what is vihara

Vihara in Jainism means a dwelling or refuge for renunciants. It is a place where monks and nuns stay, especially during the rainy season (chaturmasya), and also refers to the general idea of a monk’s resting place or shelter.

Key points:

• Primary sense: a resting dwelling or monastery for Jain monks/nuns.
• During the rainy season, wandering digambar and shwetambar monks stay in vihāras rather than roaming.
• The term can also express the act of wandering for the monks in some contexts, but in Jain literature it most commonly denotes their temporary shelters and residences.

There can be slight glosses between Digambar and Shvetambar traditions in specific texts, but the core meaning—dwelling/refuge for renunciants—remains the same.

You can read more about the general concept of vihara in Jain context here