Mà «rtipà «jaka (lit. "image-worshipper"), also known as DerÃÂvÃÂsë ("temple-dweller") or Mandir MÃÂrgë ("follower of the temple path"), is the largest sect of à ÂvetÃÂmbara Jainism. Mà «rtipà «jaka Jains differ from both à ÂvetÃÂmbara SthÃÂnakavÃÂsë and à ÂvetÃÂmbara TerÃÂpanthë Jains in that they worship images of the Tërthaá¹ karas. Mà «rtipà «jaka may also generally describe members of both the à ÂvetÃÂmbara and Digambara traditions who use idols (mà «rti) in their worship (pà «jÃÂ).
According to Nalini Balbir, all à ÂvetÃÂmbara sects agree upon "the authority of the à ÂvetÃÂmbara canonical scriptures, with slight differences; claims of monastic descent from Sudharman, except for the Upakeà Âa Gaccha; [and] white monastic robes [for] monks and nuns." However, despite these commonalities, a central division exists between each of the sects as related to the use of images in worship.
Indeed, the early Jain reformer Loá¹ kàà ÂÃÂh used the term "mà «rtipà «jaka" to classify an image-worshipping Jain from other kinds. Loá¹ kàis generally presented in his biographies as a scribe who lived in the Gujarat region during the 15th century. His occupation allowed him access to many Jain scriptures and manuscripts, which he interpreted to lack references to the construction of temples or the worship of images, despite both being prevalent at the time and also idols belonging to the time of Lord Mahavira being worshiped. He argued that these practices were spiritually dangerous by grounding them as violations of ahiá¹ÂsÃÂ, the principle of non-injury central to Jain religion and philosophy. According to Loá¹ kÃÂ, re-shaping the land to build temples leads to the destruction of microscopic organisms, and pà «jàrituals entail "subtle forms of harm" through material offerings like flowers or incense.
Loá¹ kÃÂ's lasting influence brought to light an aniconic impulse within a strict, doctrinal understanding of Jain teaching. The à ÂvetÃÂmbara SthÃÂnakavÃÂsë and TerÃÂpanthë sects accept this impulse, agreeing with Loá¹ kàthat the most appropriate form of religious practice is mental worship (bhÃÂva-pà «jÃÂ), which is already performed by mendicants because the reliance on images and temples is indicative of an attachment to objects that is "spiritually counterproductive".
Mà «rtipà «jaka Jains respond to the criticisms of mà «rti-pà «jàin two ways: first, by revealing that it is, in fact, scripturally prevalent; and second, by saying that images are necessary for the spiritual practices of laypeople. The monk ÃÂtmÃÂrÃÂm (1837 â 1896), who was originally a à ÂvetÃÂmbara SthÃÂnakavÃÂsë monk and later became the mendicant leader ÃÂcÃÂrya VijayÃÂnandasà «ri, discovered upon reading early Jain texts in Prakrit and their Sanskrit commentaries that there was an abundance of references to image worship. This led him to believe that the non-Mà «rtipà «jaka position actually "contravened Jain scripture".
Muni Bhadraá¹ karavijaya considered image worship to cultivate morality by praising the qualities of the Tërthaá¹ karas and undergoing the ascetic practices associated with them. As such, given its disciplinary nature, "image worship will destroy a wide variety of karmas." Bhadraá¹ karavijaya also argued that given the current cosmic age, laity can't contemplate the Tërthaá¹ karas without the assistance of some mental prop or image. Thus, a key element of the Mà «rtipà «jaka response to the controversy of image worship is to view images as a tool to develop better spiritual practices, especially amongst the laity.
Outside the use of images in worship, à ÂvetÃÂmbara Mà «rtipà «jaka Jains distinguish themselves in the use of the muhpattë. The muhpattë is a small, rectangular piece of cloth placed over the mouth, traditionally used to prevent harming small organisms either by inhaling them or expelling breath onto them. Mà «rtipà «jaka mendicants, according to Paul Dundas, they will simply hold it in place when necessary in situations such as reading of scriptures. In contrast, à ÂvetÃÂmbara SthÃÂnakavÃÂsë and TerÃÂpanthë mendicants permanently wear the muhpattë except while eating. Laypeople will hold a similar cloth in front of their mouths during certain rituals, where it is intended to "prevent pollution of the sacred objects by [the laity's] breath." However, Kristi Wiley notes that this is actually a different cloth from the muhpattë.
