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Tirthankara

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"Jinas" redirects here. For Buddhism, seeFive Jinas.For the singular, seeJina (disambiguation).

Jain miniature painting of 24 Jain Tirthankaras,Jaipur,c. 1850
The 24 Tirthankaras forming the tantric meditative syllableHrim,painting on cloth,Gujarat,c. 1800

InJainism,aTirthankara(IAST:tīrthaṅkara;lit. 'ford-maker') is a saviour and supreme spiritual teacher of thedharma(righteous path).[1]The wordtirthankarasignifies the founder of atirtha,[2]a fordable passage acrosssaṃsāra,the sea of interminable birth and death. According to Jains,tirthankarasare the supreme preachers ofdharma,who have conqueredsaṃsāraon their own and made a path for others to follow.[3]After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, theTīrthaṅkaraattainskevala jnana(omniscience). A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them fromsaṃsāratomoksha(liberation).[4]

InJain cosmology,the wheel of time is divided into two halves,Utsarpiṇī,the ascending time cycle, andavasarpiṇī,the descending time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cycle, exactly 24tirthankarasgrace this part of the universe. There have been infinitely many tirthankaras in the past.[5]The firsttirthankarain the present cycle (Hunda Avsarpini) wasRishabhanatha,who is credited with formulating and organising humans to live in a society harmoniously. The 24th and lasttirthankaraof the present half-cycle wasMahavira(599 BC–527 BC).[6][7][8]History records the existence of Mahavira and his predecessor,Parshvanatha,the 23rdtirthankara.[9]

Atirthankaraorganises thesangha,a fourfold order ofmale and female monastics,srāvakas (male followers) andśrāvikās (female followers).[10]

Thetirthankara'steachings form the basis for the Jaincanons.The inner knowledge oftirthankarais believed to be perfect and identical in every respect, and their teachings contain no contradictions. The degree of elaboration varies according to society's spiritual advancement and purity during their period of leadership. The higher the level of society's spiritual advancement and purity of mind, the lower the elaboration required.

While Jains document and reveretirthankaras,their grace is said to be available to all living beings regardless of religion.[11]

Tīrthaṅkarasarearihantswho, after attainingkevala jñāna(pure infinite knowledge),[12]preach thedharma.AnArihantis also calledJina(victor), one who has conquered inner enemies such as anger, attachment, pride, and greed.[4]They dwell exclusively within the realm of their soul and are entirely free ofkashayas,inner passions, and personal desires. As a result of this, unlimitedsiddhis,or spiritual powers, are readily available to them, which they use exclusively for living beings' spiritual elevation. Throughdarśana,divine vision, anddeshna,divine speech, they help others attainkevalajñanaandmoksha(final liberation).

Meaning

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The wordtirthankarasignifies the founder of atirtha,a fordable passage acrosssaṃsāra,the sea of interminable births and deaths.[13][14][15][16]Tirthankarasare variously called "Teaching Gods", "Ford-Makers", "Crossing Makers", and "Makers of the River-Crossing.[17][16]

Tīrthaṅkara-naam-karma

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Tirthankara images atSiddhachal CavesinsideGwalior Fort.

Jain texts propound that a special type ofkarma,thetīrthaṅkara nama-karma,raises a soul to the supreme status of aTīrthaṅkara.TheTattvartha Sutra,a major Jain text, lists 16 observances that lead to thebandha(bondage) of thiskarma:[18]

  • 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

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Auspicious dreamsseen by a tirthankara's mother during pregnancy
Main article:Panch Kalyanaka

Five auspicious events calledPañca kalyāṇakamark everytirthankara's life:[19]

  1. Gārbha kalyāṇaka(conception): When a tirthankara'sātman(soul) comes into his mother's womb.[20]
  2. Janma kalyāṇaka(birth): Birth of a tirthankara.Indraperforms a ceremonial bath ontirthankaraonMount Meru.[21][22]
  3. Diksha kalyāṇaka(renunciation): When a tirthankara renounces all worldly possessions and become an ascetic.
  4. Keval Gyan kalyāṇaka (omniscience):When a tirthankara attainskevalajñāna(infinite knowledge). Asamavasarana(divine preaching hall) is erected from where they deliver sermons and establish 'tirth (chaturvidhsangha) after that.
  5. Nirvāṇa/Moksha kalyāṇaka(liberation): When a tirthankara leaves their mortal body, it is known asnirvana.It is followed by the final liberation,moksha,after which their soul resides inSiddhashila.

