Gaccha
{{Short description|Order of followers of the Murtipujaka Śvetāmbara sect of Jainism}}
{{Jainism}}
Gaccha, alternatively spelled as Gachchha, is a monastic order, along with lay followers, of the idol worshipping Murtipujaka Śvetāmbara sect of Jainism.
Etymology
Gaccha literally means "who travel together".{{cite book|author=John E. Cort|title=Jains in the World : Religious Values and Ideology in India: Religious Values and Ideology in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZk-4HOMzsoC&pg=PA42|access-date=6 August 2014|date=22 March 2001|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-803037-9|pages=42–44}}
History
According to Jain tradition, in the first century, Vajrasensuri established four Kulas, subdivisions within the Swetambara Murtipujaka Jain community, to divide the community during time of drought to disperse them. They were: Chandra, Nirvriti, Vidyadhar and Nagendra. During 1000 to 1300 CE, the Gaccha replaced these Kula as basic divisions of community.
Although some 84 separate gacchas have appeared since the 7th–8th century, only a few have survived, such as the Kharatara, the Tapa, the Achal, the Paichand or Parshwachandra Gaccha. While the gacchas do not differ from one another in matters of doctrine, they do differ on issues of practice, in particular those practices relating to the sacred calendar and to ritual. The various gacchas also trace their descent through different lineages.
=Former 84 Gacchas=
The number of 84 Gacchas is still spoken of by the Jains, but the lists that have been hitherto published are very discordant. The Upkeśa Gaccha is, historically, the oldest of all. It is also the only one of the 84 gacchas that follows the lineage of Parshvanatha.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.calcutta.06227/page/n249/mode/2up |title=Indian Antiquary: A Journal of Oriental Research, Vol-19, Issue no.-January–December}}{{Cite web |last=Upadhye |first=A N |title=Jain Bibliography Part 2 |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/016036/59 |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=jainqq.org}}{{Cite web |last=Maharaja |first=Gyansundar |title=Oswal Porwal Aur Shreemal Jatiyo Ka Sachitra Prachin Itihas |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/034569/15 |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=jainqq.org}} The rest follow the lineage of Mahavira. The following was obtained from a member of the sect as being their recognized list,--and allowing for differences of spelling, nearly every name may be recognized in those previously published by Mr. H. G. Briggs or Colonel Miles.{{cite book | title=On the Indian Sect of the Jainas by Georg Bühler (Public Domain text)| via=Project Gutenberg | date= April 2004 | url=http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11897?msg=welcome_stranger | access-date=16 June 2015}}
The eighty four gacchas of the Jains:Those names marked * are found in Col. Miles's list Tr. R. A. S. vol. III, pp. 358 f. 363, 365, 370. Those marked † are included in H. G. Brigg's list,--Cities of Gujarashtra, p. 339.
{{columns-list|colwidth=13em|
- ? *†
- Upkeśa*†
- Achal Gaccha
- Jirâvalâ*†
- Khaḍatara or Kharatara
- Lonkâ or Richmati*†
- Tapa Gaccha
- Gaṁgeśvara*†
- Koraṇṭavâla†
- Ânandapura†
- Bharavalî
- Uḍhavîyâ*†
- Gudâvâ*†
- Dekâüpâ or Dekâwâ*†
- Bh nmâlâ†
- Mahuḍîyâ*†
- Gachhapâla*†
- Goshavâla†
- Magatragagadâ†
- Vṛihmânîyâ†
- Tâlârâ*†
- Vîkaḍîyâ*†
- Muñjhîyâ*†
- Chitroḍâ†
- Sâchorâ*†
- Jachaṇḍîyâ†
- Sîdhâlavâ*†
- Mîyâṇṇîyâ
- Âgamîyâ†
- Maladhârî*†
- Bhâvarîyâ†
- Palîvâla*†
- Nâgadîgeśvara†
- Dharmaghosha†
- Nâgapurâ*†
- Uchatavâla†
- Nâṇṇâvâla*†
- Sâḍerâ*†
- Maṇḍovarâ*†
- Śurâṇî*†
- Khaṁbhâvatî*†
- Pâëchaṁda
- Sopârîyâ*†
- Mâṇḍalîyâ*†
- Kochhîpanâ*†
- Jâgaṁna*†
- Lâparavâla*†
