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(84) Nandanavana
do not find any direct teachings from god except the Upanisadic Rṣis of eminence who have described their revelations to be self-realised for 100-year age or submerging into the supreme. The Tirthankaras, on the other hand, have a mission to preach and teach such principles following which any human can attain the same status as they have attained. Their teachings have come down to us from time immemorial to the present age through memory and old literature. They emphasize the man to rise above the worldly level by cultivation and practice of non-possession. C. R. Jain has again stated that control and decontrol of possession and possessions is what is required for godhood and manhood.
Man - passions → God; God + passions → man
They have taught that a triad of right devotion, knowledge and conduct can only lead to salvation. Such teachings had a great impact on society as they lead to know:
(i) That the capacity of man to become God-like lies in himself.
(ii) That this capacity could be realised by oneself.
(iii) That one could develop an attitude of self-reliance to assume that
it is he himself who could have self-realizations. Others could only be guides. Blessings etc. do not serve much purpose in this process except a psychological go-ahead.
Mythology if Tirthankaras
The period the Tirthankaras were deified, they were associated with many superb attributes. There are 34 such specialties associated with them. These include among others hardest and symmetrical body, un-sweating and fine smelling body, white blood, no shadow, no eyelid fall, no increase in nails and hairs, sweet speech and language understandable by all and infinite might. The details of these are given in Trilokaprajñapti of 5-th century. Many of these attributes seem to be beyond our imagination and that is why they are termed mythological. Two examples art given below:
Rṣabhadeva
80 metre height; 6x1020 years' life span 2.5 metre height; 72 years' life span
Mahāvīra
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