In Jainism, there are 24 Tirthankaras (spiritual teachers) in this cosmic half-cycle (called aavasarpini). They appear one after another to revive and restore dharma (righteous conduct) when it declines.

Key points:

• There have been many beings who have achieved perfect spiritual knowledge, but only 24 are recognized as Tirthankaras who establish the Jain path for all beings in this cycle.
• The sequence of 24 Tirthankaras is the standard tradition shared by both Digambara and Śvetāmbara.
• The 24th Tirthankara is Mahavira (Vardhamana Mahavira), who is considered the last Tirthankara of this cycle. After him, the dharma gradually declines again until another Tirthankara appears in a future cycle.
• Different Jain traditions may have slight variations in listing or dating, but the core concept of 24 Tirthankaras remains the same.

If you’d like, I can share the exact list of the 24 Tirthankaras and their approximate ages, or explain how the cycle of time (yugas) structures their appearance.