Śvetāmbara
[1] The Śvetāmbara and Digambara traditions have had historical differences ranging from their dress code, their temples and iconography, attitude towards Jain nuns, their legends and the texts they consider as important.
[2][3][4] Śvetāmbara Jain communities are currently found mainly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and coastal regions of Maharashtra.
[6] Śvetāmbaras consider themselves to be the original followers of Mahavira and that the Digambara sect emerged in 82 AD as a result of a rebellion by a monk named Sivabhuti, who was the disciple of Arya Krishnasuri.
[8][9][10] Śvetāmbaras have several pattavalis that mention the historical lineage of their chief monks (acharya) beginning with the 24th Tirthankara Mahavira.
[12][13] Majority of the Śvetāmbaras are murtipujakas, that is they actively offer devotional puja in temples, worship before the images or idols of Tirthankaras and important Jain demi-gods and demi-goddesses.
[12][15] The murtipujaka sect has had various eminent monks, including, but not limited to Vimalsuri, Hemachandra, Hiravijaya, Devardhigani Kshamashraman, Yashovijaya, Anandghan, Siddhasena, and Manatunga.
All texts or pieces of literature written by Śvetāmbara monks, except the ones stated above are considered to be non-canonical in nature.
[31] Upon initiation, a monk or a nun renounces all worldly possessions and relations, takes the Five Vows and tears his/her hair out.
Monks and nuns of the Śvetāmbara sect wear white seamless clothing and carry a rajoharan (woolen broom to clear their path of insects and small creatures), an alms bowl, a long stick, and scriptures.
Some of them are as described below: - The Śvetāmbara canon defines some guidelines and duties for lay followers (śrāvakas and śrāvikās) of Jainism to fulfill.
Some of them are summarized as follows: - Scriptures describe 12 vows that a householder must take in order to bind minimum karma.
One of the most popular ones is Snātra Pūjā which is a lengthy ritual that includes mimicking of a tirthankara's ritualistic bathing at Mount Meru by the demi-god Indra.
[56][57] Other popular ritualistic bathing is Śakrastava Abhiṣeka which is performed parallel to the recitation of the hymn of the same name authored by Acharya Siddhasenadiwakarsuri.
[58][26] Usually, regular purification of temples and icons is performed and the ritual for which include 18 Abhiṣeka which is a ritualistic bathing of the idols with 18 excellent objects of high fragrance and devotional value.
Throughout these 9 days, Śvetāmbara lay followers perform Ayambil, a form of fasting in which no oil, dairy products, and spices are consumed.
Although Digambaras believe in the legend of Śrīpāla and Mayaṇasundarī, they do not perform Ayambil and their practices are vastly different from the Śvetāmbaras.
Rituals include visiting a Jain temple, placing objects of knowledge (such as pen, pencil, paper, books etc.)
According to Śvetāmbara legends, a total of 150 kalyāṇakas of the panch kalyanakas of tirthankaras of the past, present, and future half cycles of time occur on this single day.
Most lay followers begin new ventures and worship tirthankara idols especially apart from performing the penance of staying silent on this day.
[68][69] This festival is observed on the 13th day of the bright fortnight of the Phalguna month as per the lunar calendar and is directly associated with Palitana, one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the Śvetāmbaras.
Śvetāmbara legends state that Krishna's sons Pradyumna and Shyaambh, along with 8.5 crore (85 million) mendicants attained liberation from Bhadva's Dungar at Palitana hills on this day.
The shrines that this walk takes a devotee through can be summarized as follows: - It is a generic name given to various observances and celebrations at different Jain temples.
[75][76] In Jainism, Akshaya Tritiya is an important festival as it commemorates the first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha, ending his 400-day-long fast by consuming sugarcane juice poured into his cupped hands.
The 42 faults that food given to a Jain monk may have are discussed at length in the ancient Śvetāmbara text Ācārāṅga Sūtra.
[14] A layman who opposed devotional temples, images and idols was Lonka Shah (c. 1476 CE) who is responsible for starting the Sthānakavāsī sub-tradition.
[79][80] Early colonial era observers and some early 20th-century Jain writers such as Malvaniya hypothesized that this movement against idol worship may be the impact of Islam on Jainism, but later scholarship states that the sub-traditions arose from an internal dispute and debate on the principle Ahimsa (non-violence).
[80] These sub-traditions are not recognized by the original Śvetāmbara sect of the idol-worshippers (murtipujakas), who consider that they were created as a result of a grave misinterpretation of canonical scriptures.
[82] The murtipujaka Śvetāmbaras do not allow laypersons to read scriptures as a misinterpretation of the canon is considered to be a grave sin.
[83] Other than rejecting or accepting different ancient Jain texts, Digambaras and Śvetāmbara differ in other significant ways such as: Śvetāmbaras believe that Parshvanatha, the 23rd tirthankara, taught only Four restraints (a claim, scholars say is confirmed by the ancient Buddhist texts that discuss Jain monastic life).
[84][85][86] The Digambara sect disagrees with the Śvetāmbara interpretations,[87] and reject the theory of difference in Parshvanatha and Mahāvīra's teachings.
