Tirthankara

In Jainism, a Tirthankara is a saviour and supreme preacher of the dharma. The word tirthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha, a fordable passage across saṃsāra, the sea of interminable birth and death. According to Jains, tirthankaras are the supreme preachers of dharma, who have conquered saṃsāra 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. A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them from saṃsāra to moksha.
In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided into two halves, , the ascending time cycle, and avasarpiṇī, the descending time cycle. In each half of the cycle, exactly 24 tirthankaras grace this part of the universe. There have been infinitely many tirthankaras in the past. The first tirthankara in the present cycle was Rishabhanatha, who is credited with formulating and organising humans to live in a society harmoniously. The 24th and last tirthankara of the present half-cycle was Mahavira. History records the existence of Mahavira and his predecessor, Parshvanatha, the 23rd tirthankara.
A tirthankara organises the sangha, a fourfold order of male and female monastics, srāvakas and śrāvikās.
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 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 revere tirthankaras, their grace is said to be available to all living beings regardless of religion.
Tīrthaṅkaras are arihants who, after attaining kevala jñāna, preach the dharma. An Arihant is also called Jina, 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 living beings' spiritual elevation. Through darśana, divine vision, and deshna, divine speech, they help others attain kevalajñana and moksha.

Meaning

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

Historicity and Hagiography

The Historical ''Tirthankaras''

Academic and historical consensus broadly accepts Parshvanatha and Mahavira as historical figures. Parshvanatha, the 23rd tirthankara, is understood as a predecessor who preached the "fourfold restraint". Mahavira is seen as a reformer and the final systematizer of Jain thought, who re-established the Jain monastic and lay community based on Parshvanatha's teachings, notably adding celibacy as the fifth great vow.

The Hagiographical Tradition

The lives of the other 22 tirthankaras are considered to be part of a sacred, cosmological history operating within vast, non-historical timeframes. Texts such as the Kalpa Sutra detail their lives, which follow a formulaic pattern: birth into a royal family, a period of worldly life, renunciation of the world, a period of asceticism leading to omniscience, and finally, final liberation.

The Rishabhanatha Debate

, the first tirthankara, holds a unique position. He is credited within the tradition as the founder of human civilization, teaching agriculture, law, and social order. While he is a hagiographical figure, some scholars have speculated on a pre-historical link. They point to the nude standing figures and the prominent "bull" motif found on seals from the Indus Valley Civilization as possible, though unproven, evidence of a proto-Jain or proto-Rishabha cult.

Theological Significance and Sectarian Views

''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. The Tattvartha Sutra, a major Jain text, lists 16 observances that lead to the bandha 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
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'' (Five Auspicious Events)

Five auspicious events called Pañca kalyāṇaka mark every tirthankara's life:

Chyavana kalyāṇaka : When a tirthankara's ātman comes into their mother's womb.
Janma kalyāṇaka : Birth of a tirthankara. Indra performs a ceremonial bath on tirthankara on Mount Meru.
Diksha kalyāṇaka : When a tirthankara renounces all worldly possessions and becomes an ascetic.
Keval Gyan kalyāṇaka : When a tirthankara attains kevalajñāna. A samavasarana is then erected from where they deliver sermons and establish 'tirth.
Nirvāṇa/Moksha kalyāṇaka : Nirvana is when a tirthankara leaves their mortal body. It is followed by the final liberation, moksha, after which their soul resides in Siddhashila.
''Samavasarana''

After attaining kevalajñāna, the tirthankara preaches the path to liberation in the samavasarana. According to Jain texts, devas erect the heavenly pavilion where devas, humans, and animals assemble to hear the tirthankara. A samavasarana is a three-level structure. The lowest level, made of rajat, is the parking space for vehicles. The second is the svarna 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 a tirthankara's speech in their language. It is believed that during this speech, there is no unhappiness for miles around the site.

''Tīrthaṅkaras'' of the present cosmic age

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 and Avasarpiṇī. 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 those lives. Their clan and families are also among those recorded in legendary stories. According to Jain canons, Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara, founded the Ikshvaku dynasty, from which 21 other tirthankaras 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 Ashtāpada, Vasupujya in Champapuri, Bihar, 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, while Rishabhanatha, Neminatha, and Mahavira are said to have done so in the Padmasana.

List of the 24 ''Tirthankaras''

Present cosmic age

In chronological order, the names, emblems and colours of the 24 tirthankaras of this age are:

No.	Name	Emblem	Colour
1	Rishabhanatha	Bull	Golden
2	Ajitanatha	Elephant	Golden
3	Sambhavanatha	Horse	Golden
4	Abhinandananatha	Monkey	Golden
5	Sumatinatha	Flamingo	Golden
6	Padmaprabha	Padma	Red
7	Suparshvanatha	Swastika	Green
8	Chandraprabha	Crescent Moon	White
9	Pushpadanta	Crocodile or Makara	White
10	Shitalanatha	Kalpavriksha according to the Digambara. Srivatsa according to Svetambara	Golden
11	Shreyanasanatha	Rhinoceros	Golden
12	Vasupujya	Buffalo	Red
13	Vimalanatha	Boar	Golden
14	Anantanatha	Porcupine according to the Digambara Falcon according to the Śvētāmbara	Golden
15	Dharmanatha	Vajra	Golden
16	Shantinatha	Antelope or deer	Golden
17	Kunthunatha	Goat	Golden
18	Aranatha	Nandavarta or fish	Golden
19	Māllīnātha	Kalasha	Blue
20	Munisuvrata	Tortoise	Black/Dark Blue
21	Naminatha	Blue lotus	Golden
22	Neminatha	Shankha	Black/Dark Blue
23	Parshvanatha	Snake	Green
24	Mahavira	Lion	Golden