''Āchārya'' () means the Head of an order of ascetics. Some of the famous achāryas are Bhadrabahu, Kundakunda, Samantabhadra,

Umaswami Umaswati, also spelled as Umasvati and known as Umaswami, was an Indian scholar, possibly between 2nd-century and 5th-century CE, known for his foundational writings on Jainism. He authored the Jain text ''Tattvartha Sutra'' (literally '"All Tha ...

Sthulibhadra Sthulabhadra (297-198 BCE) was the founder of Svetambara Jain order during a 12-year famine in Maurya empire in third or fourth-century BC. He was a disciple of Bhadrabahu and Sambhutavijaya. His father was Sakatala, a minister in Nanda kingdo ...

. In

Digambara ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being '' Śvētāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing ...

Jainism, ''Āchārya'' has thirty-six primary attributes (''mūla guṇa'') consisting in: *Twelve kinds of austerities (''tapas''); *Ten virtues (''dasa-lakṣaṇa dharma''); *Five kinds of observances in regard to faith, knowledge, conduct, austerities, and power. *Six essential duties (''Ṣadāvaśyaka''); and *''Gupti''- Controlling the threefold activity of: **the body; **the organ of speech; and **the mind. According to the Jain text, ''

Dravyasamgraha ' (Devnagari: द्रव्यसंग्रह) (Compendium of substances) is a 10th-century Jain text in Jain Sauraseni Prakrit by Acharya Nemicandra belonging to the Digambara Jain tradition. It is a composition of 58 ''gathas'' (verses) ...

'', Chandanaji became the first Jain woman to receive the title of Acharya in 1987.

Mūla Guṇa

Twelve kinds of austerities (''tapas'')

;External austerities The external austerities (''bāhya tapas'') are fasting (''anaśana''), reduced diet (''avamaudarya''), special restrictions for begging food (''vrttiparisamkhyāna''), giving up stimulating and delicious dishes (''rasaparityāga''), lonely habitation (''viviktaśayyāsana''), and mortification of the body (''kāyakleśa''). ;Internal austerities Expiation (''prāyaścitta''), reverence (''vinaya''), service (''vaiyāvrttya''), study (''svādhyāya''), renunciation (''vyutsarga''), and meditation (''dhyāna'') are the internal austerities (''antarañg tapas''). ''Acharya

Pujyapada Acharya Pujyapada or Pūjyapāda (464–524 CE) was a renowned grammarian and ''acharya'' (philosopher monk) belonging to the Digambara tradition of Jains. It was believed that he was worshiped by demigods on the account of his vast scholarship ...

s ''Sarvārthasiddhi'':

Five kinds of observances

Five kinds of observances in regard to faith, knowledge, conduct, austerities, and power. These are: #''Darśanācāra''- Believing that the pure Self is the only object belonging to the self and all other objects, including the karmic matter (''dravya karma'' and ''no-karma'') are alien; further, believing in the six substances ('' dravyas''), seven Realities (''

tattvas According to various Indian schools of philosophy, ''tattvas'' () are the elements or aspects of reality that constitute human experience. In some traditions, they are conceived as an aspect of deity. Although the number of ''tattvas'' varies ...

'') and veneration of Jina, Teachers, and the Scripture, is the observance in regard to faith (''darśanā''). #''Jñānācāra''- Reckoning that the pure Self has no delusion, is distinct from attachment and aversion, knowledge itself, and sticking to this notion always is the observance in regard to knowledge (''jñānā''). #''Cāritrācāra''- Being free from attachment etc. is right conduct which gets obstructed by passions. In view of this, getting always engrossed in the pure Self, free from all corrupting dispositions, is the observance in regard to conduct (''cāritrā''). #''Tapācāra''- Performance of different kinds of austerities is essential to spiritual advancement. Performance of penances with due control of senses and desires constitutes the observance in regard to austerities (''tapā''). #''Vīryācāra''- Carrying out the above mentioned four observances with full vigour and intensity, without digression and concealment of true strength, constitutes the observance in regard to power (''vīryā'').

Six essential duties

Six essential duties (''Şadāvaśyaka'') of the ''Ācārya'' are: #''samatā'' (''

sāmāyika ''Sāmāyika'' is the vow of periodic concentration observed by the Jains. It is one of the essential duties prescribed for both the ''Śrāvaka'' (householders) and ascetics. The preposition ''sam'' means one state of being. To become one is ' ...

'') – Equanimity; the state of being without inclination or aversion towards birth or death, gain or loss, glee or pain, friend or foe, etc. #''vandanā'' – Adoration, salutation; of particular Tīrthañkara, or Supreme Being (Parameşthī). #''stavan'' – Worshipping; making obeisance to the twenty-four ''Tīrthañkaras'' or the five Supreme Beings ('' Pañca Parameşthī''). #''pratikramaṇa'' – Self-censure, repentance; to drive oneself away from the multitude of karmas, virtuous or wicked, done in the past. #''kāyotsarga'' – Non-attachment to the body; contemplating on the pure Self, thereby disregarding the body. #''svādhyāya'' – Contemplation of knowledge; study of the Scripture, teaching, questioning, reflection, reciting, and preaching.

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