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HISTORY AND TIRTHAMKARAS
no longer live in a physical body among men. The Tīrthamkaras now abide in a world of perfect accomplishments as siddhas, pure souls. Theosophy and Buddhism teach that the Buddhas in this dark period can only continue their compassionate work for humanity indirectly, until the next Buddha appears among humankind sometime in the future. The Buddhist Lankavatara Sūtra also mentions 24 Buddhas. At other places 35 are mentioned. Modern theosophical literature says that the 24 Buddhas are the same as the 24 Tīrthamkaras, and that the other eleven belong to an earlier cycle.
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About the first Tīrthamkara, and about the last three, literature has a great deal to say, including that of the Hindus and Buddhist, which venerates them as great individuals and describes about their historic influence - which proves that they were recognized by the entire human family in those days. I will say more about these four Tīrthamkaras later in this chapter.
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Before the first Tirthamkara, Rishabha, who was the son of the Manu called Nabhirāja, lived on earth, humankind had already gone through millions of years of development. The Tīrthamkaras taught the people how to choose the spiritual path by their own effort, but before that time this was not yet possible. Humankind was spiritual and happy, but rather like a child. Early humankind knew no worries and the people then living did not have to work. Nature provided food for them just as it does for animals, and there were trees which produced fruits for them to eat. People were living in the enviable situation of being at all aware of the enormous world with all its complexities and natural forces. So in many respects they must have lived like happy animals - but still they were humans who, just like children, are apt to develop all that grown-ups will manifest later in life. Their selfconsciousness and understanding had already been awakened, but they still had to learn how to handle it.
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