Digambara (
sky-clad) is one of the two main sects of
Jainism. This sect of Jainism rejects the authority of the
Jain Agama compiled at the Vallabhi Council under the leadership of
Devardhigani Kshamashraman. They believe that by the time of Dharasena, the twenty-third teacher after Gandhar Gautama, knowledge of only one Anga was there. This was about 683 years after the death of
Mahavira. After Dharasena's pupils Acharya Puspadanta and Bhutabali. They wrote down the
Shatkhandagama, the only scripture of the digambara sect. The other scripture is the
Kasay-pahuda. According to Digambara tradition,
Mahavira, the last
jaina tirthankara, never married. He renounced the world at the age of thirty after taking permission of his parents. The Digambara believe that after attaining enlightenment, Mahavira was free from human activities like hunger, thirst, and sleep.
Digambara monks tradition do not wear any clothes. They carry only a broom made up of fallen peacock feathers and a water gourd. One of the most important scholar-monks of Digambara tradition was
Acharya Kundakunda. He authored Prakrit texts such as Samayasara and Pravachansara. Samantabhadra was another important monk of this tradition. Digambar tradition has two main monastic orders
Mula Sangh and the
Kashtha Sangh, both led by
Bhattarakas. Other notable monastic orders include the
Digambara Terapanth which emerged in the 17th century. Śvetāmbaras have their own , but unlike Digambaras which have had predominantly (male monastic organizations), they have major and (monks and nuns).
Monastic orders Mula Sangh is an ancient monastic order. Mula literally means
root or
original. The great Acharya
Kundakunda is associated with Mula Sangh. The oldest known mention of Mula Sangh is from 430 CE. Mula Sangh was divided into a few branches. According to
Shrutavatara and
Nitisar of
Bhattaraka Indranandi, Acharya Arhadbali had organised a council of Jain monks, and had given names (gana or sangha) to different groups.
Kashtha Sangha was a
monastic order once dominant in several regions of North and Western
India. It is said to have originated from a town named Kashtha. The origin of Kashtha Sangha is often attributed to Lohacharya in several texts and inscriptions from Delhi region. The Kashtasangh Gurvavali identifies Lohacharya as the last person who knew
Acharanga in the Digambara tradition, who lived until around 683-year after the
nirvana of Lord
Mahavira. Several Digambara orders in North India belonged to
Kashtha Sangha. The
Agrawal Jains were the major supporters of Kashtha Sangha. They were initiated by Lohacharya. Kashta Sangha has several orders including
Nanditat gachchha, The
Digambar Terapanth subsect was formed by Amra Bhaunsa Godika and his son Jodhraj Godika during 1664–1667 in opposition to the bhattakaras. The Bhattaraka are the priestly class of Jainism who are responsible for maintaining libraries and other Jain institutions. The
Terapanth sub-sect among the
Digambara Jains emerged around the Jaipur (Sanganer,
Amber and Jaipur region itself).) were associated with the Terapanth movement. They opposed worship of various minor gods and goddesses. Some Terapanthi practices, like not using flowers in worship, gradually spread throughout North India among the Digambaras. Bakhtaram in his "Mithyatva Khandan Natak" (1764) mentions that group that started it included thirteen individuals, who collectively built a new temple, thus giving it its name Tera-Panth (Thirteen Path). However, according to "Kavitta Terapanth kau" by a Chanda Kavi, the movement was named Tera Panth, because the founders disagreed with the Bhattaraka on thirteen points. A letter of 1692 from Tera Panthis at Kama to those at Sanganer mentions thirteen rituals that were rejected. These are mentioned in Buddhivilas (1770) of Bakhtaram. These are– authority of Bhattarakas, Use of flowers, cooked food or lamps, Abhisheka (panchamrita), consecration of images without supervision by the representatives of Bhattarakas, Puja while seated, Puja at night, Using drums in the temple and Worship of minor gods like dikpalas, shasan devis (
Padmavati etc.) and Kshetrapal. The Digambara Jains who have continued to follow these practices are termed
Bispanthi. This sub-sect opposes use of flowers for worship of Tirthankara idols. However, use of flowers to worship monks and nuns is widespread amongst followers of Digambar Terapanth. The
Taran Panth was founded by Taran Svami in
Bundelkhand in 1505. They do not believe in idol worshiping. Instead, the taranapantha community prays to the scriptures written by Taran Swami. Taran Svami is also referred to as Taran Taran, the one who can help the swimmers to the other side, i.e. towards
nirvana. A mystical account of his life, perhaps an autobiography, is given in Chadmastha Vani. The language in his fourteen books is a unique blend of
Prakrit,
Sanskrit and
Apabhramsha. His language was perhaps influenced by his reading of the books of Acharya
Kundakunda. Commentaries on six of the main texts composed by Taran Svami were written by Brahmacari Shitala Prasad in the 1930s. Commentaries on other texts have also been written recently.
Osho, who was born into a Taranpanthi family, has included Shunya Svabhava and Siddhi Svabhava as among the books that influenced him most. The number of Taranpanthis is very small. Their shrines are called Chaityalaya (or sometimes Nisai/Nasia). At the altar (vimana) they have a book instead of an idol. The Taranpanthis were originally from six communities.
Criticism of monasticism and beliefs Several scholars and scriptures of other religions as well as those of their counterpart
Śvetāmbara Jains criticize their practices of public nudity as well as their belief that women are incapable of attaining spiritual liberation. ==Śvetāmbara==