How many items of clothing are Śvetāmbara monks allowed to have, and how are they worn?
Śvetāmbara monks are allowed to keep one, two, or three pieces of clothing, depending on their level of practice [Source 5]. The Āchārānga Sūtra describes a monk as being "clad in one, two, or three garments," and the Āchār Chula (5/2) similarly mentions an ascetic having one or two pieces of cloth [Source 1][Source 5]. The clothing is worn in a specific manner: a loincloth reaching to the shins (Cholapattak), an upper-body cloth (Pangarani/Uttariya Vastra), and a cloth passing over the left shoulder covering the body to just above the ankle (Kāmli) [Source 2]. They also carry a bed sheet, a mat, a Muhapatti (mouth-covering cloth), and an Ogho/Rajoharan (woolen broom) [Source 2].
The number of clothes is not fixed but is tied to the ideal of minimizing possessions (laghava). A monk may keep three clothes, but as they wear out, he should gradually discard them—first the most worn-out, then the next—until he may be clad in only one garment or even become completely unclad (acela) [Source 3]. The scriptures emphasize that clothes are not considered "possessions" (parigraha) in the negative sense, as they are essential for maintaining discipline and modesty; attachment (mūrchā) to them is what constitutes possession [Source 1].
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Based on the provided context, the question of divorce in Jainism is not directly addressed. The sources focus on core Jain principles like non-violence (Ahimsa), non-possessiveness (Aparigraha), and multiplicity of viewpoints (Anekantavada), as well as the importance of celibacy and renunciation for spiritual advancement [1][3][5]. One source notes that the Jain Agamas (scriptures) do not refer to the institution of marriage at all, as the religion's focus is predominantly on the path of renunciation for monks and nuns [3]. Since the context does not cover divorce, here is a general answer: Jainism does not have a central authority or a single scriptural text that explicitly prohibits or permits divorce. In practice, Jainism is generally conservative regarding marriage, which is considered a sacred commitment. However, because Jainism emphasizes the householder's path (Shravak/Shravika) alongside the monastic path, divorce is not categorically forbidden for laypeople. In modern times, Jains typically follow the civil marriage and divorce laws of their respective countries, and divorce is accepted as a practical solution in irreconcilable situations, though it is not encouraged. The primary ethical considerations would be to handle the matter with honesty, non-violence, and minimal harm to all parties involved, in line with Jain ethical principles.
According to the Sthaananga Sutra, there are **four Bharat kshetras** in Dhatakikhand Dveep. [1] This is stated in the context of Jambu Dveep, where outside of it (in Dhatakikhand and Pushkaravar Dveep) there are four Bharat areas and four Airavat areas. [1] The text clarifies that while Jambu Dveep has two of each, the numbers are doubled for Dhatakikhand and Pushkaravar, making it four Bharat kshetras in Dhatakikhand specifically. [1] Additionally, Dhatakikhand contains two Mandar mountains and two Mandar Chulikas. [1]
There are **five Meru mountains** in total in the Jain cosmological geography of the "two-and-a-half continents" (Sadhé Dvipa) that constitute the human realm [Source 2][Source 5]. They are distributed as follows: - **One** in Jambudveep (the central continent), located at its exact center — this is the great "Mahameru," 100,000 yojans high [Source 1][Source 3]. - **Two** in Dhatakikhand — one in the eastern half and one in the western half [Source 2][Source 5]. - **Two** in Pushkarvardh (the half-continent) — one in the eastern half and one in the western half [Source 2][Source 5]. The four smaller Merus (in Dhatakikhand and Pushkarvardh) are 85,000 yojans high — 15,000 yojans less than the great Meru of Jambudveep [Source 2]. Each of the five Meru mountains has four forests (Bhadrashal, Nandan, Saumanas, and Panduk) with four chaityalayas (shrines) each, making a total of 80 shrines across all five mountains [Source 5].
The Navkar Mantra consists of **68 letters** in total in its original Prakrit version. It is composed of **nine padas** (sentences/phrases) and **eight sampadas** (meanings). The first five padas contain 35 letters, while the last four padas—known as the "Chulika"—contain 33 letters, together totaling 68 letters [1][2]. The mantra is also described as being "holy like 68 Tirthas" (pilgrimage sites), and its eight sampadas are said to bestow eight Siddhis (supernatural powers), while its nine padas give nine Niddhis (treasures) [3]. The 68-letter count applies to the original Prakrit version; some traditions may include or exclude certain portions, but the standard full mantra has 68 letters [2].
At present, there are no Tirthankars in our region (Bharat Kshetra) because we are in the 5th Arä [1]. However, there are currently 20 Tirthankars preaching Jainism in the Mahä-Videha regions, with four Tirthankars existing in each of the five Mahä-Videha Kshetras [1, 3, 4]. One of these 20 living Tirthankars is Shri Simandhar Swami [1].
According to Jain cosmology, humans reside in **five Bharat Kshetras**. These are part of the 15 Karma Bhumis (lands of toil) in the human world (Manushya Lok), which also include five Airavat Kshetras and five Mahavideh Kshetras [1][2]. The five Bharat Kshetras are located in Jambudvip, one of the two-and-a-half continents where humans reside [1].