Scientific Secrets of Jainism

Author(s): Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

Page 247

19. Why Does Omniscient Tirthankara
Moves About On A Golden Lotus?
Indian culture has two traditions : 1. The śramaņa tradition and 2. The Brahmin tradition. The Brahmin tradition is believed to be more than 5000 years old and its scriptures include the Vedas and the Smrutis. The śramaņa tradition is of two types : 1. The Jain Śramaņa tradition of Bhagavān Mahāvira and 2. The Buddhist tradition of Gautama Buddha. Though both these traditions are contemporaneous, they are absolutely independent of each other. Since they are contemporaneous, there have always between them discussions and disputes over scriptural interpretations. Still however, both these traditions are chiefly non-violent. The premier founder of the Buddhist tradition was Gautama Buddha himself. Bhagavān Mahāvira, the twenty fourth Tirthankara in the Jain tradition, which he promulgated. It means that twenty three other Tirthankaras, his equals preceded him. Modern historians recognize Bhagavān Pārsvanātha and Arhat Aristanēmi (Nēminātha), the cousin of Sri Krsna, as great men of pre-historical times. Moreover in the Agvēda, which is regarded as the most ancient scripture of the Brahmin tradition, there is a reference to Bhagavān Aşabhadēva, the first Tirthankara of the Avasarpiņikāla (the descending half of the time cycle) of the Jain tradition. This proves that Bhagavān Aşabhadēva and Jainism are more ancient than the Vēdas. We are here talking of only the present group of the twenty four Tirthankaras. In the past there were infinite such groups of twenty four Tirthankaras and there will be infinite such groups of twenty four Tirtharkaras in future. Soon after attaining omniscience, all the Tirthankaras move about by putting their feet on golden lotus flower.' This is a special characteristic of every Tirtharkara.
What is the reason, why instead of putting his feet on earth, the omniscient Tirthankara puts his feet on golden lotus flowers? There are some who say that śri Simandharsvāmi and other Tirtharkaras are renouncers of Samsāra, i.e. world, of wealth and wife and they are non-acquisitive. Why