Early Sources of the Jaina Tradition: A Critical Survey Revealing Parsva, the 23rd Tirtha?kara, as a Legendary Figure

Early Sources of the Jaina Tradition reconstructs the history of the early Jaina tradition through a close study of the available textual sources. It focuses on Pārśvanātha, one of the 24 Jinas that are identified by the Jaina tradition as its main religious leaders of the current time cycle.

It is a commonly accepted hypothesis of nineteenth-century scholarship that Pārśvanātha, the 23rd Jina, is a historical figure whose teachings were slightly modified by Mahāvīra, the 24th Jina. The book...