Early Modern Digambara Jain Ascetic Lineages

Abstract

Ascetic lineages have played a crucial role in the history of Jainism. Yet, the development of Digambara Jain lineages remains poorly studied in comparison to their Śvetāmbara counterparts. This paper analyses the case of the western and central Indian lineages of the Mūlasaṅgha Balātkāragaṇa tradition in the Sultanate (1206-1526 CE) and Mughal (1526-1857 CE) eras. Throughout the early modern period (ca. 1400-1800 CE), the formation of new Balātkāragaṇa lineages and the frequent relocations of their seats were steered by external factors like the rise and fall of Indo-Persian and Rajput polities, attendant socio-economic conditions, migrations of lay communities, patronage, and caste and subcaste group dynamics. Many Balātkāragaṇa lineages commonly remembered as successions of bhaṭṭārakas instead existed for considerable periods as successions of lower-ranking ācāryas and maṇḍalācāryas before reaching autonomy as bhaṭṭāraka seats.