were pancham jains in digambar prohibited from giving alms to monks?
No, not by Jain Dharma as a general rule.
In Digambar Jain tradition, a lay Jain householder may give āhāra-dān (alms/food) to a monk, but it must be done according to proper vidhi and with pure intention. There is no universal Jain prohibition that “Pancham Jains” cannot give alms to monks.
If any such restriction existed, it would have been a local custom, social practice, or sectarian rule, not a core Jain scriptural principle.
In short:
- Jain doctrine: giving alms to monks is allowed and meritorious
- Possible exception: some regional or community customs may have limited practice
- Core point: no general Digambar Jain prohibition against it
If you want, I can also explain the Digambar rules for āhāra-dān in simple terms.