Samavasarana

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Samavasaranaof TirthankaraRishabha(Ajmer Jain temple)
Main article:Samavasarana

After attainingkevalajñāna,thetirthankarapreaches the path to liberation in thesamavasarana.According to Jain texts,devas(heavenly beings) erect the heavenly pavilion wheredevas,humans, and animals assemble to hear thetirthankara.[23]A samavasarana is a three-level structure. The lowest level, made of rajat (silver), is the parking space for vehicles. The second is the svarna (gold) level. All animals reside in the svarna level, while the highest level, made of precious gems, is reserved for various important figures, such as kings and their families, the devas and the ascetics. Humans and animals hear atirthankara's speech in their language. It is believed that during this speech, there is no unhappiness for miles around the site.[24]

Tīrthaṅkarasof the present cosmic age

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Jainism postulates that time has no beginning or end. It moves like the wheel of a cart. The wheel of time is divided into two halves,Utsarpiṇī(ascending half cycle) andAvasarpiṇī(descending half cycle). 24tirthankarasare born in each half of this cycle. In Jain tradition, thetirthankaraswere royal in their final lives, and Jain texts record details of those lives. Their clan and families are also among those recorded in legendary stories. According to Jain canons,Rishabhanatha,the firsttirthankara,[13]founded theIkshvaku dynasty,[25]from which 21 othertirthankarasrose over time. Twotirthankaras–Munisuvrata,the 20th, andNeminatha,the 22nd – belonged to theHarivamsadynasty.[26]

In Jain tradition, the 20tirthankarasattainedmokshaon MountShikharji,in the present Indian state ofJharkhand.[27]Rishabhanatha attained nirvana on Mount Ashtāpada (Mount Kailash),VasupujyainChampapuri,Bihar,Neminathaon MountGirnar,Gujarat,and Mahavira, the lasttirthankara,atPawapuri,near modernPatna.Twenty-one of thetirthankarasare said to have attainedmokshain thekayotsarga(standing meditation posture), while Rishabhanatha, Neminatha, and Mahavira are said to have done so in thePadmasana(lotus position).[17]

List

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tirthankaras of present, previous and next cosmic ages (72 in total)

Present cosmic age

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Main article:List of Tirthankaras
Jain chaumukha sculpture atLACMA,6th century

In chronological order, the names, emblems and colours of the 24tirthankarasof this age are:[1][28][29][30]

No. Name Emblem Colour
1 Rishabhanatha[31](Adinatha) Bull Golden
2 Ajitanatha[31] Elephant Golden
3 Sambhavanatha[31] Horse Golden
4 Abhinandananatha[31] Monkey Golden
5 Sumatinatha[31] Flamingo Golden
6 Padmaprabha[31] Padma Red
7 Suparshvanatha[31] Swastika Green
8 Chandraprabha[31] CrescentMoon White
9 Pushpadanta(Suvidhinath)[31] CrocodileorMakara White
10 Shitalanatha[31] Kalpavrikshaaccording to the Digambara.Srivatsaaccording to Svetambara Golden
11 Shreyanasanatha[31] Rhinoceros Golden
12 Vasupujya[31] Buffalo Red
13 Vimalanatha[31] Boar Golden
14 Anantanatha[31] Porcupineaccording to theDigambara
Falconaccording to theŚvētāmbara		 Golden
15 Dharmanatha[31] Vajra Golden
16 Shantinatha[31] Antelopeordeer Golden
17 Kunthunatha[31] Goat Golden
18 Aranatha[31] Nandavartaorfish Golden
19 Māllīnātha[31] Kalasha Blue
20 Munisuvrata[31] Tortoise Black/Dark Blue
21 Naminatha[31] Blue lotus Golden
22 Neminatha[31] Shankha Black/Dark Blue
23 Parshvanatha[31] Snake Green
24 Mahavira[31] Lion Golden

