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46
Nalini Balbir
those devoted to future Tirthamkarahood, e.g. Udāvi (No. 3); a Sankha No. 6), Sataka (No. 10), Satyaki (No. 11) ... : but who can be sure that they have exhausted the post-Canonical story-literature ? Sreņika, an historical figure, also of Mahāvira's time, and Krşņa, a pan-Indian character, represent an outstanding pair. The others are mere names, not gifted with any personality, and even if they are not totally unknown, there is not sufficient evidence to identify them.
2. Ethical aspects connected with F. Ts.
2.1. Tirthamkarahood in the chain of rebirths.
(Future) Tirthamkarahood is one of the numerous destinies offered to human beings : I shall here underline its specific position in the chain of incarnations, then the means of attaining it.
A direct connection between rebirth in the hell(s) followed by a rebirth as a future T. appears from the narrative scheme drawn for the Sreņika and Kșşņaepisodes (stages i and iii, above 1.2.1.): after their lives in the Ratnaprabhā or Valukāprabha-hells, both heroes will become the 1st and 12th or 13th F. Ts. On the other hand, besides the names of Dasārasiha (i. e. Kļşma) and Seniya, the Avasyaka-niryukti (gā. 1160) also mentions Pedhālaputta and Saccai who all underwent a low birth (aharam gaim gayā) because of their lack of conduct, though they were possessed of right faith : they are also among the Ts. to be (cf. 4).
Now, these facts are perfectly consistent with the sections of the Svet. and Dig. theoretical books devoted to the narakas. Considering the issues (antakiriya) of hellish beings as Ts. Cakravartins, Baladevas or Māndalikas, the Pannavanā (4th Uvanga; S II, 463, 8-23) admits the possibility of reaching the status of a T. for those beings coming from the first hell (Ratnaprabhā) who will have acquired a T's karman (2.2, Titthagara-nama-goyaim kammăim baddhāim, putthāim....). Beings coming from the second and third hells are in the same category :
evam Sakkarappabha jāva Valuyappabhā-pudhavi-neraiehimto Titthagarattam labhejja
(S II, 463. 18-19) ossibility is denied to those coming from the last four hells[463, 19-23)** Similar statements can be found in Dig. sources, for instance in Jinasena, Harivamsapurāņa IV, 382 :
tstiyāyāh (i. e. kşiti-) dvitīyāyāḥ prathamāyāśca nihsştah Tirthakrttvam labhetapi dehi dars ana-śuddhitah."?
2.2. Original context and later use of the Tirthamkara-näma-karman
idea. It is well-known that Tirthamkarahood is gained through a special type of karman (Trthamkaranāmakarman-Tnk) for which twenty components(sthanakas) are
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