In Jainism, Pratima (Sanskrit: प्रतिमा) is a step or a stage marking the spiritual rise of a lay person (shravak).
[1] After passing the eleven steps, one is no longer a sravaka, but a muni (monk).
Rules prescribed for laymen are divided into twelve vrata (vows) and eleven pratimas (steps)[2] and are described in several codes of conduct (shravakacharas).
[3] The pratimas are mentioned in several ancient texts like Ratnakaranda Shravakachara (2nd century A.D.).
[4] The twelve vows are: The eleven stages (pratimā) are:[10] Ashadhara in his Sagara-Dharmammrata (13th century) has groups the 11 steps into three ranks.