A RUN THROUGH KATHIAWAR, 301 



place of these we have the twenty-fcmr Tirthankaras, 

 or holy, though once mortal, beings, who have attained 

 deliverance, perfect knowledge, and supreme felicity. 

 This may be said to be the speciality of the Jain 

 religion, both theoretically and practically. The 

 Tirthankara is everything in the minds of Jains, as 

 proved by statues, by their sacred books, by their 

 actual worship, and by the splendid temples erected 

 to these almost deified saints. The Tirthankara is the 

 most tangible thing you can get hold of in Jainisin. 

 Whatever else may be wanting he is there and 

 twenty-four of them appearing in grand sitting 

 marble statues, and having wonderful temples to do 

 him honour. 



Tirthankara means " One who has crossed over," 

 that is to say, from the diabolism of this ever-changing 

 existence to the absolute existence which lies beyond. 

 A Jina is "a victorious one," or "Conqueror"; and 

 Jaina, the proper name for the Jain sect, is the 

 adjective form of Jina. Thus Jaina means " of " 

 or " belonging to " " the Conquerors," or " eman- 

 cipated ones." This title Jina was not an uncom- 

 mon appellation of Shakya Muni, and of all the 

 Biidhas not Biidhists. A Tirthankara is the Biid- 

 hist Jina, or Victor, that is to say, a once mortal 

 but now holy being, who, by obtaining victory over 

 all human passions and infirmities, has emancipated 

 himself and entered into perfect knowledge into 

 absolute existence, where neither sickness, nor storm, 



