Svetambara

Svetambara

The Svetambara (श्वेतांबर, श्वेतपट, also spelled Svetambar, Shvetambara, Shvetabmbar or Swetambar) is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being Digambar. literally means "white-clad", describing the practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from Digambar ("space clad"), whose practitioners wear no clothes.

Svetambaras, unlike Digambaras, do not believe that ascetics must practice nudity, or that women are unable to obtain moksha. Svetambaras maintain that the 19th Tirthankara, Mallinath, was a woman.

At present in Svetambara sects, there are 2,510 Monks and 10,228 nuns, while in Digambaras there are 548 monks and 527 nuns (According to 'Smagra Jain chaturmas suchi-2006').

The Svetambara tradition follows the lineage of Acharya Sthulibhadra suri. Kalpasutra mentions some of the lineages in ancient times. from the Kottiya Gana, which was once prominent. The Svetambara monastic orders are branches of Vrahada-gachchha founded in 937 AD. The most prominent among the classical orders today are Kharatara-gachchha (1024 AD), Tapa Gachchha (1228 AD) and Tristutik Gachchha.

A major dispute was initiated by Lonka Shaha, who started a movement opposed to idol worship in 1476. The Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi (Svetambara) (1780) orders are branches of this movement.

The major reforms by Vijayananda Suri (1827 – 1906) in 1880, as the leader of the Tapa Gachchha, led a movement to restore orders of wandering monks, which brought about the near extinction of the Yati institutions. Acharya Rajendrasuri restored shraman sanstha in the "Tristutik" gachchha.

Some Svetambara monks and nuns cover their mouth with a white cloth (muhpatti) to practise ahimsa even when they talk. By doing so they minimize the possibility of inhaling small organisms.

vetambara sub-sects

Svetambara is divided into two sub-sects, those practitioners who worship images in temples, known as the Murtipujak ("image-worshiping") or Mandirmargi ("temple-going"), and those who do not, the reformist sub-sects of the Sthanakvasis and the Terapanthis.

* Murtipujak, headed by various Acharyas as their sect and sub-sects.In the Murtipujak sect there are 4 main sub-sects as follows:
**Tapa gachchha In Tapa Gachchha there are 21 sub-sects headed by different Acharya
**Achal gachchha, currently led by Acharya Gunoyadayasagar suri.
**Khartar gachchha, currently led by Acharya Kailash sagar suri.
**Parshwachandra gachchha, currently led by Acharya Vijay chandra suri.

* non-Murtipujak (Sadhumargi)

**Sthanakvasi, currently led by Acharya Shivmuniji.
**Terapanthi, currently led by Acharya Mahaprajna.

References

*Mary Pat Fisher - "Living Religions" (5th Edition) (2003), p.130

External links

*cite web|url=http://www.marwaris.com/maveer001.htm|title=mahaveer|work=jainism|accessmonthday=September 26 |accessyear=2005
*cite web|url=http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/jainism/svetambara.html|title=Svetambara|work=Religious movements home page|accessmonthday=September 26 |accessyear=2005


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • SVETAMBARA — えVET MBARA Une des deux sectes principales du jaïnisme l’autre étant celle des digambaras entre lesquelles, à la suite d’une dissension très ancienne (sans doute vers le SVETAMBARA IIIe s.), éclata un schisme définitif en 79 (en 83 selon les ごvet …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Svetambara — /shve tahm beuhr euh/, n. one of the two principal Jain sects, whose members wear white and believe that women can attain salvation. Cf. Digambara. [ < Skt svetambara white clad] * * * ▪ Jainist sect       (Sanskrit: “White robed,” or “White… …   Universalium

  • Svetambara — [swɛ tα:mbərə] noun a member of one of the two principal sects of Jainism, who practise asceticism and wear white clothing. See also Digambara. Origin from Sanskrit śvetāmbara, lit. white clad …   English new terms dictionary

  • svetambara — s(h)wāˈtämbərə noun ( s) Usage: capitalized Etymology: Sanskrit śvetāmbara, literally, having white clothes, from śveta white + ambara garment more at white : a major Jain sect whose members clothe themselves and their sacred images in white and… …   Useful english dictionary

  • SVETAMBARA —    one of the two major religious divisions in JAINISM whose PRIESTS insisted on wearing white clothing and rejected the rival Digambara view which insists of RITUAL nudity. The movement originated in the third century B.C. and has its own CANON… …   Concise dictionary of Religion

  • svetambara — sve·tam·ba·ra …   English syllables

  • Morale Jaïna — La main Jaïn représentant la fin du samsara et l ahimsa …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Morale jaina — Morale jaïna La main Jaïn représentant la fin du samsara et l ahimsa …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Morale jaïna — La main Jaïn représentant la fin du samsara et l ahimsa, La morale jaïna est considérée comme la partie la plus brillante du jaïnisme. C est la raison pour laquelle un certain nombre d auteurs ont dépeint cette religion comme un « réalisme… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tapa Gachchha — is the largest monstic order (gachchha) of the Svetambara Jains.It was founded by Acharya Jagat Chandra Suri in Vikram Samvat 1285 (1229 A.D.). He was given the title of Tapa (i.e. the meditative one) by the ruler of Mewar.It was a branch of the… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”