Tirthankara

Tirthankara, from the Sanskrit for "ford-maker," is a title in Jainism given to a person who has conquered the cycle of birth and death, attained kevala jnana (omniscience), and established the path for others to achieve liberation. A Tirthankara is considered a perfect spiritual teacher and a model of conduct whose teachings form the core of Jain ethics and practice. They are revered as exemplars, not as gods, and their aim is to help beings cross the sea of samsara.

In Jain cosmology, time is cyclical. During each half-cycle, twenty-four Tirthankaras appear in succession, reviving and teaching the Jain doctrine and guiding monastic and lay communities. Their teachings are transmitted through Jain scriptures and oral traditions, though the two major Jain sects, Digambara and Svetambara, differ in canonical collections and interpretation. The most recent and widely known Tirthankara in the current half-cycle is Mahavira (Vardhamana), the 24th, who is central to contemporary Jain practice in both traditions.

The Tirthankaras promote a path of spiritual discipline and ethical conduct. Central renunciations include non-violence (ahimsa), truth (satya), non-stealing (asteya), celibacy or restraint (brahmacharya), and non-possessiveness (aparigraha). They also advocate disciplined ascetic practice for monastics and ethical guidelines for lay followers. Temples, sculptures, and iconography across Jain communities honor the Tirthankaras, each associated with a specific emblem or symbol and often depicted in meditation or teaching postures.