number of active gacchas in Jain sect
- In the Śvetāmbara Mūrti-pujaka tradition, there are four main active Gacchas today: Tapagaccha, Kharatara Gaccha, Parshvachandra (Paichandra/Parshwachandra) Gaccha, and Achal Gaccha.
- Historically, many more Gacchas existed (often cited as 84), but most are now extinct or very small; only these four are widely recognized as active today. In the Digambar tradition, the Gaccha framework is not as central as in Śvetāmbara, and the monastic lineages are organized differently.
If you’d like, I can give a brief note on how each of the four active Gacchas traditionally approaches practice or calendar observances, and how Digambar monastic lineages differ.