afterbal diksha dress code
After Diksha, dress code for Jain mendicants varies by tradition:
- Svetambar (Shwetambar): Monks and nuns wear simple white clothes (often unstitched). They use specific covering and accessories as reminders of vows, such as a muhapati (mouth covering cloth) and small woolen or cloth wrappers. Hair is not cut at initiation, but many mendicants perform a yearly Loch (keshlunchan) to shed hair. They carry standard monastic items to aid practice, including a broom (ogho/rajoharan), a woolen mat, and a small bed sheet. This dress is meant to minimize possessions and sensory distractions.
- Digambar: Monks generally practice sky-clad renunciation (no clothes), while female renunciates (bhikshunis) in some lineages wear minimal coverings or white robes depending on sub-tradition. The basic aim is to limit attachment to clothing and possessions.
Key items and terms often described in tradition-specific texts include Cholapattak (loin cloth), Pangarani (upper cloth), Uttariya/Vastra (upper covering), Kumli (woolen shawl), Muhapati (mouth covering), and the accompanying tools like Morpichhi (comb-like implement) and Kamandal (water pot). Hair practices typically include Loch (semi-annual hair removal) after initiation. These details can vary slightly between Digambar and Svetambar communities, but the shared goal is simple living and restraint from material adornment. For exact practices in your lineage, consult your guru or local Jain center.
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