Jainism in Tamilnadu

Sep 25th, 2011 by

Acharyas played a pivotal role in the spread and growth of Jainism and hence the
tribute to them in Jains’ daily prayers – the Navkar mantra(பஞ்ச மந்திரம்)
as in the title of the post.

Originally all the teachings and the knowledge gleaned from
the Thirthankars (including the latest and the 24th – Baghavan Mahavir) were passed
down orally from one genration to another through the acharyas (the disciples of
the Thirthankars) over a period of more than thousand years.

Around 500 BC, after Lord Mahavir’s nirvana, Jain acharyas
realized that it was very inefficient, to rely on the entire Jain literature to
be memorized. In several years, significant knowledge was already lost and the
rest was polluted with modifications and errors.

Thus, they decided to document the Jain literature as known
to them. In this time period two major sects, namely Digambar and Swetambar,
were already in existence. These set of documented religious works form the
basis for our understanding of Jainism today. In this post
we list the first 25 Acharyas and their religious works.

S.No	Period	Name of Acharya		Religious Texts
1	323 BC	Kalyana Muni	கல்யாண் முனி
2	200 BC	Achrya Kunadarar · digambarjainonline · About ponnur hills	ஆசார்யர் குணதரர்	Kazhaya pakudam Pejje deje pakudam
3	100 AD	Acharya Kund Kunda	ஆசார்யர் குந்த குந்தர்	Pravachansar Samaysar Niyamsar Panchastikaya Rayansar Parasanuvekka Asta Pahud
4	200 AD	Yathi Virashabhar	ஆசார்யர் யதி விருஷபர்	Choorani Suthiram Kasay Pahudam Thiloya Pannathy
5	200 AD	Acharya Ucharana	ஆசாரியர் உச்சாரணா	Surani Suthiram
6	500 / 600 AD	Acharya Vappa Deva	ஆசாரியர் வப்ப தேவர்	Shatkanda Agamam Kashaya Pakudam Urai
7	600 AD	Aharaya Vattakar	ஆசார்ய வட்டகேர்	Moolacharathira Trivarnachar
8	100 AD	Acharya Sivaryaryar	அசாரியார் சிவார்யர்	Bhakavathi Arathanai
9	200 AD	Acharya Krithapitcha (Uma Swami / Uma Swathi)	ஆசாரியர் க்ருதபிட்சா	Thathuvartha Soothiram · http://jainworld.com/phil/tattmain1.htm · audio
10	300 AD	Swami Kumarar	ஸ்வாமி குமாரர்	Karthikeyanupprashai
11	120 AD	Swami Samnthabathirar	ஸ்வாமி சமந்தபத்திரர்	Jinasuthisadakam Birugath Suyambhu Sosthiram Devakam Sosthiram Yukthiyanu Sasanam Ratna-Karanda-Shravak-Achar Aptamimamsa
12	600 AD	Achariyar Siddhasenar	ஆச்சாரியர் ஸித்தசேனர்	Kalyanamanthiram Sanmathi Suthiram
13	600 AD	Acharya Pujyapada	ஆசாரியர் பூஜ்யபாதர்	Dasabakthi Janmabhisekam Samathi Thanthiram Ishtopathesam Jainendra Illakanam Sidhipriya Thothiram Thathavarviruthi (Sarvarartha Siddhi)
14	600 AD	Acharya Bhatthra Kesari	ஆசாரியர் பாத்ரகேசரி	Thirilakshna katharthan
15	600 AD	Acharya Joyinthu	ஆசாரியர் ஜோயிந்து	Paramathma Prakasam Yokasaram
16	400 AD	Acharya Vimalasuri	ஆசாரியர் விமலசூரி	Paumasariyam
17	700 AD	Acharya Manathunga	ஆசாரியர் மானதுங்க	Bakthama Stothiram
18	700 AD	Acharya Ravisena	ஆசாரியார் இரவிசேனா	Padmapuranam · More Sanskrit works
19	700 AD	Acharya Jada Simhananthi	ஆசாரியார் ஜடாசிம்மநந்தி	Varanga Sarithram
20	700 AD	Acharya Akalankar	ஆசாரியார் அகளஙகர்	Thrukkam And Devakuru Ilakkiya Sthrreyam Niyaya Sithi Swirthi Thathvartha Varthikam1, 2
21	900 AD	Achrya Veerasena	ஆசாரியார் வீரசேன	Kashaya Pakudam Urai Shatkanda Agam 72000 Seyul Urai Surya-Prajnapti Chandra-Prajnapti Jaya-Dhaval-Tika
22	783 AD	Jinasenar I	ஆசாரியார் முதலாம் ஜினசேனர்	Harivamsa Puranam
23	900 AD	Jinasenar II	ஆசாரியார் இரண்டாம் ஜினசேனர்	Parsuwapudayam Adi-Puranam
24	800 / 900 AD	Achrya Vathba Simman (Odaya Devar)	ஆசாரியார் வாதீபசிம்மன்	Syathvatha Siddhi Katthiya Chinthamani Sathara Soodamani
25	900 AD	Acharya Gundabathra (Thiru narun Kundrathnar)	ஆசாரியார் குணபத்திரர் (திருநறுங்குன்றத்தனார்)	Utthira Puranam Athi Puranam Jinaththa Sarithram Athmanu Sasanam Uttar-Puran

We would like to thank the following websites to which we
have linked above in abundance (and have the original /translated text of these
religious works).

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Namo Ayariyanam – I Bow Down To The Acharyas

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