In Indian religions and society, an acharya (IAST: ācārya; Sanskrit: आचार्य; Pali: acariya) is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men.[1] The designation has different meanings in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and secular contexts.
Acharya is also used to address a teacher or a scholar in any discipline, e.g.: Bhaskaracharya, the mathematician. It is also a common suffix in brahmin (Vishwakarma) names, e.g.: Krishnamacharya, Bhattacharya. In South India, this suffix is sometimes shortened to Achar, e.g.: TKV Desikachar. Acharya is also used as surname. In the social order of some parts of India, acharyas are considered as the highest amongst the brahmin community, often described as the "shrestha brahman" i.e. best in brahmins. In Madhwa brahmins Acharya means a priestly person.
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The term "Acharya" is most often said to include the root "char" or "charya" (conduct). Thus it literally connotes "one who teaches by conduct (example)," i.e. an exemplar.
In Hinduism, an acharya (आचार्य) is a mahāpuruśa (महापुरुश, divine personality) who is believed to have descended as an avatāra (अवतार, incarnation) to teach and establish bhakti in the world and write on the siddhānta (सिद्धांत, doctrine) of devotion to Bhagwan (भगवान्, lord, God, blessed one, see also iśvara).[2]
Examples of acharyas in the Hindu tradition are:
In Jainism, an Acharya is a monk who is one of the Pañca-Parameṣṭhi and thus worthy of worship. An Acharya is the highest leader of a Jain order. He is the final authority in his monastic order and has the authority to ordain new monks and nuns. He is also authorized to consecrate new idols, although this authority is sometimes delegated to scholars designated by him.
Some famous Jain Acharyas in approximate chronological order, are:
Modern Jain Acharyas include Digambara Acharya Vidyasagar and Vidyanand and Svetambara Padma Sagar Suri, Subodhsagar Suri, Yashodev Suri, and Jayantsain Suri. In the Svetambar Terapanthi sub-sect are Acharya Bhikshu, Acharya Tulsi and Acharya Mahapragya and in the Sthanakvasi sub-sect Sushil Kumar have been the leading Acharyas.
An Acharya, like any other Jain monk, is expected to wander except for the Chaturmas. Bhattarakas, who head institutions, are technically junior monks, and thus permitted to stay in the same place.
In Buddhism, the Pali variant acariya, lit. "teacher", is one of the two teachers of a novice monk, the other being the upādhyāya. In Mahayana traditions the epithet acharya was more widely used as an honorific indicating great scholastic renown; it was somewhat more general than the similar epithet paṇḍita. The Tibetan term loppön is used to translate acharya. The Japanese Shingon sects employ the acharya title with its qualified priests who have completed training at Mount Koya.
In Sanskrit institutions Acharya is a Post Graduate Degree.