In Digambar Jain tradition, Mahavir Bhagwan (the Tirthankar Mahavira) is described as having renounced all possessions, including clothing, as part of his final vow of complete austerity and non-attachment. This nudity is not about modesty or fashion; it symbolizes stripping away all worldly ties and comforts to purify the mind and progress on the path to liberation.

Key points:

• Digambar monks are described as dwelling in the sky (digambar means “sky-clad”), which is why they do not wear clothes. This is considered a deliberate act of asceticism and renunciation.
• The practice is tied to the Digambara understanding of true renunciation: forsaking all material coverings to minimize distractions and reaffirm non-attachment.
• There is a related contrast with Svetambar (white-clad) monks and nuns, who wear simple white robes as part of their own tradition of renunciation.

If you’d like, I can share more about how Digambar and Svetambar interpretations differ in other aspects of monastic life, or quote specific Jain scriptures that describe Mahavir’s austere life.