In Jainism, there are two main views about whether a woman can become a Tirthankara in the current time cycle.

• Digambara view: All Tirthankaras are male. They teach that the special omniscience (kevala jnana) required to become a Tirthankara is not attainable by a woman in the present cycle, because of karmic obstacles tied to the female body. Therefore, according to Digambara doctrine, a woman cannot be a Tirthankara and would be reborn as a man first. This is a core difference between Digambara and Śvetāmbara traditions.

• Śvetāmbara view: There is a female Tirthankara in the current cycle. The most discussed case is Mallīnātha (Mallinath), whom Śvetāmbaras often regard as a female Tirthankara. They believe a woman can attain kevala jnana and become a Tirthankara, just as a man can.

Key point: the disagreement is about divine status and the possibility of kevala jnana for women within the present cosmic cycle. Both traditions share the same goal of liberation, but they differ on this specific doctrinal point. The rest of Jain practice—ahimsa, renunciation, meditation, and the path to moksha—remains the same across traditions.

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