Svetambara Jainism

Svetambar Jainism, one of the main sects of Jainism, is characterized by its followers wearing white robes, symbolizing purity and simplicity. Based on the teachings of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, the Svetambaras emphasize non-violence, truth, non-attachment, and austerity as fundamental principles.

Unlike the Digambara sect, Svetambara monks and nuns keep their clothes on because they believe that complete nudity is not a condition for spiritual liberation. The Svetambaras follow a set of scriptures known as the Agamas, which include the Shvetambara Canon. They believe that both men and women can achieve spiritual liberation, with women ascetics also practicing the path to enlightenment.

Svetambar Jainism played a significant role in the preservation and spread of Jain teachings and rituals. Today, the Svetambaras are a vibrant community that contributes to the rich tapestry of Jain tradition and culture, primarily in India but also in other parts of the world.

Svetambara Jainism

Introduction

Svetambara is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being Digambara. Svetambara means “white-clad,” referring to the habit of its ascetics to wear white garments, distinguishing them from the “heaven-clad” Digambara Jainism. Unlike Digambaras, Svetambaras do not believe that ascetics must be naked. The Svetambara and Digambara lineages have historically differed in terms of dress, temples, and iconography.

Svetambar Jainism

The Svetambars emerged as a separate sect only after the Valabhi Council. After Mahavira’s death (about the middle of the 5th century AD), this council was convened in 980 (or 993) to collect the sacred writings and reduce them to writing. It is a prominent Jain sect whose followers dress themselves and their holy symbols in white and believe that women can attain salvation, unlike the Digambaras. The Svetambars saved a large number of ancient texts. He feels that an understanding of the power of spiritual practices of non-attachment, as well as an understanding of the progressive order of accepting the practice of the means of liberation, may very well explain the monastic adoption of the garment. The only thing that counts is that, whether one is naked or not, when one enters the state of absolute non-attachment, one has attained liberation.

History of Svetambara Jainism

• (1) The Svetambara texts were codified at the Great Council of Vallabhi held at Vallabhi in AD 454. Most Svetambars are murti puja, meaning they actively offer pious puja in temples, worshiping before images or idols of Tirthankaras and important Jain goddesses. Others are divided into various sub-traditions where either Jain temples and halls are built but the puja is less, or where all construction and use of temples, images, and idols is actively discouraged and avoided. These subtraditions began around the 14th century and continued into the 18th century. One of the key Jain scholars who opposed pious temples, images, and idols was Lonka Shah (c. 1476 CE). These later sub-traditions are primarily the Sthānakavāsī and Terapanth orders.
• (2) Observers of the early colonial era and some early 20th century Jain writers such as Malvaniya suggested that this movement against idol worship may have been the impact of Islam on Jainism, but later scholarship suggests that the subtraditions arose out of internal strife and debate over the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence). The new movements claimed that the construction of temples or buildings of any kind, idols, and images, as well as puja rituals, injure and kill small creatures and microscopic life forms in the soil, wood, and other related materials and are thus against their basic principle. about nonviolence.
• (3) The more recent Svetambara sub-traditions cover their mouths with a white cloth, or muhapatti, to practice ahimsa even when speaking. This minimizes the possibility of inhaling small organisms. The Terapanthi order is strongly aniconic and has thousands of followers in many parts of the world. Early Jain paintings from Mathura depict Digambara iconography until the end of the fifth century AD when Svetambara iconography begins to appear.

Characteristics of Svetambara Jainism

The exact translation is “white-clad”. According to Shvetambaras, complete nudity is not essential for salvation. They represent the Jains who stayed in Magadha during the famine, led by Sthulabahu. According to the Shvetambara tradition, omniscience requires nourishment.

Women are spiritually capable of reaching the same heights as men. Women can also enter the Svetambara monastic order if they have the opportunity to attain nirvana. According to the Shvetambara tradition, the 19th Tirthankara is a woman named Mali (the only female Tirthankara).

Mahavira married and lived as an ordinary householder until his 30s. He only became an ascetic when his parents died. In the Shvetambara tradition, the Tirthankara of Jainism is represented wearing a loincloth encrusted with diamonds and with glass eyes set in marble. Shvetambaras refer to hagiographies as “charity”. The Svetambaras consider canonical literature to be true and sacred, such as the 12 Angas and the Sutras.

Subsects of Svetambaras

Subsects of Svetambaras are:

• (1) Murtipujak,
• (2) Sthanakvasi,
• (3) Terapanthi.

(1) Murtipujak

Murtipujaka are devout idol worshipers and are the original tribe of Svetambars. They dress their idols in fine clothes and jewelry and present them with flowers, fruits, saffron, and other honors. When they speak, their ascetics cover their lips with strips of cloth; otherwise, he holds them in his hands. They reside in temples or specially designated structures called Upasrayas. They take food in bowls from the homes of sravakas or domestics and consume it at their place of residence. The Murtipujak sub-sect is also known as Pujera (worshippers), Deravasi (temple-dwellers), Chaityavasi (temple-dwellers), and Mandira-margi (temple-dwellers) (temple-goers). Murtipujaka Svetambaras can be found in large urban areas across India for commercial purposes, although they are primarily concentrated in Gujarat.

