Svetambara

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Part of a series on Jainism
History of Jainism Dharmic religions Timeline of Jainism Jainist councils
Foundations Ahimsa · Moksha Brahmacharya Asteya · Satya Nirvana · Aparigraha Anekantvada
Key Concepts Kevalgnan · Cosmology · Dharma Samsara · Karma Reincarnation Swadhyay
Major Figures Lord Rishabh Parshvanath Mahavira · Acharyas Other Tirthankars Ganadhars Siddhasen Divakar Haribhadra
Practices and Attainment Four Stages of Enlightenment Paramis · Meditation
Jainism by Region India · Western
Sects of Jainism Svetambara · Digambara Terapanthi · Early schools Sthanakvasi · Bisapantha Deravasi
Texts Navakar Mantra · Kalpasutra Agama (text) · Tattvartha Sutra Sanmatti Prakaran
Comparative Studies Culture · List of Topics Portal: Jainism This box: view • talk • edit

The Svetambara (also spelt Svetambar, Shvetambara, Shvetabmbar or Swetambar) is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being Digambar. Svetambar literally means "white-clad", describing the practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from Digambar ("space clad"), whose practitioners wear no clothes.

Svetambaras, unlike Digambaras, do not believe that ascetics must practice nudity, or that women are unable to obtain moksha. Svetambaras maintain that the 19^th Tirthankara, Mallinath, was a woman.

At present in Svetambara sect,there are 2,510 Monks and 10,0228 nuns, while in Digambaras there are 548 monks and 527 nuns (According to 'Smagra Jain chaturmas suchi-2006').

The Svetambara tradition follows the lineage of Acharya Sthulibhadra suri. Kalpasutra mentions some of the lineages in ancient times. From the Kottiya Gana, which was once prominent. The Svetambara monastic orders are branches of Vrahada-gachchha founded in 937 AD. The prominent among the classical orders today are Kharatara-gachchha (1024 AD), Tapa Gachchha (1228 AD) and Tristutik Gachchha.

A major disputes was initiated by Lonka Shaha who started a movement opposed to idol worship in 1476. Branches of this movement are Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi (Svetambara) (1780) orders.

The major reforms by Acharya Rajendrasuri (1827 – 1906) in 1880, as the leader of the Tapa Gachchha, lead a movement to restore orders of wandering monks, that brought about near extinction of the Yati institutions. afterwords he restore shraman sanstha by "Tristutik" gachchha

Some Svetambara monks and nuns cover their mouth with a white cloth (muhpatti) to practise ahimsa even when they talk. By doing so they minimize the possibility of inhaling small organisms.

[edit] Svetamabara Sub-Sects

Svetambara is divided into two sub-sects, those practitioners who worship images in temples, known as the Murtipujak ("image-worshiping") or Mandirmargi ("temple-going"), and those who do not, the reformist sub-sects of the Sthanakvasis and the Terapanthis.

Murtipujak, headed by various Acharyas as their sect and sub-sects.

In the Murtipujak sect there are 4 main sub-sects as follows:

- Tapagachchha In Tapagachchha there are 21 sub-sects headed by different Acharya
- Achalgachchha, currently led by Acharya Gunoyadayasagar suri.
- Khartargachchha, currently led by Acharya Kailash sagar suri.
- Parshwachandragachchha, currently led by Acharya Vijay chandra suri.