Śvetāmbara

Some Jains wear white clothes.

This group is called Śvetāmbara. Their name means "white-clad."

They follow the teachings of Mahavira. Many people follow this way.

Most Śvetāmbara followers live in India. They often pray before idols. They do this in temples.

Many people in this group worship images. They do special things for them. This is called puja.

They have many holy books. These books teach them how to live. It is a very old way.

Śvetāmbara is a major branch of Jainism. The name means "white-clad." This is because their monks and nuns wear white clothes.

This makes them different from the Digambara group. Digambara monks do not wear clothes.

Most Śvetāmbara followers live in India. You can find them in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Many people in this group are murtipujakas. This means they worship using idols.

They offer prayers and gifts to images of Tirthankaras. Tirthankaras are important teachers in Jainism.

Śvetāmbara followers have many holy books. These are called Āgamas.

They believe these books hold the teachings of Mahavira. Mahavira was a great teacher. The books teach people how to act. They also teach about the world. Some books were written long ago. A large council helped save these texts. This happened in the year 454 CE.

The group has four main parts. These are monks, nuns, and men and women who follow the faith.

Monks and nuns take special vows. They give up all their things. They also pull out their hair. This shows they are ready to focus on their faith.

Śvetāmbara is one of the two main branches of Jainism. The name comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "white-clad." This name describes a specific practice of their monks and nuns. They wear white clothes as part of their way of life.

This sets them apart from the Digambara branch. Digambara followers are called "sky-clad" because their monks go nude. Śvetāmbaras do not believe that monks must be nude. These two groups have many historical differences. They differ in their dress, their temples, and their holy texts.

Many Śvetāmbara followers belong to a group called murtipujakas. This means they actively worship using idols. They offer devotional puja in temples to images of Tirthankaras. Tirthankaras are important figures in the Jain faith.

They may also worship important demi-gods or demi-goddesses. Most Śvetāmbaras live in India today. You can find large communities in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Many also live in the coastal regions of Maharashtra. Scholars say about four-fifths of all Jains in India are Śvetāmbara.

Śvetāmbaras believe they are the original followers of Mahavira. Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara. They have records called pattavalis that show their history. These lists trace their chief monks back to Mahavira.

One famous list is found in the Kalpa Sūtra. This text says Sthulabhadra was the successor of Bhadrabāhu. Śvetāmbaras believe both men were white-clad monks. To manage their large numbers, they created groups called gacchas. There were 84 such groups, but only four survive today. The Tapa Gaccha is the largest of these.

Śvetāmbara followers use special books called Āgamas. These 45 scriptures are considered the teachings of Mahavira.

Most were written in a language called Ardhamagadhi Prakrit. Long ago, monks passed this knowledge down by memory. However, a 12-year famine caused much of this memory to fade. To save the teachings, a Great Council was held at Vallabhi. This happened in 454 CE under Devardhigani Kshamashramana. The council helped codify the scriptures used today. These books teach about Jain philosophy and how to live.

The Jain community is divided into four parts. This is known as the chaturvidha sangha. It includes monks, nuns, men, and women.

Each part has its own way of practicing the faith. Before becoming a monk or nun, a person must prepare. They perform a final puja and give away all their things. When they join, they take five special vows. They also ceremonially tear out their hair. Monks and nuns also receive a special tool called a rajoharan.

Śvetāmbara is one of the two primary branches of Jainism. The term comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "white-clad." This name describes the practice of its ascetics, who wear white clothes.

This practice distinguishes them from the Digambara branch. Digambara followers are called "sky-clad" because their practitioners go nude. Śvetāmbaras do not hold the belief that nudity is required for ascetics. These two traditions possess historical differences in dress, temple styles, and iconography. They also differ regarding the status of Jain nuns and their preferred sacred texts.

Most Śvetāmbaras belong to the murtipujaka sect. This term refers to those who actively perform devotional puja, or worship, in temples. They worship images or idols of Tirthankaras and important Jain demi-gods or demi-goddesses.

This is the oldest sub-tradition within the Śvetāmbara faith. To manage their large numbers, the community created administrative sub-divisions called gacchas. Historically, 84 different gacchas were established. Most of these groups are now extinct. Only four survive today: Tapa Gaccha, Kharatara Gaccha, Parshvachandra Gaccha, and Achal Gaccha. The Tapa Gaccha is the largest, containing the most monks and followers.

Śvetāmbaras view themselves as the original followers of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara. They maintain historical lineages known as pattavalis. These records trace the lineage of chief monks, or acharyas, back to Mahavira.

The Kalpa Sūtra, a canonical scripture, contains a popular pattavali. This text states that Sthulabhadra was the successor of Bhadrabāhu. Śvetāmbaras believe both men were white-clad monks. The Digambara sect rejects these specific historical claims. One unique gaccha, the Upkeśa Gaccha, traced its lineage to the 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha, rather than Mahavira. This group included founders of the Oswal and Porwal communities before it went extinct in the 1930s.

Śvetāmbara literature is divided into canonical and non-canonical categories. The canonical scriptures, known as Āgamas, define Jain cosmology and philosophy. They also govern the conduct of monks, nuns, and the laity. These 45 scriptures were mostly written in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.

Originally, knowledge was passed down through a preceptor-disciple system called guru-shishya parampara. However, a 12-year famine caused the memory of many monks to weaken. Much of the knowledge was lost during this time. To preserve the teachings, a Great Council was held at Vallabhi in 454 CE. Led by Devardhigani Kshamashramana, this council codified the 45 scriptures used today.

The Āgamas include several distinct parts. The Twelve Angās, or "limbs," are foundational texts. These include the Āyāraṃga, which focuses on monastic conduct, and the Nāyā-dhamma-kahāo, which contains religious stories. There are also Twelve Upāṅgas, which are auxiliary limbs. These cover topics like the sun, the moon, and the Jain universe. Additionally, there are Six Chedasūtras regarding the behavior of monastics. The canon also includes Four Mūlasūtras, which are fundamental works for new monastics. Finally, there are Two Cūlikasūtras and Ten Paiṇṇayasūtras. One notable lost text is the Drstivada, which contained the 14 purvas.

Non-canonical literature includes many other important works. These consist of commentaries, biographies, and devotional hymns. For example, Hemachandra wrote the Trisasti-shalakapurusa-caritra, which contains biographies of 63 illustrious men.

Other works include treatises on grammar and dictionaries for languages like Sanskrit and Prakrit. Devotional hymns, known as stavan or stuti, are also widely used. These texts help expand the knowledge base of the community through mythology and linguistic study.

The Śvetāmbara community is organized into the chaturvidha sangha. This congregation consists of four parts: monks, nuns, male lay followers (śrāvakas), and female lay followers (śrāvikās).

Each group has different religious practices. For instance, monks and nuns cannot perform puja of idols because they are not permitted to bathe. Since scriptures require a person to be clean and bathed for puja, monastics must abstain. Before initiation, an ascetic-to-be performs a final puja and donates all worldly possessions. Upon initiation, they take the Five Vows and ceremonially tear out their hair. They are also given a rajoharan by their preceptor. Finally, Śvetāmbara monastics do not touch persons of the opposite gender.