Here is the simple, traditional Jain understanding.

• Who is Mallinath?

Mallinath (the 19th Tirthankar of the present time‑cycle) is revered by all Jains. The difference you have heard about is between Shwetambar and Digambar traditions.

• Why is Mallinath said to be female?

• Shwetambar tradition: Mallinath was born as a woman (Princess Mallī). She took diksha, performed austerities, attained keval‑jñān, taught dharma in the samavasaraṇa, and finally attained moksha. Therefore Shwetambars remember her as the only female among the 24 Tirthankars. • Digambar tradition: Mallinath was male. Digambar texts hold that a Tirthankar must be male, so they identify Mallinath as a male Tirthankar, while accepting the same lanchhan (symbol) and the rest of the life‑events in essence.

• Brief life‑story as commonly told (kept simple, with sect differences noted)

• Birth and family: In both traditions, Mallinath is associated with Mithilā; the parents are commonly named King Kumbha and Queen Prabhāvatī (names and minor details can vary by text). • Turning point: As a youth, Mallī showed deep vairāgya (detachment). A well‑known Shwetambar narration says that when many princes were infatuated with her beauty, she arranged for them to see the quick decay and impurity of material things, teaching anitya (impermanence). This led those princes—and Mallī herself—to renounce. • Keval‑jñān and teaching: After great tapas, Mallī attained omniscience and gave deshnā for the uplift of souls. • Moksha: Mallinath attained nirvāṇa at Sammed Shikharji (a sacred place for the nirvāṇa of many Tirthankars).

• Icon and symbol

All Jains accept Mallinath’s lanchhan (symbol) as the kalasha (pot). In Shwetambar temples, some murtis of Mallī may show very slight feminine features; in both traditions, Tirthankar images are otherwise uniform and serene.

• How to understand the difference

Both traditions equally honor Mallinath as a Sarvajña Tirthankar. The female/male point is a sectarian doctrinal difference: • Shwetambar texts affirm liberation in a female body is possible and record Mallī as female. • Digambar texts hold that a Tirthankar is necessarily male and therefore present Mallinath as male.

This preserves the spiritual essence: Mallinath Bhagwān is a perfected being who showed the path of samyak darshan, jñān, and chāritra.