Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c75.s2.25

v2.c75.s2.25

Tīrthankara is also called a Jina (from which word the name of the religion is Jaina) meaning conqueror of the enemies such as lust, anger *etc.* And according to the Jain tenets these ‘Jinas’ are four-fold: (i) *Nāma Jinas*, (ii) *Sthāpana Jinas*; (iii) *Dravya Jinas* *i.e.* Śreṇikas and (iv) *Bhāva Jinas* (who have attained samavasaraṇa). Thus the Tīrthankaras or the Jinas are really a very sublime and noble iconological evolution not only in art but also in the religious history of India. The number 24 associated with these prophets of Jainism is simply fascinating. It brings home to us the imagination of those reformers who wanted to found rather supplant a new religion on some of the basic and universal teachings of Hinduism—rigorous asceticism of the Āraṇyakas, the Upaniṣadic Monism and the Epic and Paurāṇic Bhāgavatism in imitation to Vaiṣṇavism. If there are Ten Incarnations or Avatāras of Viṣṇu, let there be 24 incarnations or Tīrthankaras of Jina, who are all Jinas. Hence from the historical documents, it is difficult to support as Jain scholars maintain, the authenticity of all these 24 Jinas as enumerated ahead and consequently a great antiquity exceeding all anterior limits of the Vedic age. Thus, ‘whether real or fictitious, one fact is certain that these Tīrthankaras represent truely Jain elements and their origin is not due to any extranuous influences. In this connection, it is to be noted that while Buddhism formally admitting a number of Buddhas makes singularly prominent the Buddha or Gautama Buddha, the Jains on the contrary render many of their Tīrthanakaras appear in the forefront. A modern temple of the Jainas would show a gallery of images of many of their Tīrthankaras to whom equal respect is offered in their daily worship’—J. I. p. 37.