Knowra Digambara Digambara Digambara is one of Jainism’s two major sects. Its mendicant ideal emphasizes complete non-possession, traditionally expressed by male ascetics renouncing clothing.
Jainism : An Indian religion whose central practices include nonviolence, self-discipline, and liberation from rebirth. Digambara is one of Jainism’s two major sects.
Śvetāmbara : One of Jainism’s two major sects, whose mendicants traditionally wear white clothing. Its monastic customs and scriptural traditions differ from Digambara practice.
Bhadrabahu : A Jain teacher traditionally associated with a migration to southern India during a famine. Digambara origin narratives connect his migration with the community’s southern development.
Nudity in Jainism : The practice among some Jain male ascetics of renouncing clothing as an expression of complete non-possession. Digambara male mendicants treat nudity as the fullest outward sign of renunciation.
Tirthankara : A Jain spiritual teacher who has conquered attachment and shown the way to liberation. Digambara worship centers on images and teachings of the Tirthankaras.
Mahavira : The twenty-fourth Tirthankara of the current Jain era, traditionally dated to the sixth century BCE. Digambara tradition traces its teaching lineage to Mahavira.
Jain monasticism : The disciplined communal life of Jain mendicants, organized around vows, teaching, and renunciation. Digambara is one distinct form of Jain mendicant life.
Chandragupta Maurya : The founder of the Maurya Empire, whom Jain tradition associates with Bhadrabahu and renunciation in southern India. His traditional association with Bhadrabahu anchors an influential Digambara migration story.
Digambara monk : A male Digambara mendicant who follows strict vows and, at the highest ascetic stage, relinquishes clothing. The monk embodies the sect’s demanding ideal of non-possession.
Adinatha : The first Tirthankara in Jain tradition, also known as Rishabhanatha. Digambara communities honor him as a central figure in Jain sacred history.
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