Digambara sects

The Division of the Religion Jaïna in two sections was the beginning of the bursting of the order into different sects. The Digambara and the Svetâmbara are subdivided in major and minor Secte S, according to various comprehensions and interpretations of the religious texts and according to the observance of the practices. They were born, for their greater part, of interpretations different from the canonical texts, by the successive pontiffs, or of the opposition of fractions of disciples to the established authorities, and the Rite S and Rituel S traditional.

The major Three sects Digambara are the Bisapantha , the Terâpantha and the Târanapantha . The minor Two sects are the Gumânapantha and the Totâpantha .

The sect Bisapantha

The disciples of this sect recognize the authority of the Dharmaguru , called Bhattâraka , which are also the chiefs of the Monastère S religious ( jaïna matha ). Bîsapanthî venerate, in their Temple S, the Idole S of the will tîrthankara , but also those of Kshetrapâla , Padmavâtî and other divinities. They offer saffron, Fleur S, Fruit S, Friandise S, sticks of odorous Encens ( agara-batti ), etc When they make these venerations, they remain sitted by Ground and do not rise. They make also agitations of Lumière S ( ârti ) in front of the Statue S, in the temples, even the Nuit, and they distribute the delicacies offered to the idols ( prasâda ). According to some, this sect is the original form of the section Digambara . Today, practically all the jaïns Digambara , with the Mahârâshtra, the Karnataka and the South of the India, as well as large a Number with the Râjasthân and the Gujarât, are Bîsapanthî .

The sect Terâpantha

This sect saw the day in the Northern of the India, in 1683 of the era Vikrama (Era Indian, starting in year 57 of the Christian era. It would have been rested by king Vikramâditya), in reaction against the domination and the control of some Bhattâraka . Also those are not respected much by its followers.

The Terâpanthi put in their temple the statues of the Tîrthankara , but not that of Kshetrapâla , Padmâvati , or other divinities.

They venerate their idols, not with flowers, fruits, or Légume S greens (known under the name of sachitta ), but with Riz crowned (called akshata ), cloves, Santal, Amande S, Coconut dry, Datte S, etc In general, they do not practice the ârti , and they do not distribute a prasâda in the temples. Moreover, in their Ceremony, they are upright and nonsitted.

Because of these differences with the Bisapanthi , it is clear that the Terâpanthi seem reformers. He are opposed to certain religious practices which, according to them, are not true practices jaïna.

The Terâpanthi completed a valid work by tearing off Digambara with the claws of unquestionable capricious Bhattâraka and, so they occupy a particular place in their community.

They are most numerous in the Uttar Pradesh, the Râjasthân and the Madhya Pradesh.

Although the term Terâpantha appears at the same time at the Digambara and the Svetâmbara , the two sects are completely different. Whereas the Terapanthi Digambara practice the Nudité and the veneration of the idols, the Terapanthi Svetâmbara are completely opposite with the Two.

The sect Târanapantha

The Nom of this sect comes from its founder Târana-Svâmi , or Târana-tarana-Svâmi (1448-1515 after J.C.). It is also called Amayâ Pantha because its disciples venerate the crowned books ( samaya ) and not the idols. Târana-Svâmi died in Malharagarh, in the old State of Gwalior, with the Madhya Pradesh. There, is the principal place of Pèlerinage of the followers.

The Târanapanthî have Temple S in which they preserve their delivers S crowned for the veneration. They do not offer fruits, nor of flowers. In addition to the crowned books of the Digambara , they venerate fourteen others of them, written by their founder. They attach the greattest importance to the spiritual values and being studied of the religious Littérature, it is the Raison for which one sees no external practice, on their premises.

Their founder, absolutely opposite with the System of the castes, opened the doors of his Secte with the Musulman S and the basic people caste, in India.

The principal Three milked of the Târanapanthî , namely: the rejection of the veneration of the idols, the absence of religious practice external and the absolute opposition to the system of the castes, appear like a Révolte against the beliefs and the practices which prevailed in the section of the Digambara . It seems that Târana-Svâmi formulated these principles under the direct influence of the ic doctrines Islam and the lesson of Lonkâshaha, the founder of the sect non-idolâtre of the Sthânakvâsi Svetâmbara .

The Târanapanthî are very few. They are confined mainly in Bundelkhand, in the areas of Malva to the Madhya Pradesh, and of Khandesh to the Mahârâshtra.

The sect Gumânapantha

This sect is not very important and one knows, in fact, little thing on it. One knows that it was founded by Pandit Gumânî Râma or Gumânî Rai , one of wire of Pandit Todarmal ; who resided at Jaipur, with the Râjasthân.

In this sect, lighting of candles or Lamp S, in the temples, is strictly prohibited, because that is regarded as a fundamental violation of the Non-violence. The faithful ones come to return visit to the idols in the sanctuaries, but it do not make them any Offrande.

This sect is famous under the name of Shuddha âmnâya , i.e. of " pure tradition and sacrée" because its Fidèle S always insists on the purity of control, the discipline of oneself, and strict adhesion with the precepts. She was born at the XVIIIe century and she especially developed during this Siècle. She prevailed in various areas of the Râjasthân. It now is found, in the neighborhoods of Jaipur.

The sect Totâpantha

This sect was born from the disagreements between the sects Bîsapantha and Terâpantha . Many sincere efforts were done to find a Compromis between the darkened (Twenty) pantha and the terâ (Thirteen) pantha . The result was the creation of the Sâdhesolaha (Sixteen and half) pantha or Totâpantha . It is the Raison for which the Disciple S of this sect believe, to some extent, with the doctrines of the Bisapantha and, to some extent, with that of the Terâpantha .

The Totâpanthî are far from numerous. One finds them in certain limited parts of the Madhya Pradesh.

In relation to this talk, it should be mentioned that new a sect major Digambara was constituted and that it is popular, particularly in the educated mediums. It is called Kânjîpantha name of its founder Kânjî Swâmi . This Saint Ascète, which by his Naissance was a Svetâmbara Sthânakavasi , succeeded in popularizing the old crowned texts of large the jaïn Digambara , the Saint Âchârya Kundakunda, of the India of the south. But, by interpreting these writings, in order to give more importance to the real point of view than from the practical point of view, it was not approved, in general, by the Digambara , which consider that the Two point of view have an equal importance. Nevertheless, the influence of this sect is in strong increase. The City S of Sonagarh to the Gujarat, and of Jaipur to the Râjasthân, became the centers of their religious activities.

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