Next cosmic age

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The next 24tirthankaras,who will be born inutsarpinīage, are:

No. Name Previous human birth
1 Padmanabha KingShrenika[32]
2 Surdev Mahavir swamis's uncle Suparshva
3 Suparshva King Kaunik's son kingUdayin
4 Svamprabh The ascetic Pottil
5 Sarvanubhuti ŚrāvakaDridhayadha
6 Devshruti Kartik's Shreshti
7 Udaynath ShravakShamkha
8 Pedhalputra ShravakAnanda
9 Pottil ShravakSunand
10 Shatak SharavakShatak
11 Suvrat Satyaki of Mahabharata
12 Amam Krishna
13 Shrinishkashay Satyaki Rudhra
14 Nishpulak Krishna's brother Balbhadra also known asBalrama
15 Nirmam ShravikaSulsa
16 Chitragupta Krishna's brother's motherRohini Devi
17 Samadhinath Revati Gathapatni
18 Samvarnath SharavakShattilak
19 Yashodhar RishiDwipayan
20 Vijay KarnaofMahabharata
21 Malladev Nirgranthaputra or Mallanarada
22 Devachandra ShravakAmbadh
23 Anantvirya ShravakAmar
24 Bhadrakat Swati

Iconography

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DigambaraMahāvīr Swamiiconography
ŚvētāmbaraSimandhar Swamiiconography

A tīrthaṅkara is represented either in thelotus position(Padmasana) or in the meditation Khadgasana (Kayotsarga) posture.[33][34]The latter, which is similar to the militarystanding at attention,is a difficult posture to hold for long and is preferred by Jains because it minimizes the amount of the body in contact with the earth, and thus the risk to sentient creatures living in or on it. If seated, they are usually depicted seated with their legs crossed in front, the toes of one foot resting upon the knee of the other leg, and the right hand lying over the left in the lap.[1]

Tirthankara images have no distinctive facial features, clothing, or (mostly) hairstyles, and are differentiated based on the symbol or emblem (Lanchhana) belonging to eachtirthanakaraexceptParshvanatha.Statues of Parshvanatha have a snake crown. The first Tirthankara,Rishabha,is identifiable by thelocks of hairfalling on his shoulders. SometimesSuparshvanathis shown with a small snake-hood. The symbols are marked in the centre or the corner of the statue's pedestal. The Jain sectsDigambaraandŚvetāmbarahave different depictions of idols. Digambara images are naked without any ornamentation, whereas Śvetāmbara ones are clothed and decorated with temporary ornaments.[35]The images are often marked withSrivatsaon the chest andTilakaon the forehead.[36]Srivatsa is one of theashtamangala(auspicious symbols), which sometimes resemblesfleur-de-lis,anendless knot,a flower, or a diamond-shaped symbol.[37]

The bodies of tirthankara statues are exceptionally consistent throughout the over 2,000 years of the historical record's. The bodies are rather slight, with very wide shoulders and a narrow waist. Even more than is usual in Indian sculpture, the depiction takes relatively little interest in accurate depiction of musculature and bones but is interested in modeling outer surfaces as broad swelling forms. The ears are extremely elongated, alluding to the heavy earrings the figures wore in their early lives before they took the path to enlightenment, when most were wealthy, if not royal.

