Tirtha
Encyclopedia
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, a tīrtha ( "ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
, a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
sites as well as to the four sections of the sangha
Sangha (Jainism)
In Jainism, Sangha can mean the assembly of monks, nuns, lay men and women of a region. It can also mean an order of monks and nuns, along with its branches...
. A tirtha provides the inspiration to enable one to cross over from worldly engagement to the side of nirvana
Nirvana
Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
.
Tirtha sites include:
- Siddhakshetras or site of liberation of an arihantArihant (Jainism)Arihant in Jainism is a siddha who has not yet died and thereby lost all aghatiya karma. The Ṇamōkāra mantra begins, Ṇamō arihantāṇaṁ "I praise the arihants"....
(kevalin) or Tirthankaras like Ashtapada Hill, ShikharjiShikharjiShikharji or Śrī Sammed Śikharjī , also known as the Parasnath Hill, located in Giridih district in Jharkhand state, India, is a major Jain pilgrimage destination and is the most sacred place for Jains in the world. According to Jain belief, twenty of the twenty-four Tirthankaras attained Moksha ...
, GirnarGirnarGirnar is a collection of mountains in the Junagadh District of Gujarat, India, situated near Junagadh at a distance of 327 km from Ahmedabad. It is a holy place and an important pilgrimage for both Hindus and Jains. There are a number of temples located here. Amidst the lush green Gir...
, PavaPavathumb|right|325px|A stupa built at the place where Cunda's house used to be, at the site of ancient Pava.Pava was a city in ancient India, at the time of Gautama Buddha. It was a city of the Mallas which the Buddha visited during his last journey, going there from Bhogagama and staying at Cunda's...
, PalitanaPalitanaPalitana is a city in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located 50 km southwest of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre for Jains.-History:...
and Champa, capital of AngaAngaAnga was a kingdom that flourished on the eastern Indian subcontinent in the 6th century BCE until taken over by Magadha in the same century. Counted among the "sixteen great nations" in Buddhist texts like the Anguttara Nikaya, Anga also finds mention in the Jain Vyakhyaprajnapti’s list of... - Atishayakshetras where divine events have occurred like Mahavirji, RishabhdeoRishabhdeoRikhabdeo is a census town in Udaipur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.Rishabhadeoji is situated 65 km from Udaipur and is on Udaipur-Ahmedabad Road. The name of the town is Dhulev , however it is better known as Rishabhadeo. It is a well known pilgrim site...
, KundalpurKundalpurKundalpur is a historical site in India. It is located in central Indian state named Madhya Pradesh, 1.6 km from the ruins of Damoh.Shri Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra KundalgiriPlace & Post – Kundalpur, Dist. – Damoh Management committee :...
etc. - Puranakshetras associated with lives of great men like Ayodhya, VidishaVidishaVidisha is a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, located near the state capital Bhopal. Vidishā is the administrative headquarters of Vidisha District. The city was also known as Bhilsa during the medieval period.-Geography:...
, Hastinapur, and RajgirRajgirRajgir is a city and a notified area in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar. The city of Rajgir was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire. Its date of origin is unknown, although ceramics dating to about 1000 BC have... - Gyanakshetra: associated with famous acharyaAcharyaIn Indian religions and society, an acharya is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men...
s or centers of learning like MohankhedaMohankhedaMohan Kheda is a Svetambara Jain tirtha situated in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh in India. Situated 47 km from Dhar on the Indore-Ahmedabad Highway, it was established by Acharya Rajendrasuri , around 1940 and is today an important Gyana kshetra or Jain center of learning aw well.This...
, ShravanabelagolaShravanabelagolaShravana Belgola is a city located in the Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is 158 km from Bangalore. The statue of Gommateshvara Bahubali at Śravaṇa Beḷgoḷa is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Jainism, one that reached a peak in architectural and sculptural...
and LadnuLadnuLadnun is a city and a municipality in Nagaur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.- Introduction :Ladnun is a city and a municipality in Nagaur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan, it is alsotehsil headquarter and subdivision...
Geographically, the tirthas are divided into six quarters:.
- North India: Hastinapur, TaxilaTaxilaTaxila is a Tehsil in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab province of Pakistan. It is an important archaeological site.Taxila is situated about northwest of Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi in Panjab; just off the Grand Trunk Road...
, and Ashtapada - South India: Shravanabelagola, MoodabidriMoodabidriMoodabidri , is a small town 37 km northeast of the Dakshina Kannada district headquarters, Mangalore, in Karnataka, India....
, HumbajHumbajHumbaj is a small village located in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is famous for being home to an ancient temple of Goddess Padmavati, and to the Humbaj Matha , an important institution of the Jain community...
, and Anantnath Swami TempleAnantnath Swami TempleAnantnath Swami Temple is a Jain temple located at Puliyarmala, 6 km from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district in the state of Kerala in India. It is dedicated to Ananthnath Swami, a Tirthankar of the Jain faith....
near KalpettaKalpettaKalpetta is a city and a municipality in Wayanad district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is a small town surrounded by dense coffee plantations and mountains, is the headquarters of Wayanad district... - Eastern India: ShikharjiShikharjiShikharji or Śrī Sammed Śikharjī , also known as the Parasnath Hill, located in Giridih district in Jharkhand state, India, is a major Jain pilgrimage destination and is the most sacred place for Jains in the world. According to Jain belief, twenty of the twenty-four Tirthankaras attained Moksha ...
, PawapuriPawapuriPawapuri or Pava is a holy site for Jains located in the Nalanda district in the Bihar state of Eastern India. It is located about 38 kilometers from Rajgir and 101 kilometers from Patna, the capital of Bihar.-History:...
, Champa, and Pundravardhan - Western India: Palitana, Girnar, Abu, and Mahavirji
- Central India: Vidisha, KundalpurKundalpurKundalpur is a historical site in India. It is located in central Indian state named Madhya Pradesh, 1.6 km from the ruins of Damoh.Shri Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra KundalgiriPlace & Post – Kundalpur, Dist. – Damoh Management committee :...
, and Sonagir - Overseas: SiddhachalamSiddhachalamSiddhachalam is the first Jain Tirth located outside of India. Founded in 1983 by Acharya Sushil Kumarji, it is located on a 108 acre site in rural New Jersey, United States....
, Nava-ashtapada and SiddhayatanSiddhayatanSiddhayatan is the first Hindu-Jain Tirth in North America. Founded in 2008 by Acharya Shree Yogeesh, it is located on a site near Dallas, Texas, United States....
External links
- jainuniversity.org, Jain Tirtha all over India
- http://www.jainteerth.com
- http://tirth.jinvani.com
- http://www.jainpilgrimages.com
- http://www.jaintirths.com
- http://www.siddhayatan.org First Hindu-Jain Tirth in North America
- http://www.jainheritagecentres.com
- Shri Nageshwar Parshwanath
- Jain Tirth Darshan on jainreligion.in