Answer

In Jain Dharma, we know about the next 24 Tirthankars through Jain scriptures and traditional teachings passed down by the Jina-shasan.

Jain tradition explains that time moves in continuous cycles of Utsarpini and Avasarpini. In each half-cycle, 24 Tirthankars appear. The 24 Tirthankars of our present Avasarpini are already completed, ending with Bhagwan Mahavir Swami. The next 24 Tirthankars will appear in the coming Utsarpini time cycle.

Explanation

The names of the future 24 Tirthankars are not guessed or predicted by ordinary people. They are accepted because they are described in Jain Agams, Purans, and traditional Jain accounts.

According to Jain tradition, some souls who will become future Tirthankars are already known because they have bound Tirthankar-nam-karma. This is a special karma that causes a soul to become a Tirthankar in a future birth.

For example, Jain tradition commonly teaches that:

• Shrenik Raja, who lived during Bhagwan Mahavir’s time, will become the first Tirthankar of the next cycle.
• Sulasa, known for deep devotion and faith, will become one of the future Tirthankars.
• Other spiritually advanced souls are also named in traditional Jain texts as future Tirthankars.

So the knowledge comes from:

• Kevaljnan of the Tirthankars, who directly know past, present, and future.
• Scriptural tradition, preserved through Jain teachings.
• Karmic doctrine, especially the binding of Tirthankar-nam-karma.

Spiritual Understanding

This teaching shows that becoming a Tirthankar is not random. It is the result of extraordinary purity, compassion, right faith, spiritual effort, and the special bondage of Tirthankar-nam-karma.

It also reminds us that Jain Dharma sees time as vast and cyclical. Tirthankars continue to appear again and again to re-establish the path of liberation for souls trapped in samsar.

Takeaway

We know about the future 24 Tirthankars because Jain tradition preserves this knowledge from the omniscience of the Jinas and the scriptures. Their future appearance reflects the Jain view that Dharma is eternal, and enlightened beings arise in every proper time cycle to guide souls toward moksha.