(2) Sthanakvasi

The Sthanakvasi were reformers of an older reformist group, the Jain Lonka sect, rather than direct descendants of the Svetambaras. Around 1474 AD, Lonkashaha, a rich and well-read merchant of Ahmedabad, founded the Lonka sect. Later, some members of the Lonka sect criticized the lifestyle of their ascetics, claiming that they were less austere than Mahavira would have liked. Sthanakvasi is also known as Dhundhiya (seekers) and Sadhumargi (followers of Sadhus, i.e., ascetics). The Sthanakvasi are quite identical to other Svetambara Jainism, except in idol worship, and are now usually identified as Svetambara Sthanakvasi. Sthanakvasi does not believe in idol worship. As a result, they lack temples and instead rely on thangkas, or prayer halls, to perform religious fasts, feasts, rituals, prayers, conversations, and so on. In addition, Sthanakvasi ascetics always cover their lips with strips of cloth and never use yellow or any other colored cloth (except white). In addition, the Sthanakvasi recognize the legitimacy of only 31 texts of the Svetambaras. Svetambara Sthanakvasi can be found in many places across India, though it is particularly prevalent in Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

(3) Terapanthi

The Terapanthi sub-section is formed by the Sthanakvasi section. Swami Bhikkanaji Maharaj founded the Terapanthi sect. Swami Bhikkanaji was a Sthanakvasi saint who was initiated by Acharya Raghunatha. Swami Bhikkanaji had problems with his Guru regarding many parts of the Sthanakvasa ascetic religious practices and when these became serious, he founded the Terapanth on the full moon day of Asadha in V.S. 1817, i.e. 1760 A.D. Acharya Bhikkanaji’s sub-sect was known as Tera (thirteen)-pantha because it emphasized 13 religious principles: five Mahavratas (great vows), five samiti (precepts), and three Guptis (controls or restraints). The Terapanthas are non-idolatrous and highly organized, with a single Acharya, or religious leader, running everything. In its 200 years of existence, Terapantha has had only 9 Acharyas, from the founder Acharya Bhikkanaji as the first Acharya to the current Acharya Tulasi as the 9th Acharya.

The practice of controlling the entire Pantha by a single Acharya became a defining characteristic of the Terapanthas and a model for other Panthas to emulate.

Svetambara Jain Literature

From the point of view of the common layman, the Svetambara Kalpa Sutra is the most important religious scripture. He values ​​it in much the same way that the Bhagavad Gita is revered by the average Hindu. The Kalpa Sutra, in its current form, is also the first document of the Shvetambara sect to be rejected by the Digmabars. Mahavira’s initial teaching was “open”, according to Svetambara, a concept that may have been expressed by the Prakrit word papaya attached to it in certain early scriptures. The word denoted the use of Prakrit rather than Sanskrit, which was associated with the Brahmin elite. As a result, the Agamas are written in Ardha Magadhi Prakrit as well as another Prakrit dialect known as Jaina Mar. The canonical books of the Svetambars are known as Angas and Upangas. Many academics wrote commentaries on these Angas, Upangas, and other texts during the decade or so between Mahavira’s death and the Council of Vallabhi. Nijutis or Niryuktis are the names for these notes. All these notes would be classified as Shvetambara literature. Between the 6th and 9th centuries, the Shvetambara monks wrote a vast number of commentaries. Later comments were known as churns. Mandichurni, a churni on the Nandi-Sutra, states that the council was also convened at Mathura. This churning was completed after the Vallabhi Council in Saka in 598 or 676 AD.

Differences between Svetambara and Digambara Jainism

Apart from rejecting or accepting various ancient Jain texts, Digambaras and Svetambaras differ in other significant ways, such as:

• (1) The Svetambara trace their practices and rules of dress to the teachings of Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara, who is believed to have taught only four restraints (a claim, scholars say, that is confirmed by ancient Buddhist texts that deal with Jain monastic life). Mahavira taught the Five Vows, which the Digambara followed. The Digambara sect disagrees with the interpretations of Svetambara and rejects the theory of difference in the teachings of Parshvanatha and Mahavira.
• (2) Digambaras believe that both Parshvanath and Mahavira remained unmarried, while Svetambara believes that the 23rd and 24th Tirthankars married. According to the Svetambara version, Parshvanath married Prabhavati, and Mahavira Swami married Yashoda, who bore him a daughter named Priyadarshana. The two sects also differ on the origin of Trishala, Mahavira’s mother, as well as details of the Tirthankaras’ biographies, such as how many auspicious dreams their mothers had while in their wombs.
• (3) The Digambara believe that Rishabha, Vasupujya, and Neminatha were the three Tirthankaras who attained omniscience while sitting, and the other Tirthankaras were in a standing ascetic position. In contrast, Svetambara believed that it was Rishabha, Nemi, and Mahavira who were the three seated.
• (4) The rules of Digambara monasticism are stricter. Digambara iconography is simple; Svetambara icons are decorated and colored to make them more vivid. According to the Svetambara Jain texts, from the Kalpasutras forward, her monastic community had more Sadhvis than Sadhus (female than male beggars). In Tapa Gaccha of the modern era, the ratio of Sadhvis to Sadhus (nuns and monks) is about 3.5 to 1. Unlike Svetambara, the monastic community of the Digambara sect was predominantly male.
• (5) In the Digambara tradition, the male human being is considered the closest to the pinnacle, with the potential to attain the liberation of his soul from rebirth through austerity. Women have to earn karmic merit to be reborn as men, and only then can they attain spiritual liberation in the Digambara Jain sect. The Svetambara disagree with the Digambaras, believing that women can also achieve liberation from Saṃsāra through ascetic practices.
• (6) Svetambara State 19. Tirthankara Mallinatha was a woman. However, the Digambara reject this and worship Mallinath as a man.

Conclusion

Svetambara is one of the two main branches of Jainism, along with Digambara. Svetambara refers to the ascetics’ habit of wearing white clothing, which distinguishes them from the Digambara “heaven-clad” Jains. Omniscience, according to the Shvetambara tradition, requires food.

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