total populations of jain sadhus in India
Answer
There is no official, up-to-date nationwide census of Jain sadhus in India. The most commonly cited scholarly estimate for modern India is about
3,000 Jain monks and about
9,000 Jain nuns in 1999, so roughly
12,000 Jain mendicants total. Jainpedia notes that nearly all Jain monks and nuns are in India, and that these figures were last verified in 1999. (
dokumen.pub)
Explanation
If you mean
sadhus in the strict sense of
male Jain monks, the estimate is around
3,000. If you mean the whole Jain renunciant order—
sadhus + sadhvis—the estimate is around
12,000. (
dokumen.pub)
Spiritual Understanding
In Jain Dharma, sadhus and sadhvis represent the ideal of renunciation and discipline. They live by the monastic vows, follow a wandering ascetic life, and serve as spiritual exemplars for the Jain sangh. (
jainpedia.org)
Takeaway
A safe summary is:
about 3,000 Jain sadhus (monks) in India, and about 12,000 Jain ascetics total when nuns are included. (
dokumen.pub)