Answer

In Jainism, monks belong to monastic lineages or traditions called paramparā, sangha, or gaccha. The two main broad traditions are:

• Digambara
• Śvetāmbara

Within Śvetāmbara, there are further lineages such as:

• Mūrtipūjaka
• Sthānakavāsī
• Terāpanth

Within Digambara, there are also historical lineages such as:

• Mūla Sangh
• Kāṣṭhā Sangh
• Drāviḍa Sangh
• Mathurā Sangh

Explanation

If you are asking about the lineage of monks, then the answer is that Jain monks are not all from one single group. They follow different disciplinary traditions and teacher-lineages.

What is common in all Jain monk lineages?

All Jain monks follow the core Jain ideals:

• Ahिंsā — non-violence
• Aparigraha — non-possessiveness
• B्रह्मचर्य — celibacy
• Satya — truth
• Asteya — non-stealing
• Self-discipline
• Detachment
• Meditation and austerity
• Living for liberation, not comfort

Main difference between lineages

The differences are mainly in:

• Clothing
• Temple worship
• Daily discipline
• Use of items
• Scriptural emphasis
• Style of conduct and travel

---

1) Digambara monks

Living style

• Digambara monks traditionally renounce clothing completely.
• They live with extreme simplicity.
• They carry only the bare minimum items needed for monastic discipline.
• They often wander from place to place, staying briefly in one location.

Practice

• Very strict renunciation
• Deep austerity
• Meditation and self-restraint
• Minimal physical comfort
• They use items like:

- Picchī: a peacock-feather broom to gently clear insects - Kamandalu: a water pot

Example

A Digambara monk may walk barefoot, own almost nothing, and spend the day in meditation, study, and spiritual discipline.

---

2) Śvetāmbara monks

Living style

• Śvetāmbara monks wear white clothes.
• Their practice is also very strict, but the outward appearance is different from Digambara monks.
• They often live in a more organized monastic setting, especially in some lineages.

Practice

• Wear white garments
• Carry a muhapattī to avoid harm to tiny living beings while breathing or speaking
• Emphasize study, preaching, and disciplined conduct
• Some Śvetāmbara lineages do temple worship, while others do not

Example

A Śvetāmbara monk may travel on foot, wear simple white cloth, cover the mouth with a muhapattī, and teach Jain values to householders.

---

Differences in living and practice

A. Clothing

• Digambara monks: traditionally nude, symbolizing complete detachment
• Śvetāmbara monks: wear white clothes

B. Worship style

• Mūrtipūjaka Śvetāmbara monks participate in idol worship in temples
• Sthānakavāsī and Terāpanth monks do not worship idols

C. Monastic discipline

• Digambara discipline is generally more austere in external appearance
• Śvetāmbara discipline is also strict, but external practices differ

D. Scriptural emphasis

• Different lineages may give more importance to different texts and traditions
• But all aim at the same goal: mokṣa or liberation

---

Examples of lineage differences

Example 1: Digambara vs Śvetāmbara

A Digambara monk and a Śvetāmbara monk both practice renunciation, but:

• one wears no clothes traditionally
• the other wears white cloth

Both are aiming for liberation through discipline.

Example 2: Śvetāmbara Mūrtipūjaka vs Terāpanth

Both are Śvetāmbara traditions, but:

• Mūrtipūjaka monks perform temple-related devotional practices
• Terāpanth monks avoid idol worship and emphasize disciplined preaching and organization

Example 3: Daily routine

A monk in one lineage may spend more time in:

• temple rituals and worship

While another may spend more time in:

• meditation, scriptural study, and preaching

---

Spiritual Understanding

The outer differences in Jain monk lineages are important, but the inner goal is the same:

• destroy karma
• purify the soul
• live in complete non-attachment
• move toward liberation

Jainism teaches that form may differ, but the aim remains one. Whether a monk is Digambara or Śvetāmbara, the heart of the path is:

• discipline
• compassion
• restraint
• truth
• detachment

The lineage helps preserve tradition, but the soul’s progress depends on inner purity.

Takeaway

So, the “lineage of monks” in Jainism mainly means the Digambara and Śvetāmbara traditions, with further sub-lineages inside them. They share the same spiritual goal, but differ in clothing, worship style, and monastic practice.

If you want, I can also give you a simple comparison table of Digambara vs Śvetāmbara monks.