who is considered the first tirthankar in jain religion
Tirthankara In Jain cosmology, the wheel of time is divided in two halves, Utsarpiṇī or ascending time cycle and avasarpiṇī, the descending time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cosmic time cycle, exactly twenty-four tirthankaras grace this part of the universe. There have been an infinite number of tirthankaras in the past time periods. The first tirthankara in this present time cycle was Rishabhanatha, who is credited for formulating and organising humans to live in a society harmoniously. The 24th and last tirthankara of present half-cycle was Mahavira (599–527 BC).[4][5] History records the existence of Mahavira and his predecessor, Parshvanath, the twenty-third tirthankara.[6]
Jainism Jainism (/ˈdʒeɪnɪzəm/[1]), traditionally known as Jain Dharma,[2] is an ancient Indian religion. Followers of Jainism are called "Jains", a word derived from the Sanskrit word jina (victor) and connoting the path of victory in crossing over life's stream of rebirths through an ethical and spiritual life.[3] Jains trace their history through a succession of twenty-four victorious saviors and teachers known as Tirthankaras, with the first being Rishabhanatha, who is believed to have lived millions of years ago, and twenty-fourth being the Mahavira around 500 BCE. Jains believe that Jainism is an eternal dharma with the Tirthankaras guiding every cycle of the Jain cosmology.
History of Jainism History of Jainism concerns a religion founded in Ancient India. Jains trace their history through twenty-four tirthankara and revere Rishabhanatha as the first tirthankara (in the present time-cycle). The last two tirthankara, the 23rd tirthankara Parshvanatha (c. 872 – c. 772 BCE)[2][3] and the 24th tirthankara Mahavira (c. 599 – c. 527 BCE)[4] are considered historical figures,[5][6] though many historians date them both about a century later because the Mahavira is widely accepted as a contemporary of the Buddha, and significantly more historical evidence is available for the Buddha.[7] According to Jain texts, the 22nd Tirthankara Arshth-nemi[8] lived about 85,000 years ago and was the cousin of Hindu god Krishna.[9][10] Jains consider their religion to be eternal.[11]
Vikramashila Vikramashila was founded by