Acharya (Jainism)


An Ācārya is the leader of an order of Jain ascetics, termed a sangh in the Jain tradition. Some of the famous achāryas are Bhadrabahu, Sthulibhadra, Kundakunda, Samantabhadra, Umaswati, Haribhadra, Hemachandra. In the Namokar Mantra, the five panch-paramsthis include Ācāryas, Upadhyayas and the ordinary Munis.
The lineage of Ācāryas goes back to Lord Mahavira Swami. After the Ganadharas, there was a lineage of Kevalis, who were succeeded by Shruta-Kevalis. After the last Shruta-Kevali Bhadrabahu, two separate lineages of Ācāryas emerged, a Digambar lineage and a Shvetambara lineage. Several lineages of the Ācāryas exist in both sects. The lineages became Bhattaraka or Yati lineages when it became impossible for them to travel freely. Reforms during the British period restored the Ācārya lineages.
According to Ācārya Nemichandra, Ācārya has thirty-six primary attributes consisting in:
  • Twelve kinds of austerities ;
  • Ten virtues ;
  • Five kinds of observances in regard to faith, knowledge, conduct, austerities, and power.
  • Six essential duties ; and
  • Gupti- Controlling the threefold activity of:
  • *the body;
  • *the organ of speech; and
  • *the mind.
According to the Jain text, Dravyasamgraha,
Chandanaji became the first Jain woman to receive the title of Ācārya in 1987.

Mūla Guṇa

Twelve kinds of austerities (''tapas'')

;External austerities
The external austerities are fasting, reduced diet, special restrictions for begging food, giving up stimulating and delicious dishes, lonely habitation, and mortification of the body.
;Internal austerities
Expiation, reverence, service, study, renunciation, and meditation are the internal austerities.
Ācārya Pujyapada's Sarvārthasiddhi:

Five kinds of observances

Five kinds of observances in regard to faith, knowledge, conduct, austerities, and power. These are:
  1. Darśanācāra- Believing that the pure Self is the only object belonging to the self and all other objects, including the karmic matter are alien; further, believing in the six substances, seven Realities and veneration of Jina, Teachers, and the Scripture, is the observance in regard to faith.
  2. Jñānācāra- Reckoning that the pure Self has no delusion, is distinct from attachment and aversion, knowledge itself, and sticking to this notion always is the observance in regard to knowledge.
  3. Cāritrācāra- Being free from attachment etc. is right conduct which gets obstructed by passions. In view of this, getting always engrossed in the pure Self, free from all corrupting dispositions, is the observance in regard to conduct.
  4. Tapācāra- Performance of different kinds of austerities is essential to spiritual advancement. Performance of penances with due control of senses and desires constitutes the observance in regard to austerities.
  5. Vīryācāra- Carrying out the above mentioned four observances with full vigour and intensity, without digression and concealment of true strength, constitutes the observance in regard to power.

    Six essential duties

Six essential duties of the Ācārya are:
  1. samatā – Equanimity; the state of being without inclination or aversion towards birth or death, gain or loss, glee or pain, friend or foe, etc.
  2. vandanā – Adoration, salutation; of particular Tīrthañkara, or Supreme Being.
  3. stavan – Worshipping; making obeisance to the twenty-four Tīrthañkaras or the five Supreme Beings.
  4. pratikramaṇa – Self-censure, repentance; to drive oneself away from the multitude of karmas, virtuous or wicked, done in the past.
  5. kāyotsarga – Non-attachment to the body; contemplating on the pure Self, thereby disregarding the body.
  6. svādhyāya – Contemplation of knowledge; study of the Scripture, teaching, questioning, reflection, reciting, and preaching.