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Jaina Tīrthamkaras and antiquity of Jainism
THERE is a great divergence of opinion regarding the antiquity of Jainism. Mahāvīra is generally regarded as the founder of Jainism.' But the Jaina tradition is steadfast in maintaining that Jainism is eternal, and was repeatedly revealed by twenty-four tīrthařkaras, who appeared at long intervals to restore to their original purity doctrines which were darkened by evil influences, and to propagate right knowledge, right faith and right conduct to the people steeped in ignorance about reality. The title tīrthakara is peculiar to Jainism; among the Buddhists it is a designation for false teachers. But in Jainism, the meaning of tīrthakara6 or tīrthamkara, is entirely different. We find several definitions of a tīrthařkara in both Svetāmbara and Digambara literatures according to which tīrthamkara means a prophet or the founder of a religion.
According to Buhler and Jacobi, the meaning of tīrthakara — prophet or
1. CHI, I, p. 153; AI (M), p. 167. 2. ERE, VII, p. 466. 3. OISJ, p. 7. 4. HJM, p. 57. 5. OISJ, p. 6. 6. ERE, VII, p. 466; OISJ, p. 6; CHI, I, p. 153. 7. JI, p. 15; CUHI, I, p. 236; AJAA, p. 2. 8. Ibid., p. 15. 9. ERE, VII, p. 466; CHI, I, p. 153; JSS, p. 9; JI, p. 15.
