which 21 other tirthankaras also rose over time. Two tirthankaras – Munisuvrata, the 20th, and Neminatha, the
22nd – belonged to theHarivamsa dynasty.[25]

In Jain tradition, the 20 tirthankaras attained moksha on mount Shikharji, in the present Indian state of Jharkhand.[26] Rishabhanatha
attained nirvana on Mount Kailash, presently located in Tibet[27] , close to Indian border, Vasupujya at Champapuri in North
Bengal[28] , Neminatha on mount Girnar, Gujarat, and Mahavira, the last tirthankara, at Pawapuri, near modern Patna. Twenty-one of
the tirthankaras are said to have attained moksha in the kayotsarga (standing meditation posture), while Rishabhanatha, Neminatha
and Mahavira are said to have attained moksha in thePadmasana (lotus position).[16]

List of the 24 tirthankaras

Present cosmic age


In chronological order, the names, emblems and colours of the 24 tirthankaras of this age are mentioned below:[29][1][30][31]
[32]
Dhanuṣa means "bow", hatha means "hands" and 1 Purva equals 8,400,000 x 8,400,000 or 70,560,000,000,000 years.
Tirthankars of present cosmic age

Jain chaumukha sculpture at


LACMA, 6th century
Famous idol of Mahavir Swami at
Shri Mahavirji

The tirthankara Naminatha, 12th


century, Government Museum,
Mathura
No. Name Symbol Colour Height Age
Rishabhanatha 500 84,00,000
1 Bull Golden
(Adinatha) dhanuṣa Purva
450 72,00,000
2 Ajitanatha Elephant Golden
dhanuṣa Purva
400 60,00,000
3 Sambhavanatha Horse Golden
dhanuṣa Purva
350 50,00,000
4 Abhinandananatha Monkey Golden
dhanuṣa Purva
300 40,00,000
5 Sumatinatha Heron Golden
dhanuṣa Purva
250 30,00,000
6 Padmaprabha Padma Red
dhanuṣa Purva
200 20,00,000
7 Suparshvanatha Swastika Golden
dhanuṣa Purva
150 10,00,000
8 Chandraprabha Crescent Moon White
dhanuṣa Purva
Pushpadanta 100
9 Crocodile or Makara White 2,00,000 Purva
(Suvidhinath) dhanuṣa
10 Shitalanatha Shrivatsa Golden 90 dhanuṣa 1,00,000 Purva
84,00,000
11 Shreyanasanatha Rhinoceros Golden 80 dhanuṣa
Years
72,00,000
12 Vasupujya Buffalo Red 70 dhanusa
Years
60,00,000
13 Vimalanatha Boar Golden 60 dhanusa
Years
Porcupine according to the
30,00,000
14 Anantanatha Digambara Golden 50 dhanuṣa
Years
Falcon according to the Śvētāmbara
10,00,000
15 Dharmanatha Vajra Golden 45 dhanuṣa
Years
16 Shantinatha Antelope or deer Golden 40 dhanuṣa 1,00,000 Years
17 Kunthunatha Goat Golden 35 dhanuṣa 95,000 Years
18 Aranatha Nandyavarta or fish Golden 30 dhanuṣa 84,000 Years
19 Māllīnātha Kalasha Blue 25 dhanuṣa 55,000 Years
20 Munisuvrata Tortoise Black 20 dhanuṣa 30,000 Years
21 Naminatha Blue lotus Golden 15 dhanuṣa 10,000 Years
22 Neminatha Shankha Black 10 dhanuṣa 1000 Years
23 Parshvanatha Snake Blue 9 hath 100 Years
24 Mahavira Lion Golden 7 hath 72 Years

Next cosmic age


The 24 tirthankaras of the present age (avasarpinī) are the ones listed above. The names of the next 24, which will be born in
utsarpinī age are as follows. [Mentioned in the parentheses is one of the (previous human birth) of that soul.]

1. Padmanabha (King Shrenika)[33]


2. Surdev (Mahavira's uncle Suparshva)
3. Suparshva (King Kaunik's son kingUdayin)
4. Svamprabh (The ascetic Pottil)
5. Sarvanubhuti (Śrāvaka Dridhayadha)
6. Devshruti (Kartik's Shreshti)
7. Udaynath (Shravak Shamkha)
8. Pedhalputra (Shravak Ananda)
9. Pottil (Shravak Sunand)
10. Shatak (Sharavak Shatak)
11. Munivrat (Krishna's mother Devaki)
12. Amam (Krishna)
13. Shrinishkashay (Satyaki Rudhra also Satyaki of Mahabharata)
14. Nishpulak (Krishna's brother Balbhadra also known asBalrama)
15. Nirmam (Shravika Sulsa)
16. Chitragupta (Krishna's brother's motherRohini Devi)
17. Samadhinath (Revati Gathapatni)
18. Samvarnath (Sharavak Shattilak)
19. Yashodhar (Rishi Dwipayan)
20. Vijay (Karna of Mahabharata)
21. Malyadev (Nirgranthaputra or Mallanarada)
22. Devachandra (Shravak Ambadh)
23. Anantvirya (Shravak Amar)
24. Shribhadrakar (Shanak)

