Tirthankara

Image of Rishabhanatha (first tirthankara)

In Jainism, a tirthankara (Sanskrit tīrthaṅkara) is an omniscient Teaching God who preaches the dharma (righteous path). The word tirthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha, which is a fordable passage across the sea of interminable births and deaths, the saṃsāra. According to Jains, over time, Jain teachings are gradually forgotten. Then, a rare individual is born who at some point in his life renounces the world to conquer the saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth, on his own. After understanding the true nature of the Self or soul, the Tīrthaṅkara attains Kevala Jnana (omniscience) and refounds Jainism. Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow the new teacher from saṃsāra to moksha (liberation).

According to Jain cosmology, in each half of the cosmic time cycle, exactly twenty-four tirthankaras grace this part of the universe. The first tirthankara 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). History records the existence of Mahavira and his predecessor, Parshvanatha, the twenty-third tirthankara.

A tirthankara organises the sangha, a fourfold order of male and female monastics, srāvakas (male followers) and śrāvikās (female followers).

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.

Tīrthaṅkaras are arihants who after attaining kevalajñāna (pure infinite knowledge) 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. 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.

Meaning

Tirthankara images at Gwalior Fort

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

Tīrthaṅkara-naam-karma

Jain texts propound that a special type of karma, the tīrthaṅkara nama-karma, raises a soul to the supreme status of a Tīrthaṅkara. Tattvartha Sutra, a major Jain text, list down sixteen observances which lead to the bandha (bondage) of this karma-

• 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
• Practice of the six essential daily duties
• Propagation of the teachings of the omniscient
• Fervent affection for one’s brethren following the same path.

Panch Kalyanaka

Main article: Panch Kalyanaka

Auspicious dreams seen by a tirthankara's mother during pregnancy

Five auspicious events called, Pañca kalyāṇaka marks the life of every tirthankara:

1. Gārbha kalyāṇaka (conception): When ātman (soul) of a tirthankara comes into his mother's womb.
2. Janma kalyāṇaka (birth): Birth of a tirthankara. Indra performs a ceremonial bath on tirthankara on Mount Meru.
3. Dīkṣā kalyāṇaka (renunciation): When a tirthankara renounces all worldly possessions and become an ascetic.
4. Jñāna kalyāṇaka: The event when a tirthankara attains kevalajñāna (infinite knowledge). A samavasarana (divine preaching hall) is erected from where he delivers sermons and restores sangha after that.
5. Nirvāṇa kalyāṇaka (liberation): When a tirthankara leaves his mortal body, it is known as nirvana. It is followed by the final liberation, moksha. Their souls dwells in Siddhashila after that.

Samavasarana

Main article: Samavasarana

Samavasarana of a tirthankara

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. A tirthankara's speech is intercepted 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.

Tīrthaṅkaras of present cosmic age

Jainism postulates that time has no beginning or end. It moves like the wheel of a cart. 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, founded the Ikshvaku dynasty, from which 21 other tirthankaras also rose over time. Two tirthankaras - Munisuvrata, the 20th, and Neminatha, the 22nd - belonged to the Harivamsa dynasty.

In Jain tradition, the 20 tirthankaras attained moksha on mount Shikharji, in the present Indian state of Jharkhand. Rishabhanatha attained nirvana on Mount Kailash, presently located in Tibet, close to Indian border, Vasupujya at Champapuri in North Bengal, 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 the Padmasana (lotus position).

List of the 24 tirthankaras

Present cosmic age

The tirthankara Neminatha, 12th century, Government Museum, Mathura

In chronological order, the names, emblems and colours of the 24 tirthankaras of this age are mentioned below: Dhanuṣa means "bow" and hatha means "hands".

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

Next cosmic age

In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided in two halves, Utsarpiṇī or ascending time cycle and avasarpiṇī, the descending time cycle. 24 tirthankaras are born in each half of this cycle. 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)
2. Surdev (Mahavira's uncle Suparshva)
3. Suparshva (King Kaunik's son king Udayin)
4. Svamprabh (The ascetic Pottil)
5. Sarvanubhuti (Sravaka 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)
14. Nishpulak (Krishna's brother Balbhadra also known as Balrama)
15. Nirmam (Shravika Sulsa)
16. Chitragupta (Krishna's brother's mother Rohini 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 yoga posture or standing in the Kayotsarga posture. 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.

In other religions

The first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha is mentioned in Hindu texts like Rigveda, Vishnupurana and Bhagwata Purana. The Yajurveda mentions the name of three Tīrthaṅkaras - Ṛiṣhabha, Ajitnātha and Ariṣṭanemi. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa endorses the view that Ṛiṣhabha was the founder of Jainism. Champat Rai Jain, a 20th-century Jain writer claimed that the "Four and Twenty Elders" mentioned in the Christian Bible are "Twenty-four Tirthankaras".

Gallery

• 
  Image of Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara of present cosmic age
• 
  Tirthankara statue made in marble, from late medieval period. Statue found in Gujarat. On display in The Prince of Wales Museum
• 
  Rishabhanatha (left) and Mahavira (right)
• 
  Tirthankara images (Photo:Ajmer Jain Temple)
• 
  Chaubisi (The 24 Tirthankaras) with Tirthankara Parshvanath in center
• 
  The 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha, at the Adinatha Temple in Ranakpur, Rajasthan
• 
  Tīrthaṅkara images in a Jain temple
• 
  List of 24 Tirthankara

See also

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

References

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