Tirtha (Jainism)

This article is about the Jainism term. For other uses, see Tirtha (disambiguation).

Vimal Vasahi Adishwar Temple, one of the Dilwara Temples, Mount Abu.

Chaumukha Temple, Ranakpur

In Jainism, a tīrtha (Sanskrit: तीर्थ "ford, a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage sites as well as to the four sections of the sangha. A tirtha provides the inspiration to enable one to cross over from worldly engagement to the side of moksha.

Jain tirthas are located throughout India. Often a tirtha has a number of temples as well as residences (dharmashala) for the pilgrims and wandering monks and scholars.

Types

Tirtha sites include:

• Siddhakshetras or site of moksha liberation of an arihant (kevalin) or Tirthankaras like Ashtapada Hill, Shikharji, Girnar, Pawapuri, Palitana, Mangi-Tungi and Champapuri (capital of Anga)
• Atishayakshetras where divine events have occurred like Mahavirji, Rishabhdeo, Kundalpur, Aharji etc.
• Puranakshetras associated with lives of great men like Ayodhya, Vidisha, Hastinapur, and Rajgir
• Gyanakshetra: associated with famous acharyas or centers of learning like Mohankheda, Shravanabelagola and Ladnu

Locations

Geographically, the tirthas are divided into six quarters:

• North India: Hastinapur, Taxila, and Ashtapada
• South India: Kulpakji, Shravanabelagola, Sankighatta, Moodabidri, Humbaj, Anantnath Swami Temple, Gummileru
• Eastern India: Shikharji, Pawapuri, Champapuri, Pundravardhana
• Western India: Palitana, Girnar, Mount Abu, Mahavirji, Shankheshwar, Mahudi
• Central India: Vidisha, Kundalpur, Sonagiri, Muktagiri
• Overseas: Siddhachalam, Nava Ashtapada, Siddhayatan, Jain Center of Southern California

Pilgrimage sites are owned either by the Digambara sect or the Śvetāmbara sect. Some of the major Śvetāmbara pilgrimage sites include: -

• Palitana temples
• Shankheshwar Jain Temple
• Girnar Jain temples
• Sammed Shikharji Jain Tirth (shared with Digambar)
• Lachhuar Jain temple
• Dilwara Temples
• Nakoda Jain Temple
• Ranakpur Jain temple
• Kesariya Jain Tirth (shared with Digambar)
• Kulpak Jain Temple
• Mohankheda
• Mahudi Jain Temple

See also

• Jain temple
• Tirtha (Hinduism)
• Vividha Tirtha Kalpa

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