Iconography
A tīrthaṅkara is represented either seated in lotus position (Padmasana) or standing in the meditation in Khadgasana (Kayotsarga)
posture.[34][35] Usually they are depicted seated with their legs crossed in front, the toes of one foot resting close upon the knee of the
other, and the right hand lying over the left in the lap.[1] Tirthanakar idols looks similar and are differentiated on the basis of symbol
or emblem (Lanchhana) belonging to each tirthanakar except Parshvanatha, statues of Parshvanath have snake crown on head. The
first Tirthankara Rishabha can be identified withlocks of hair falling on his shoulders. SometimesSuparshvanath is shown with small
snake-hood. The symbols are marked in centre or in the corner of the pedestal of statue. Both sects of Jainism Digambara and
Svetambara have different depiction of idols. Digambara images are naked without any beautification whereas Svetambara ones are
clothed and decorated with temporary ornaments.[36] The images are often marked with Srivatsa on the chest and Tilaka on fore
head.[37] Srivatsa is one of the ashtamangala (auspicious symbol). It can look somewhat like a fleur-de-lis, an endless knot, a flower
or diamond-shaped symbol.[38]

In other religions
The first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha is mentioned in Hindu texts like the Rigveda,[39] Vishnupurana and Bhagwata Purana.[40] The
Yajurveda mentions the name of three Tīrthaṅkaras – Ṛiṣhabha, Ajitnātha and Ariṣṭanemi.[41] The Bhāgavata Purāṇa includes
legends about the Tirthankaras of Jainism particularly Rishabha.[42] Yoga Vasishta, Chapter 15, Sloka 8 the saying ofRama:

[43]
I am not Rama. I have no desire for material things. Like Jina I want to establish peace within myself.

Champat Rai Jain, a 20th-century Jain writer, claimed that the "Four and Twenty Elders" mentioned in the Book of Revelation (the
final book of the ChristianBible) are "Twenty-four Tirthankaras".[44]

Gallery
Aangi decoration of Image of Rishabhanatha, Tirthankara statue, late Rishabhanatha (left) and
Tirthankara. the first Tirthankara, 7th medieval period, The Mahavira (right), 11th
century Prince of Wales Museum Century, British Museum

52.5 foot Image of Image of Parshvanatha, Jina Suparshvanatha Idol of Chandraprabha at


Neminatha at Tirumalai Victoria and Albert from Karnataka, India, c. Saavira Kambada Basadi
Museum, 6th-7th Century 900 CE, Norton Simon
Museum

Parshvanatha, at the
Adinatha Temple in
Ranakpur, Rajasthan

See also
Mythological data of Tirthankara
God in Jainism
Tattva (Jainism)
Simandhar Swami
Kundakunda

References

Citations
1. Britannica Tirthankar Definition (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/596895/Tirthankar), Encyclopædia
Britannica
2. Babb 1996, p. 5.
3. Sangave 2006, p. 16.
4. Taliaferro & Marty 2010, p. 286.
5. Dundas 2002, p. 20.
6. Dundas 2002, p. 19.
7. Sanghvi, Vir (14 September 2013),Rude Travel: Down The Sages(http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch-stories/ru
de-travel-down-the-sages/article1-1121641.aspx)
, Hindustan Times
8. Zimmer 1953, p. 182-183.
9. Balcerowicz 2009, p. 17.
10. Flügel, P. (2010). The Jaina Cult of Relic Stūpas. Numen: International Review For The History Of Religions, 57(3/4),
389–504. doi:10.1163/156852710X501351
11. Sangave 2006, p. 164.
12. Upinder Singh 2016, p. 313.
13. Balcerowicz 2009, p. 16.
14. Sangave 2006, p. 169-170.
15. Champat Rai Jain 1930, p. 3.
16. Zimmer 1953, p. 212.
17. Vijay K. Jain 2011, p. 91.
18. Cort 2001, p. 110.
19. "HereNow4U.net :: Glossary/Index – T
erms – Eastern Terms – Chyavana Kalyanak"(http://www.herenow4u.net/inde
x.php?id=74859), HereNow4u: Portal on Jainism and next level consciousness
20. Wiley 2009, p. 200.
21. Wiley 2009, p. 246.
22. Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 200.
23. Pramansagar 2008, p. 39-43.
24. Natubhai Shah 2004, p. 15.
25. Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 151.
26. Osho 2016, p. 4.
27. Jain 2009, p. 273.
28. Burgess 1874, p. 136.
29. Doniger 1999, p. 550.
30. Vijay K. Jain 2015, p. 181-208.
31. Tirthankara (EMBLEMS OR SYMBOLS) pdf(http://www.jainuniversity.org/pdfbooks/030414060736pdfbooks.pdf)
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150713111418/http://www
.jainuniversity.org/pdfbooks/030414060736pdfbo
oks.pdf) 13 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
32. Structural View of the Universe – Time (Kal or Samaya) (http://www.jaina.org/?page=RealityExistence)
33. Dundas 2002, p. 276.
34. Zimmer 1953, p. 209-210.
35. Umakant P. Shah 1987, p. 79.
36. Cort 2010.
37. Red sandstone figure of a tirthankara(http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/asia/r/red_s
andstone_figure_of_a_tirt.aspx)
38. Jain & Fischer 1978, p. 15, 31.
39. George 2008, p. 318.
40. Rao 2007, p. 13.
41. Dr. K. R. Shah 2011, p. 9.
42. Ravi Gupta and Kenneth Valpey (2013), The Bhagavata Purana, Columbia University Press,ISBN 978-0231149990,
pages 151–155
43. ://sites.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm/affiliates/jainism/quote/greatmen.htm
44. Champat Rai Jain 1930, p. 78.

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