- Vosaraḍâ*†
- Düîvaṅdanîyâ*†
- Chitrâvâla*†
- Vegaḍâ
- Vâpaḍâ
- Vîjaharâ, Vîjharâ*†
- Kâüpurî†
- Kâchala
- Haṁdalîyâ†
- Mahukarâ†
- Putaliyâ*†
- Kaṁnarîsey†
- Revarḍi̐yâ*†
- Dhandhukâ†
- Thaṁbhanîpaṇâ*
- Paṁchîvâla†
- Pâlaṇpurâ*
- Gaṁdhârîyâ*†
- Velîyâ†
- Sâḍhapunamîyâ
- Nagarakoṭîyâ*†
- Hâsorâ*†
- Bhaṭanerâ*†
- Jaṇaharâ*†
- Jagâyana*
- Bhîmasena*†
- Takaḍîyâ†
- Kaṁboja*†
- Senatâ†
- Vagherâ*†
- Vaheḍîyâ*
- Siddhapura*†
- Ghogharî*†
- Nîgamîyâ
- Punamîyâ
- Varhaḍîyâ†
- Nâmîlâ.†
}}
=Present Gacchas=
Tapa Gaccha was founded by Jagatchandrasuri in Vikram Samvat 1285 (1229 CE). He was given the title of "Tapa" (i.e., the meditative one) by the ruler of Mewar. It was a branch of the Brihad Gaccha founded by Udyotan Suri. Vijaydevsuri (1600–1657 AD) is considered one of major leader of lineage. They reformed monastic order of Śvetāmbara Jainism. As a result of this reform, most Śvetāmbara Jain monks today belong to Tapa Gaccha.
Kharatara Gaccha was founded by Vardhamana Suri (till 1031). His teacher was a temple-dwelling monk. He rejected him because of not following texts.{{cite encyclopedia|title=Overview of world religions-Jainism-Kharatara Gaccha|url=http://www.philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia/jainism/khara.html|encyclopedia=philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia/index.html|publisher=Division of Religion and Philosophy, University of Cumbria|access-date=27 November 2012}}{{Cite book|last= Glasenapp|first=Helmuth|title=Jainism: An Indian Religion of Salvation|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ|isbn=9788120813762|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WzEzXDk0v6sC&q=jainism&pg=PA383|access-date=27 November 2012|page=389|year=1999}} His pupil, Jineshvara, got honorary title 'Kharatara' (Sharp witted or Fierce) because he defeated Suracharya, leader of Chaityavasis in public debate in 1023 at Anahilvada Patan. So the Gaccha got his title. Another tradition regards Jinadatta Suri (1075-1154) as a founder of Gaccha.
Achal Gaccha, also known as the Vidhipakṣa or Anchal Gaccha ({{langx|hi|अचलगच्छ or अंचलगच्छ}}) is one of the four existing Gacchas and one of the 84 gacchas of the Śvetāmbara Murtipujaka sect of Jainism.{{Cite web |last=Jain |first=Parshwa |title=Anchalgacchana Jyotirdharo |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/034741/7}}{{Cite book |last=Schubring |first=Walther |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sYXKD2IAu00C&dq=%22vidhipaksa%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA70 |title=The Doctrine of the Jainas: Described After the Old Sources |date=2000 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=978-81-208-0933-8 |language=en}} It was founded by Acharya Aryarakshitsuri in 1079 CE.Currently, Acharya Kalāprabhasāgarsuri is the gacchadhipati of Achal Gaccha who was declared as Gunodayasāgarsuri's successor after his demise in 2020. Acharya Kalāprabhasāgarsuri was formally coronated as the gacchadhipati of Achal Gaccha in 2022 in Mulund.{{Cite web |last=Kalaprabhasagarsuri |first=Acharya |title=Arya-Kalyan-Gautam Smruti Granth |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/012034/6}}
Other gaccha is Parshwachandra Gaccha.
;Presiding deities
Adhishthayak Deva or presiding deities are protector deities of followers of each Gaccha. They are as follows: Manibhadra Vira of Tapa Gaccha; Ambika and Bhairava of Khartara Gaccha; Kalika and Chakreshvari of Achal Gaccha; Nakoda Batuk Bhairava of Parshwachandra Gaccha.{{cite book|author=Kristi L. Wiley|title=The A to Z of Jainism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cIhCCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA138|date=17 June 2009|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-6337-8|page=23}}