Answer

In Jain Dharma, the previous Chovishi means the set of 24 Tirthankars of the past time-cycle.

Jain tradition accepts that time is beginningless and moves through endless cycles. In every half-cycle of time, 24 Tirthankars appear. Therefore, before the present Chovishi of 24 Tirthankars, there was also a previous Chovishi.

Explanation

The “proof” of the previous Chovishi in Jain tradition comes from the accepted Jain understanding of:

• Beginningless time — Jain Dharma teaches that time has no absolute beginning.
• Cyclic time — the universe passes through repeated ascending and descending time cycles.
• Repeated appearance of Tirthankars — in each appropriate half-cycle, 24 Tirthankars appear to re-establish the Jain Sangh and guide souls toward liberation.
• Scriptural tradition — Jain scriptures and traditional Jain cosmology describe past, present, and future Chovishis.

The present Chovishi includes Bhagwan Rishabhdev as the 1st Tirthankar and Bhagwan Mahavir as the 24th Tirthankar. Jain tradition also preserves names of previous and future Tirthankars in certain traditional texts and narratives.

Spiritual Understanding

The concept of previous Chovishi teaches that Dharma is not a one-time event. The path of liberation is eternal. Tirthankars appear again and again in different time cycles to show the same pure path of:

• Samyak Darshan
• Samyak Gyan
• Samyak Charitra
• Ahimsa
• Aparigraha
• Self-purification

Takeaway

The previous Chovishi is accepted in Jain tradition because Jain Dharma teaches an eternal, cyclic universe in which 24 Tirthankars arise repeatedly in suitable time periods. It is part of the traditional Jain understanding of time, cosmology, and Tirthankar-parampara.