Derived from the word for "tree" - or as Wiley also suggests, a derivation of the terms "going" or "traveling together" - à ÂvetÃÂmbara Mà «rtipà «jaka mendicants are divided into orders based on their pupillary lineages known as gacchas. Emerging between the 11th and 16th centuries, each of the gacchas claimed to represent a "truer" version of Jainism than another, and they often hotly contested one another in polemical debates and writings that argued against the laxity of mendicant regulations. Despite this, each of the gacchas shared a common ancestor, their respective records tracing back to the Tërthaá¹ kara MahÃÂvëra's disciple, Sudharman. Although some 84 separate gacchas appeared since the 7thâÂÂ8th century, and are still spoken of, only the following seem to have survived:
As previously mentioned, the Upakeà Âa Gaccha is also identified as a à ÂvetÃÂmbara sect which eventually died out during the end of the medieval era. Unlike the orders listed above, they claim descent from the 23rd Tërthaá¹ kara PÃÂrà ÂvanÃÂtha. According to Flügel, some Upakeà Âa Gaccha scholars like Devagupta Sà «ri considered "injury to living beings committed during the construction of temples and in the preparation of pà «jàwith flowers, fruits and water as a form of unavoidable or occupational violence (ÃÂrambhajàhimsÃÂ)." In this sense, they are congruent with other Mà «rtipà «jaka sects and their beliefs in that some forms of violence are permissible, or at least outweighed, by the value of temples and pà «jàrituals.
According to Jain tradition, in the first century, Vajrasensuri established four Kulas, subdivisions within the Swetambara Murtipujaka Jain community, to divide the community during time of drought to disperse them. They were: Chandra, Nirvriti, Vidyadhar and Nagendra. During 1000 to 1300 CE, the Gaccha replaced these Kula as basic divisions of community.
Although some 84 separate gacchas have appeared since the 7thâÂÂ8th century, only a few have survived, such as the Kharatara, the Tapa, the Achal, the Paichand or Parshwachandra Gaccha. While the gacchas do not differ from one another in matters of doctrine, they do differ on issues of practice, in particular those practices relating to the sacred calendar and to ritual. The various gacchas also trace their descent through different lineages.
The number of 84 Gacchas is still spoken of by the Jains, but the lists that have been hitherto published are very discordant. The Upkeà Âa Gaccha is, historically, the oldest of all. It is also the only one of the 84 gacchas that follows the lineage of Parshvanatha. The rest follow the lineage of Mahavira. The following was obtained from a member of the sect as being their recognized list,--and allowing for differences of spelling, nearly every name may be recognized in those previously published by Mr. H. G. Briggs or Colonel Miles.
The eighty four gacchas of the Jains:
Tapa Gaccha was founded by Jagatchandrasuri in Vikram Samvat 1285 (1229 CE). He was given the title of "Tapa" (i.e., the meditative one) by the ruler of Mewar. It was a branch of the Brihad Gaccha founded by Udyotan Suri. Vijaydevsuri (1600âÂÂ1657 AD) is considered one of major leader of lineage. They reformed monastic order of à ÂvetÃÂmbara Jainism. As a result of this reform, most à ÂvetÃÂmbara Jain monks today belong to Tapa Gaccha.
Kharatara Gaccha was founded by Vardhamana Suri (till 1031). His teacher was a temple-dwelling monk. He rejected him because of not following texts. His pupil, Jineshvara, got honorary title 'Kharatara' (Sharp witted or Fierce) because he defeated Suracharya, leader of Chaityavasis in public debate in 1023 at Anahilvada Patan. So the Gaccha got his title. Another tradition regards Jinadatta Suri (1075-1154) as a founder of Gaccha.
Achal Gaccha, also known as the Vidhipaká¹£a or Anchal Gaccha () is one of the four existing Gacchas and one of the 84 gacchas of the à ÂvetÃÂmbara Murtipujaka sect of Jainism. It was founded by Acharya Aryarakshitsuri in 1079 CE.Currently, Acharya KalÃÂprabhasÃÂgarsuri is the gacchadhipati of Achal Gaccha who was declared as GunodayasÃÂgarsuri's successor after his demise in 2020. Acharya KalÃÂprabhasÃÂgarsuri was formally coronated as the gacchadhipati of Achal Gaccha in 2022 in Mulund.
Other gaccha is Parshwachandra Gaccha.
The Svetambara Murtipujak annual festivals, according to the Gujarati calendar, are: