Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 3

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 114

JAINA TRADITION OF TIRTHANKARS
105 (vide Epigraphia Indica, I, 389 and II, 208-210). Further, we find Neminatha's images of the Indo-Scythian period bearing inscriptions mentioning his name. These and many other inscriptions corroborate the historicity of 22nd Tirthankara Nemi-natha.
Among the remaining 21 Tirthankaras of the Jaina tradition, there are several references from different sources to the first Tirthankara Rishabhanath or Adipath. Thus the tradition of twenty-four Tirthankaras is firmly established among the Jainas and what is really remarkable about this Jaina tradition is the confirmation of it from non-Jaina sources, especially Buddhist and Hindu sources.
Jaina Tradition and Buddhism
As Mahavira was the senior contemporary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, it is natural that in the Buddhist literature there are several references, of a personal nature to Mahavira. But it is very significant to note that in Buddhist books Mahavira is always described as Nigantha Nataputta (Nirgrantha Jnatriputra, i. e. the naked ascetic of the Jnatr clan) and never as the founder of Jainism. Further in the Buddhist literature Jainism is not shown as a new religion but is referred to as an ancient religion. There are ample references in Buddhist books to Jaina naked ascetics, to worship of Arhats in Jaina Chaityas or temples and to the Chaturyama Dharma (i. e. fourfold religion) of 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanatha.
Moreover it is very pertinent to find that the Buddhist literature refers to the Jaina tradition of Tirthankaras and specifically mentions the names of Jaina Tirthankaras like Rishabhadeva, Padmaprabha, Chandraprabba, Pushpadanta, Vimala-natha, Dharma-natha and Nemi-natha. The 'Dharmottarapradipa', the well-known Buddhist book, mentions Risbabhadeva along with the name of Mahavira or Vardhamana as an Apta or Tirthankara. The Dhammikasutta' of the Angutara Nikaya' speaks of Arishtanemi or Nemi-natha as one of the six Tirthankaras. The Buddhist book 'Manoratha-Purani', mentions the names of many lay men and women as followers of Parshvanatha tradition and among them is the name of Vappa, the uncle of Gautama Buddha. In fact it is mentioned that Gautama Buddha himself practised penance according to the Jaina system before he propounded his new religion.
Further, it is significant to note that the names and numbers of Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas in Buddhism appear to have been influenced by those of the Jaina Tirthankaras. For instance, Ajita, the name of the 2nd Jaina Tirthankara, has been given to one Paccekabuddha. Padma, the 6th Jaina Tirthankara, is the name of the 8th of the 24