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Historical Development of Jaina Philosophy and Religion
around which the whole Jaina religion revolves. In Jainism, Tirthankara is regarded as the founder of religion as well as the object of worship. Generally, the Jaina concept of Tirthankara resembles that of incarnation (avatāravāda) of Hinduism. Both carry the same object as they are propounders of religion but there is a fundamental difference in both of the concepts. According to Gita, the purpose behind the incarnation of God is to propound religion and to destroy the wicked while in Jainism Tirthankara is only regarded as propounder of religion, not the destroyer of wickeds. Not only this, the second fundamental difference between avatāra and Tirthankara is
that, in former the supreme power or God descends on earth to reincarnate himself in different forms in different ages and in this way, He is the one and only person who reincarnates himself from time to time, on the contrary, in Jainism every Tirthankara is a differ-ent person (Soul) and on account of his special personal efforts (sadhanā) made in previous births, attains the supreme position. Though, it is very difficult to say that in this entire hypothesis of twenty-four Tirthankaras and twenty-four Avataras, who has taken
to what extent from whom but it is fact that in the process of development of their concepts both have influenced each other.
The word Tirthankara is being used from time immemorial. It mainly connotes the meaning as one who eastablishes four-fold order (caturvidha sangha). According to the old Buddhist literature, such as, Dighanikaya and Suttanipata (at the time of Buddha and Mahavira) there were flourished several persons who declared themselves as Tirthankaras. Dighanikaya mentions the Jñataputra Mahavira as one of the six Buddha's contemporaneous Tirthankaras. Though, it seems quite amazing because the first Śrutaskandha of Acaranga and Sūtrakṛtänga, elaborately describing the life of Mahavira, do not call him as Tirthankara. It shows that these agamic texts are
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more older than that of Dighanikaya. In the whole Jainagamic literature, the word 'Tirthankara' is used for the first time in Uttaradhyayana and in second part of Acaranga. Words like Arhat, Jina, Buddha are frequently used in excessive form in the old Agamas, the synonyms of Tirthankara. Presently, the word Tirthankara has become a specific term of Jaina tradition.
Chronologically, the concept of Tirthankara came into existence betweenc. 3rd-1st B. C. So far as
the fully developed concept of Tirthankara is concerned, the first complete list of Tirthankaras is found in the appendix of the Samavayanga which was incorporated at the time of Valabhi council, i.e., c. 5th A.D. Among Jaina agamas the first part of Acaranga, considered as the oldest extant Jaina text (c. 5th B. C.), mentions the ascetic life of Mahavira only. Sutrakṛtänga which describes some special features of Mahavira's life only hints about Parsva's
tradition. Rşibhāsita mentions Pārsva and Vardhamāna
(Mahavira) as Arhat Rși. The second part of Acaranga, for the first time describes Mahavira as Tirthankara alongwith some details of his parents, mentioning them as Parsvapatya. Uttaradhyayana clearly mentions some of the life-incidents of Tirthankara's like Aristanemi, Päriva and Mahavira, whereas it indicates only the name of Ṛṣabha, Śanti, Kunthu and Ara. Similarly, the Namipavajja, the 9th chapter of Uttaradhyayana, elaborately describes the facts about Nami but it does not mention Nami as Tirthankara. Even in Kalpasitra, there are some details about the life of Mahavira, Parkva, Aristanemi and Rṣabha out of twenty-four Tirthankaras. Remaining names of second to twenty first Tirthankaras, seem to be incorporated in the list of Tirthankaras, later on in c. 4th-5th A. D. In Digambara tradition earliest description about 24 Tirthankaras is found for the first time in Tiloyapappatti, which is supposed to be composed after c. 5th A. D. So far as iconographical
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