Tirthankara

Jainism

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The symbol of Jainism
Total population
about 5 million
Founder
Adinatha
Regions with significant populations
India, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, United States
Scriptures
Agama
Languages
Prakrit, Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil, Gujarati, Hindi

In Jainism, a Tīrthaṅkara is a human being who helps in achieving liberation and enlightenment as an arihant. According to Jain scriptures,^[1] that which helps one to cross the great ocean of worldly life is called tirth and a person who fills the role of tirth is known as Tirthankar. Tīrthaṅkars achieve liberation and enlightenment by destroying their constraining (ghati karmas and becoming role models and leaders for those seeking spiritual guidance.^[2][3] They also seek Kevala Jnana, a state of permanent, perpetual, absolute knowledge of the Soul; it is the precursor to final liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

The twenty-four known Tīrthaṅkars in this time cycle revitalized the Jain religion by establishing the fourfold sangh order which consists of monks (Sadhu), nuns (Sadhvi), laymen (Shravak) and laywomen (Shravika).^[4]

Overview

Rishabhadeva (left) and Mahavira (right)

Tīrthaṅkars religious teaching form the basis for Jain canons. The inner knowledge of Tīrthaṅkar is 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 Tirthankars are documented and revered by those of Jain faith, their grace is said to be available to living beings, regardless of religious orientation.^[5]

Tirthankars dwell exclusively within the realm of their Soul, and are entirely free of kashays, inner passions, and personal desires. As a result of this, unlimited siddhis, spiritual powers, are readily available to them – which they use exclusively for the spiritual elevation of living beings. Through their darshan, divine vision, and deshna, divine speech, they grant their own state of Keval Gyaan, and moksha, final liberation to anyone seeking it sincerely.

At the end of his human life-span, a Tīrthaṅkar achieves siddha status, ending the cycle of infinite births and deaths.

Jainism postulates that time has no beginning or end. It moves like the wheel of a cart. Jains believe that exactly twenty-four Tīrthaṅkars are born in each half-cycle of time in this part of the universe. The first Tīrthaṅkar is Rishabh, who is credited for formulating and organising humans to live in a society harmoniously. The 24th and last Tīrthaṅkar was Mahavir (599-527 BC).

Particular Tīrthaṅkars

The 24 Tirthankars

Tīrthaṅkar images are usually 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.^[6]

In Jain tradition the Tīrthaṅkars were royal in their final lives, and Jain traditions record details of their previous lives, usually as royalty. Their clan and families are also among those recorded in very early, or legendary, Hindu history. All but two of the Jains are ascribed to the Ikshvaku dynasty. Munisuvrat, the twentieth, and Neminath, the twenty-second, were of the Harivansh. Jain canons state that Rishabha, the first Tīrthaṅkar, founded the Ikshvaku.

Twenty Tīrthaṅkars achieved “siddh” status on Shikharji. Vasupujya attained nirvan at Champapuri in North Bengal; Neminath on Girnar in Gujarat; and Mahavir, the last at Pawapuri, near modern Bihar's capital, Patna.

Twenty-one of the Tīrthaṅkars are said to have attained moksh in the kayotsarg (standing meditation) posture, while Rishabh, Nemi and Mahavir are said to have attained moksh in the lotus position.

List of the 24 Tīrthaṅkars

In chronological order, the names, signs, colors etc. of the 24 Tīrthaṅkars of this age are mentioned below^[7]

Future Tirthankars

In every time-cycle, 48 Tirthankar are born in two batches of 24. In the current time cycle, the first 24 are the ones listed above. The names of the next 24 are as follows. (mentioned in the parentheses is (one of) the soul's previous human births)

1. Padmanabh (king Shrenik)
2. Surdev (Mahavir's uncle Suparshva)
3. Suparshva (king kaunik's son king Udayi)
4. Svamprabh (the ascetic Pottil)
5. Sarvanubhuti (shravak Dridhayadha)
6. Devshruti (kartik's shreshti)
7. Udaynath (shravak Shamkha)
8. Pedhalputra (shravak Anand)
9. Pottil (shravak Sunand)
10. Shatak (sharavak Shatak)
11. Munivrat (Krishna's mother Daivaki)
12. Amam (Lord Krishna)
13. Shrinishkashay (Satyaki Rudhra)
14. Nishpulak (Krishna's brother Balbhadra also known as Balrama)
15. Nirmam (shravika Sulsa)
16. Chitragupt (Krishna's brother's mother Rohini)
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)

See also

• Arihant (Jainism)
• Deshna
• Moksha (Jainism)
• Tattva (Jainism)
• Simandhar Swami
• Types of Karma
• Keval Gyaan
• Kanji Swami
• Kundakunda

Notes

References

• Sangave, Vilas Adinath (2001), Facets of Jainology: Selected Research Papers on Jain Society, Religion, and Culture, Mumbai: Popular Prakashan, ISBN 978-81-7154-839-2