In Jainism, every Tirthankar‑Prabhu has many earlier incarnations (पूर्व जन्म) before his last birth as a Tirthankar.

Two important points:

1. Countless total births, but “earlier incarnations” are counted specially

- A soul wanders in saṃsār from beginningless time. - But Jain granths usually count from the birth in which the soul first attains samyak‑darshan (right faith) up to the final birth as Tirthankar. - For example, for Bhagwan Mahavir many texts speak of 27 births in this counted series.

1. Pattern is similar for all 24 Tirthankars

- They take births in heavenly, human, sometimes animal states. - Their last few births are usually: - A deva (heavenly being), - Then a great king / vasudev / powerful human, - Then again a deva, - And finally the last human birth as Tirthankar. - Exact names, places, and sequence are given in detailed Jain texts like Trishashti Shalaka Purush Charitra, Mahapurān, Uttarapurān, Mahavira‑charitra, etc. These can differ a little between Digambar and Shvetambar traditions (names of cities, some details of specific births, etc.), but the basic idea is same: steady spiritual progress over many lives.

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Examples (short and simple)

• 1st Tirthankar – Adinath (Rishabhdev)

Granths describe earlier births where this soul gradually purified itself and finally took birth as King Rishabh (Aadinath), who then accepted vairāgya and became the first Tirthankar of this avasarpinī. A simple story form is given here

• 18th Tirthankar – Arahnath (Ārahnāth / Aranāth)

In one earlier life he was King Dhanpati of Sushima city in Mahāvideh‑kṣetra, where he practiced great dharm, dān and restraints. Due to such merit and inner purity, he later took his final birth as Tirthankar Arahnath. A short narrative is here

Similar detailed “previous‑birth chains” exist for every Prabhu (all 24), but they are long and technical, and slightly different in Digambar / Shvetambar lists, so they are usually studied directly from the granths, not memorized fully.

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Summary in very simple words

• Every Tirthankar‑Prabhu has many earlier lives.
• These lives show step‑by‑step progress in ahimsā, dān, tapas, and detachment.
• Scriptures count a special series of earlier incarnations from first right‑faith up to the final Tirthankar birth.
• Exact lists for each Prabhu are preserved in Jain scriptures; they are not normally shortened into one small table without losing accuracy.

For a serious or exam‑level study, the right way is to refer to an authentic Jain granth (or a teacher) that gives the full previous‑birth list of each of the 24 Tirthankars, according to your tradition (Digambar or Shvetambar).