This term was used in Buddhist texts to refer to contemporary religious or philosophical orders, including Brahmanical traditions as well as non-Brahmanical traditions such as the Jains, Jaṭilas, Ājīvikas, and Cārvākas. Initially, the term tīrthika or tīrthya may have referred to non-Brahmanic ascetic orders. In Buddhist usage, the term generally carries a pejorative connotation and serves as a marker of differentiation between “us” and “them.”

This term was used in Buddhist texts to refer to contemporary religious or philosophical orders, including Brahmanical traditions as well as non-Brahmanical traditions such as the Jains, Jaṭilas, Ājīvikas, and Cārvākas. Initially, the term tīrthika or tīrthya may have referred to non-Brahmanic ascetic orders. In Buddhist usage, the term generally carries a pejorative connotation and serves as a marker of differentiation between “us” and “them.”

The term used by early Buddhists to refer to contemporary religious or philosophical orders, including Brahmanical traditions as well as non-Brahmanical traditions such as the Jains, Jaṭilas, Ājīvikas, and Cārvākas. Initially, the term tīrthika or tīrthya may have referred to non-Brahmanic ascetic orders. According to Edgerton and supported by Schopen (2000, n. I.18), the term was generally used in a pejorative sense, as a marker of differentiation.

See also UT22084-001-001-48 and UT22084-001-001-49.

A member of a religion, sect, or philosophical tradition that was a rival of or antagonistic to the Buddhist community in India. The term has its origins among the Jains.

A member of a religion, sect, or philosophical tradition that was a rival of or antagonistic to the Buddhist community in India.

A non-Buddhist religious practitioner who relies on sacred “fords” (tīrtha).

A person belonging to any non-Buddhist tradition in pre-Muslim India, both those Veda-based and not. The term has its origins among the Jains.

Any non-Buddhist tradition in pre-Muslim India, both those Veda-based and not. The term has its origins among the Jains.

A follower of a non-Buddhist religious system or philosophy. It is of interest that in the first sentence of this text, “tīrthikas” are glossed as “those who hold views based on objectification and who engage in concepts and analysis.”

A member of a religion, sect, or philosophical tradition that was a rival of or antagonistic to the Buddhist community in India.

Religious or philosophical orders that were contemporary with the early Buddhist order. Initially, the term tīrthika or tīrthya may have referred to non-brahmanic ascetic orders.”

Religious or philosophical orders that were contemporary with the early Buddhist order, including Jains, Jaṭilas, Ājīvikas, and Cārvākas.

A follower of one of the non-Buddhist religious systems in India, who from a Buddhist perspective promote extreme views on the nature of reality.

Originally used to refer to other renunciant orders that were contemporary with that of the Buddha Śākyamuni, generally used to refer to any proponent of non-Buddhist teachings.

Those of religious or philosophical orders that were contemporary with the early Buddhist order, including Jains, Jaṭilas, Ājīvikas, and Cārvākas. Initially, the term tīrthika or tīrthya may have referred to non-brahmanic ascetic orders. Tīrthika (“forder”) literally translates as “one belonging to or associated with (possessive suffix –ika) stairs for landing or for descent into a river,” or “a bathing place,” or “a place of pilgrimage on the banks of sacred streams” (Monier-Williams). The term may have originally referred to temple priests at river crossings or fords where travelers propitiated a deity before crossing. The Sanskrit term seems to have undergone metonymic transfer in referring to those able to ford the turbulent river of saṃsāra (as in the Jain tīrthaṅkaras, “ford makers”), and it came to be used in Buddhist sources to refer to teachers of rival religious traditions. The Sanskrit term is closely rendered by the Tibetan mu stegs pa: “those on the steps (stegs pa) at the edge (mu).”

Those of religious or philosophical orders that were contemporary with the early Buddhist order, including Jains, Jaṭilas, Ājīvikas, and Cārvākas. Initially, the term tīrthika or tīrthya may have referred to non-brahmanic ascetic orders. Tīrthika (“forder”) literally translates as “one belonging to or associated with (possessive suffix -ika) stairs for landing or for descent into a river,” or “a bathing place,” or “a place of pilgrimage on the banks of sacred streams” (Monier-Williams). The term may have originally referred to temple priests at river crossings or fords where travelers propitiated a deity before crossing. The Sanskrit term seems to have undergone metonymic transfer in referring to those able to ford the turbulent river of saṃsāra (as in the Jain tīrthaṅkaras, “ford makers”), and it came to be used in Buddhist sources to refer to teachers of rival religious traditions. The Sanskrit term is closely rendered by the Tibetan mu stegs pa: “those on the steps (stegs pa) at the edge (mu).”

The non-Buddhist spiritual traditions of ancient India, which according to the Buddhist view are generally said to fall into one of two categories of erroneous views: the view of eternalism or the view of nihilism.

Holders of philosophical views diverging from the Buddhist philosophy of the Middle Way into one of the two “extremes” of nihilism or eternalism. In the Buddha’s day they were typified by the non-Buddhist teachers Pūraṇa Kāśyapa, Parivrājaka Gośālīputra, Saṃjayin Vairaṭīputra, Ajita Keśakambala, Kakuda Kātyāyana, and Nirgrantha Jñātiputra.

A generic term for the followers of the non-Buddhist religious systems that rivaled Buddhism in India, especially during its foundational period.