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20
History of Jainism with Special Reference to Mathurā
founder of religion — is a derivation from the Brāhmanic use of the word tirtha in the sense of doctrine'.10 He is the tīrthakara because he is the proclaimer or founder of the doctrine' or the founder of the ford through the ocean of the world.12 The tīrthamkara is also called the jina because he is a conqueror, of the world, and of lust, anger, etc.13 He is also called the arhat because he is the holy one. 24 In Hemacandra's Trişastiśalākāpuruscarita and the inscriptions found from Kankālī Tīlā, Mathurā, we find repeated use of the title arhat15 for the tirthakara or the tīrthamkara or the jina. In the Jaina inscriptions discovered from Kankālī Tīlā, Mathurā, besides the epithet arhat, the title bhagvata has also been frequently used for the tīrthamkara.16
Although the epithet tīrthařkara is pre-eminently and extensively used these days, the title used in the ācārānga — the earliest of the Jaina āgamic works - is arahaṁta, and it is used in plural; this indicates that there were many such persons. 17 The tīrthařkara is also called kevalin or sarvajña because he possesses omniscience.18 The tīrthamkaras occupy the highest position in Jainism. They were exalted to the highest eminence because they performed great services for the deliverance of mankind. 19 In Jainism, the jina is the highest deity; he is the teacher of sacred law; he is free from all emotions; he possesses omniscience, and is entirely indifferent to all that belongs to the world.20 The tīrthamkara typifies all that is perfect and infinite
10. OISJ, p. 7 fn 6. 11. Ibid., p. 6. 12. Ibid., p. 6; CAI, p. 77; AOIU, p. 411. 13. Ibid., p.6; JI, pp. 16-17. 14. Ibid., p. 6. 15. TSPC, III, pp. 235-40; EI, X, Appendix, no. 47, p. 9, no. 59, p. 12. 16. EI, X, Appendix, nos. 24, 26-7, p. 5. 17. AJAA, p. 2; also see EI, X, Appendix, no. 57, p. 12. 18. OISJ, p. 6. 19. JI, p. 16. 20. ERE, II, p. 187.
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