• 13-panti Jains (Terapantha)

- Origin and name: Terapantha, from “tera panth” meaning thirteen, founded in the Digambara tradition as a reform with a strict framework. It is also used for a Svetambara branch with differences, but the well-known Terapantha in practice is the disciplined, single-ācārya system. - Key principles: 13 main elements—five Mahavratas (great vows), five Samitis (regulations), and three Guptis (restraints). This is the core organizing code for monks and lay followers. - Organization and worship: Traditionally led by one ācārya (central religious head); emphasis is on ascetic discipline, insight meditation (prekṣā dhyāna), and non-idolatry in many practices. Temples may differ between Digambara and Svetambara Terapanthus, but the common thread is centralized spiritual authority and a narrow, disciplined path. - Spiritual aim: liberation through disciplined practice, ethics, and inner insight rather than ritual image worship.

• 20-panti Jains (Digambar/Sarabati Jains)

- Origin and name: “Twenty panthi” refers to a broader Digambara tradition that historically included multiple religious authorities and practices, with a more pluralistic, decentralized structure. The term is used for certain older lay networks within Digambar Jain communities. - Key principles: not defined by a single set of thirteen rules; rather, a variety of practices and lineages existed under different religious authorities (often more tolerance for varied ritual practices, including temple worship in many cases). - Organization and worship: plural leadership with several Dharma-gurus or Bhattarakas in some places; temples often include idol worship and a wider range of ritual practices. There can be regional differences, and some groups emphasize tradition and lineage rather than a single head. - Spiritual aim: liberation as taught within a broader Digambara framework, with a wider repertoire of worship and practices than the tightly organized Terapantha.

In short, 13-panti Terapantha emphasizes a tight, thirteen-rule framework under centralized guidance and often non-idolatrous practice, while 20-panti Jains refer to a broader Digambara tradition with more diverse ritual practices and multiple spiritual authorities.