Sculptures with four heads are not uncommon in early sculpture, but unlike the comparable Hindu images, these represent four differenttirthanakaras,not four aspects of the same deity. Multiple extra arms are avoidedin tirthanakaraimages, though their attendants or guardians may have them.[38]

In other religions

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See also:Rishabha (Hinduism)andParanath Avtar

The firstTirthankara,Rishabhanathais mentioned in Hindu texts like theRigveda,[39]Vishnupurana,andBhagwata Purana.[40]The Yajurveda mentions the name of three Tīrthaṅkaras: Ṛiṣhabha, Ajitnātha and Ariṣṭanemi.[41]The Bhāgavata Purāṇa includes legends about the Tirthankaras, particularly Rishabha.[42]Yoga Vasishta, Chapter 15 of Vairagya Khanda, Sloka 8, gives the saying ofRama:

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

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

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toTirthankaras.

References

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Citations

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  1. ^abcBritannica Tirthankar Definition,Encyclopædia Britannica,archivedfrom the original on 20 March 2020,retrieved5 February2012
  2. ^Babb 1996,p. 5.
  3. ^"Tirthankara | Definition, Names, & Facts".Encyclopedia Britannica.Archivedfrom the original on 17 August 2017.Retrieved9 January2021.
  4. ^abSangave 2006,p. 16.
  5. ^Dundas 2002,p. 20.
  6. ^Dundas 2002,p. 19.
  7. ^Taliaferro & Marty 2010,p. 286.
  8. ^Sanghvi, Vir(14 September 2013),Rude Travel: Down The Sages,Hindustan Times,archived fromthe originalon 18 May 2015
  9. ^Zimmer 1953,p. 182-183.
  10. ^Balcerowicz 2009,p. 17.
  11. ^Flügel 2010.
  12. ^Sangave 2006,p. 164.
  13. ^abUpinder Singh 2016,p. 313.
  14. ^Balcerowicz 2009,p. 16.
  15. ^Sangave 2006,p. 169-170.
  16. ^abChampat Rai Jain 1930,p. 3.
  17. ^abZimmer 1953,p. 212.
  18. ^Vijay K. Jain 2011,p. 91.
  19. ^Cort 2001,p. 110.
  20. ^"HereNow4U.net:: Glossary/Index – Terms – Eastern Terms – Chyavana Kalyanak",HereNow4u: Portal on Jainism and next level consciousness,archivedfrom the original on 14 March 2013,retrieved22 April2015
  21. ^Wiley 2009,p. 200.
  22. ^Wiley 2009,p. 246.
  23. ^Vijay K. Jain 2015,p. 200.
  24. ^Pramansagar 2008,p. 39-43.
  25. ^Natubhai Shah 2004,p. 15.
  26. ^Vijay K. Jain 2015,p. 151.
  27. ^Osho 2016,p. 4.
  28. ^Doniger 1999,p. 550.
  29. ^Vijay K. Jain 2015,p. 181-208.
  30. ^"Tirthankara (EMBLEMS OR SYMBOLS) pdf"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 13 July 2015.
  31. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwx"Name".jainworld.com.Archivedfrom the original on 25 January 2021.Retrieved9 January2021.
  32. ^Dundas 2002,p. 276.
  33. ^Zimmer 1953,p. 209-210.
  34. ^Umakant P. Shah 1987,p. 79.
  35. ^Cort 2010.
  36. ^"Red sandstone figure of a tirthankara".Archivedfrom the original on 19 October 2015.Retrieved7 April2017.
  37. ^Jain & Fischer 1978,p. 15, 31.
  38. ^Srinivasan, Doris,Many Heads, Arms, and Eyes: Origin, Meaning, and Form of Multiplicity in Indian Art,pp. 329-330, 1997, BRILL,ISBN9004107584,9789004107588,google booksArchived5 April 2023 at theWayback Machine
  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,ISBN978-0231149990,pages 151–155
  43. ^"Great Men's View on Jainism".Jainism Literature Center.Archivedfrom the original on 11 February 2021.Retrieved9 February2021.
  44. ^Champat Rai Jain 1930,p. 78.

Sources

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