Why swethambars do not worship jain tirthankar idols?
Short answer:
- Śvetāmbara Jains are broadly divided into groups. Most Murtipūjak Śvetāmbara Jains do worship Tirthankara idols in temples.
- A non-idolatrous path exists within Śvetāmbara too: Sthānakavāsī and Terāpanthī follow practices that do not involve idol worship.
- Digambara Jains also have idols in many temples, but some Digambar groups emphasize non-idolatry in different ways; the key difference is mainly about how worship is approached, not a universal rule across all Digambar communities.
Why this difference exists:
- Historical reform within Śvetāmbara: some followers argued that external idol worship was not essential for purifying the soul and began meeting in simple halls (sthanaks) and focusing on inner worship, scriptures, and vows. This gave rise to Sthānakavāsī (non-idolatry) and later Terāpanthī sub-traditions. Others continued temple idol worship (Derāvāsi/Murtipūjak). ( jainknowledge.com)
In Jain Knowledge pages you can read more about these sub-sects and their practices: