Bispanthi

Bispanthi/Visa panth is one of the Digambara Jain sects that follows the leadership of the Bhattaraka,[1][2] the other one being Terapanthi that opposed the Bhattarakas.

The modern differences between the two sects include use of flowers and fruits during worship, use of milk and other substances during anointing, and the worship of Shasan devatas like Goddess Padmavati. They are accepted by the Bispanthis, but rejected by the Terapanthis.

Some 20th century Bispanth acharyas are Prathamacharya Charitrya Chakarvarthi Shantisagar whose emergence was supported by the local Bhattarakas. Many monks belonging to his tradition such as Acharya Subalasagar, Acharya Sanmathisagar, Acharya Vidyananda, Acharya Vardhamansagar, Acharya Vishudsagar are regarded to be Bispanthis. Acharya Vidyasagar, a disciple of Acharya Gyansagar, is considered to be a Terapanthis, even though Acharya Gyansagar himself derived his tradition from Acharya Santisagar. However most Digambar monks do not use actually use either labels. Aryika pramuk Gyanmati Mataji and her sangha regards itself to be representing Bispanth.

Traditionally, Jains have had two prime sects of Digambara and Svetambara. They were further subdivided into others on their thought schools. Where Digambar Terapanth professes 13 ways, the Bispanthis professed 20 ways to attain liberation. (Bis+panthi = Twenty+Follower of a way.)[3]

References

  1. ↑ Singh, Kumar Suresh; Tapash Kumar Ghosh; Surendra Nath (1996). People of India: Delhi. Anthropological Survey of India. pp. 258–259. ISBN 978-81-7304-096-2.
  2. ↑ Carrithers, Michael; Caroline Humphrey (1991). The Assembly of listeners: Jains in society. Cambridge University Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-521-36505-5.
  3. ↑ Robert Montgomery Martin (1838). Bihar (Patna city) and Shahabad: Volume 1 of The History, Antiquities, Topography, and Statistics of Eastern India. W. H. Allen and Company. p. 216.


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