Jain monasticism
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Jain Muni or simply Muni is the term often used for Jain monks[1].
A Jain monk does not have a permanent home and does not have any possession. He wanders bare-foot from place to place except for the four months of the rainy season. A Jain monk is not a priest, rather he is himself a worshiped one.
A full Jain monk in either Svetambar or Digambar tradition [2]can belong to one of these ranks:
- Acharya: leader of the order
- Upadhyaya: a learned monk, who both teaches and studies himself
- Muni: an ordinary monk
Thse three are mentioned is the three lines of the Namokar Mantra.
In the Digambar tradition, a junior monk can be a:
- Ailak: they use one piece of cloth
- Chhullaka: they may use two pieces of cloth
The Svetambar Terapanthi sect has a new rank of junior monks who are called samana.
The nuns are called Aryikas in Digambar tradition and Sadhvi in the Svetambar tradition.
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[edit] Famous historical Jain monks
Some of the famous Jain Acharyas in approximate chronological order, are:
- Gautam Ganadhara
- Ganahar Sudharma Swami
- Jambu Swami[3]
- Bhadrabahu (undivided sangha, Chandragupta Maurya was his disciple) (325 BCE)
- Sthulabhadra (Svetambar tradition)
- Kundakunda, (Digambar tradition) (2nd century CE)
- Samantabhadra, (Digambar tradition) (3-4 rth century CE)
- Siddhasen Diwakar, (claimed by both) (5nd century CE)
- Manatunga composer of Bhaktamar Stotra, (claimed by both)
- Haribhadra,(Svetambar tradition), (700-750 CE)
- Akalanka, (Digambar tradition), (620-680 CE)
- Virasena, (Digambar tradition), (790-825 CE)
- Jinasena, (Digambar tradition), preceptor of Rashtrakuta rulers, (800-880 CE).
- Nemichandra, (Digambar tradition)
- Hemachandra,(Svetambar tradition), preceptor of Kumarapala, (1089–1172 CE)
- Jagadguru Hira Vijaya Suri, (Svetambar tradition), who was invited by Akbar, the Mughal emperor
- Rajendrasuri (Svetambar tradition)(1827-1906)
- Shantisagar, (Digambar tradition) (1872-1955)
[edit] Acharya vijayraj ji maharaj
[edit] Famous historical Jain nuns
- Aryika Chandanbala
- Sadhvi Yakini Mahattara
[edit] Famous modern Jain monks
Some famous Jain monks currently living (sadhu or muni or maharaj) are as follows:
- Acharya Vidyanandaji
- Acharya Vidyasagarji [4]
- Aacharya Shri Pushpadant Sagar Ji Maharaj
- Muni Shri 108 Pulak Sagar Ji Maharaj
- Upadhyaya Muni Guptisagarji Muni Shri 108 Gupti Sagar Ji Maharaj
- Muni Shri 108 Praman Sagar Ji Maharaj
- Muni Shri 108 Arun Sagar Ji Maharaj
- Muni Shri 108 Prakarsh Sagar Ji Maharaj
- Acharya Shri 108 Dev Nandi Ji Maharaj
- Acharya Shri 108 Gyan Bhusan Ji Maharaj
- Acharya Shri 108 Sukumal Nandi Ji Maharaj
- Muni Shri 108 Nayan Sagar Ji Maharaj
- Acharya Tulsi
- Acharya Mahaprajna
- Acharya viragsagarji maharaj
[edit] Famous modern Jain nuns
- Ganani Arika Ratna 105 Vijayamathi Mataji
- Ganini Pramukh Shri Gyanmati Mataji
- Sadhvi Acharya Chandana [5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Jains in the World: Religious Values and Ideology in India By John E. Cort, Published 2001 Oxford University Press US
- ^ Guardians of the Transcendent: An Ethnography of a Jain Ascetic Community By Anne Vallely Published 2002 University of Toronto Press
- ^ The Lives of the Jain Elders, Hemachandra, Trans. RCC Fynes, Oxford World's Classics, 1998.
- ^ http://vidyasagarji.jainsadhu.com Aacharya Shri VidyaSagarJi Maharaj
- ^ http://www.veerayatan.org/2b.htm Acharya Shri Chandanaji (1937-), Founder, Chief Director
