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Pārśva or Pārśvanātha (c. 877–777 BCE) was the twenty-third Tirthankara of Jainism.[1] He is the earliest Jain leader for whom there is reasonable evidence of having been a historical figure.[2][3][4]
In Jainism, a Tīrthaṅkara is a human being who helps in achieving liberation and enlightenment as an arihant. According to Jain scriptures,[1] that which helps one to cross the great ocean of worldly life is a tīrtha “ford” and a person who fills that role is atīrthaṅkara “ford-maker”. Tīrthaṅkaras achieve liberation and enlightenment by destroying their constraining (karmas) and becoming role models and leaders for those seeking spiritual guidance.[2][3] They also seek Kevala Jnana, a state of permanent, perpetual, absolute knowledge of the Soul; it is the precursor to final liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
The twenty-four known tīrthaṅkaras in this time cycle revitalized the Jain religion by establishing the fourfold sangha order which consists of male and female monastics (sadhus and sadhvis) and male and female lay persons (Śrāvakas and Śrāvikas).[4]
Overview[edit]
The tīrthaṅkaras' teachings form the basis for the Jain canons. The inner knowledge of tīrthaṅkara is believed to be perfect and identical in every respect and their teachings do not contradict one another. However, the degree of elaboration varies according to the spiritual advancement and purity of the society during their period of leadership. The higher the spiritual advancement and purity of mind of the society, the lower the elaboration required.
While tīrthaṅkaras are documented and revered by Jains, their grace is said to be available to living beings, regardless of religious orientation.[5]
Tīrthaṅkaras dwell exclusively within the realm of their Soul, and are entirely free ofkashayas, inner passions, and personal desires. As a result of this, unlimited siddhis, or spiritual powers, are readily available to them – which they use exclusively for the spiritual elevation of living beings. Through darśana, divine vision, and deshna, divine speech, they grant their own state of kevalajñana, and moksha, final liberation to anyone seeking it sincerely.
At the end of his human life-span, a tīrthaṅkara achieves siddha status, ending the cycle of infinite births and deaths.
Jainism postulates that time has no beginning or end. It moves like the wheel of a cart. Jains believe that exactly twenty-four tīrthaṅkaras are born in each half-cycle of time in this part of the universe. The first tīrthaṅkara was Rishabha, who is credited for formulating and organising humans to live in a society harmoniously. The 24th and last tīrthaṅkara was Mahavira (599-527 BC).
Particular tīrthaṅkaras[edit]
Tīrthaṅkara images are usually seated with their legs crossed in front, the toes of one foot resting close upon the knee of the other, and the right hand lying over the left in the lap.[6]
In Jain tradition the tīrthaṅkaras were royal in their final lives, and Jain traditions record details of their previous lives, usually as royalty. Their clan and families are also among those recorded in very early, or legendary, Hindu history. All but two of the Jains are ascribed to the Ikshvaku dynasty. Munisuvrata, the twentieth, and Neminatha, the twenty-second, were of the Harivamsa. Jain canons state that Rishabha, the first tīrthaṅkara, founded the Ikshvaku dynasty.
Twenty tīrthaṅkaras achieved “siddha” status on Shikharji. Rishabha attained nirvana on Mount Kailash, Vasupujya at Champapuri inNorth Bengal, Neminath on Girnar in Gujarat, and Mahavir, the last tīrthaṅkara, at Pawapuri, near modern Patna.
Twenty-one of the tīrthaṅkaras are said to have attained moksha in the kayotsarga “standing meditation” posture, while Rishabha, Neminatha and Mahavira are said to have attained moksha in the lotus position.
Life[edit]
Pārśva was the son of King Aśvasena and Queen Vāmā of Varanasi. He belonged to the Ikśvaku dynasty.[5] He lived as formal prince of Varanasi and at the age of thirty, he renounced the world to become a monk.[6] He meditated for eighty-four days before attaining Kevala Jnana.[7] He achieved mokṣa at the age of one hundred atop Shikharji, which is known today as "the Parasnath Hills" after him. Pārśva was called purisādāṇīya "beloved of men", a name which shows that he must have been a genial personality.[8] He remains beloved among Jains.[9]
When he was a prince he saved a serpent that had been trapped in a log in an ascetic’s fire. The snake, later reborn as Dharana, the lord of the underworld kingdom of the nāgas, sheltered Pārśva from a storm sent by a demon.[10]
According to the Kalpasutra, Pārśva had 164,000 male and 327,000 female lay followers and 16,000 men and 38,000 female monks. He had eight chief disciples known as ganadharas. They were Śubhadatta, Āryaghoṣa, Vasiṣṭha, Brahmacāri, Soma, Śrīdhara, Vīrabhadra and Yaśas. After his death, the gandhara Śubhadatta became the head of the monastic order. He was then succeeded by Haridatta, Āryasamudra and Keśī.[11]
Keśī is believed to have been born about 166 to 250 years after the death of Pārśva. He met the ganadhara of Mahavira,Indrabhuti Gautama. Their discussion about the apparent differences between the teachings of the two tirthankaras is recorded in Jain texts.
Pārśva is the most popular object of Jain devotion. He is closely associated with compassion, although he is free from the world of rebirth like all tirthankaras and therefore unable to aid his devotees personally.[12]
Jainism /ˈdʒeɪnɪz(ə)m/, traditionally known as Jaina Shasana or Jaina dharma (Sanskrit: जैन धर्म),[1] is a nontheistic Indian religion that prescribes a path of ahimsa - nonviolence - towards all living beings, and emphasizes spiritual independence and equality between all forms of life. Practitioners believe that nonviolence and self-control are the means by which they can obtain liberation. Currently Jainism is divided into two major sects, Śhvētāmbar and Digambar.
The word Jainism is derived from the Sanskrit verb root jin ("to conquer"). It refers to a battle with the passions and bodily pleasures that the Jain ascetics undertake. Those who win this battle are termed as Jina (conqueror). The term Jaina is therefore used to refer to laymen and ascetics of this tradition alike.
Jainism is one of the oldest religions in the world.[2] Jains traditionally trace their history through a succession of twenty-four propagators of their faith known as tirthankaras with Rishabha as the first and Mahāvīra as the last of the current era.
For long periods of time, Jainism was the state religion of Indian kingdoms and widely adopted in the Indian subcontinent. The religion has been in decline since the 8th century AD due to the growth of, and oppression by the followers of Hinduism[3] and Islam.[4]
Jainism is a religious minority in India, with 4.2 million adherents, and there are small but notable immigrant communities inBelgium, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the United States.[5] Jains have the highest degree of literacy of any religious community in India (94.1 percent),[6] and their manuscript libraries are the oldest in the country.[7] The population of Jain community across the world is around 6.1 million.[8]