Tirthika

Tīrthika (Sanskrit: tīrthika, Pali: titthiya, "ford-maker," meaning one who is attempting to cross the stream of saṃsāra^[1]) in Buddhism is a term referring to non-Buddhist heretics.^[2][3][4]

In the Tipitaka, the term titthiya may refer specifically to adherents of Jainism. Whereas a Buddhist takes refuge in the Three Jewels and treads the Middle Way between extremes, a titthiya does not. According to the Asoka Avadhana, the titthiyas that were jealous of Asoka's preaching of Buddhism gathered together and said to each other, "Should this king Asoka continue a worshipper of Buddha, all other persons encouraged by him would likewise become followers of Buddha." They then went to people's houses and declared that their religion is the true religion and that Buddhism gives no moksha.^[5]

Tīrthika is associated with the Jain term tirthankara "ford-maker".^[6]

In the Pali Canon

In the Pali Canon, the term titthiya can be found in various forms:

• aññatitthiyā ("followers of other religions"),
• titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi ("monastics of other religions and their disciples"),
• nānātitthiyā ("who follow various other religions").

The usages are on these following sutta:

• Dīgha Nikāya (DN):
  • Mahāsīhanāda Sutta (DN 8)
  • Poṭṭhapāda Sutta (DN 9)
  • Mahāparinibbāna Sutta (DN 16)
  • Pāthika Sutta (DN 24)
  • Udumbarika Sutta (DN 25)
  • Sampasādanīya Sutta (DN 28)
  • Pāsādika Sutta (DN 29)
• Majjhima Nikāya (MN):
  • Cūḷasīhanāda Sutta (MN 11)
  • Mahādukkhakkhandha Sutta (MN 13)
  • Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta (MN 52)
  • Upāli Sutta (MN 56)
  • Kukkuravatika Sutta (MN 57)
  • Bahuvedanīya Sutta (MN 59)
  • Mahāmālukya Sutta (MN 64)
  • Bhaddāli Sutta (MN 65)
  • Mahāvaccha Sutta (MN 73)
  • Māgaṇḍiya Sutta (MN 75)
  • Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta (MN 77)
  • Mahāsuññata Sutta (MN 122)
  • Mahākammavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 136)
  • Nagaravindeyya Sutta (MN 150)
• Saṁyutta Nikāya (SN):
  • Nānātitthiyasāvaka Sutta (SN 2.30)
  • Acelakassapa Sutta (SN 12.17)
  • Aññatitthiya Sutta (SN 12.24)
• Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN):
  • Samacitta Vagga (AN 2.32-41)
  • Devaloka Sutta (AN 3.18)
  • Aññatitthiya Sutta (AN 3.68)
  • Paviveka Sutta (AN 3.93)
  • Hatthaka Sutta (AN 3.127)
  • Brāhamaṇsacca Sutta (AN 4.185)
  • Bhaddiya Sutta (AN 4.193)
  • Hatthisāriputta Sutta (AN 6.60)
  • Paṭhamaniddasa Sutta (AN 7.42)
  • Dutiyaniddasa Sutta (AN 7.43)
  • Sīha Sutta (AN 8.12)
  • Anuruddhamahāvitakka Sutta (AN 8.30)
  • Mūlaka Suta (AN 8.83)
  • Sambodhi Sutta (AN 9.1)
  • Saupādisesa Sutta (AN 9.12)
  • Nāga Sutta (AN 9.40)
  • Paṭhamamahāpañhā Sutta (AN 10.27)
  • Mūlaka Sutta (AN 10.58)
  • Paṭhamakathāvatthu Sutta (AN 10.69)
  • Kiṁdiṭṭhika Sutta (AN 10.93)
  • Vajjiyamāhita Sutta (AN 10.94)
  • Aṭṭhakanāgara Sutta (AN 11.16)
  • Ajita Sutta (AN 10.116)
• Khuddaka Nikāya (KN):
  • Dhammapada (Dhp):
    • Dhammaṭṭha Vagga (Dhp 256-272): name of a section called "Titthiyavatthu"
    • Niraya Vagga (Dhp 306-319): name of a section called "Titthiyasāvakavatthu"
  • Udāna (Ud):
    • Paṭhamanānātitthiya Sutta (Ud 6.4)
    • Dutiyanānātitthiya Sutta (Ud 6.5)
    • Tatiyanānātitthiya Sutta (Ud 6.6)

See also

• Samaññaphala Sutta
• Six Heretical Teachers
• Mleccha

Notes

1. Keown, Damien. Oxford Dictionary of Buddhism (2004), p. 307
2. Brancaccio, Pia (1991). "The Buddha and the Naked Ascetics in Gandharan Art A New Interpretation". East and West. 41 (1/4): 123. ISSN 0012-8376. JSTOR 29756972.
3. Jaini, Padmanabh S. (2000). Collected Papers on Jaina Studies. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-1691-6.
4. Dhammajoti, KL (2007). Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma. Hong Kong: Centre of Buddhist Studies at the University of Hong Kong. p. 259. ISBN 978-988-99296-1-9.
5. P. 245 Buddha by Manmatha Nath Dutt
6. Parpola, Asko, 2003. Sacred bathing place and transcendence: Dravidian kaTa(vuL) as the source of Indo-Aryan ghâT, tîrtha, tîrthankara and (tri)vikrama. Pp. 523-574 in: Olle Qvarnström (ed.), Jainism and early Buddhism: Essays in honor of Padmanabh S. Jaini, I-II. Fremont, California: Asian Humanities Press.