__NOTOC__ Mulachara () (Fundamental Conduct) is a Jain text composed by

Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a tit ...

Vattakera Vattakera was a first century CE Digambara Jain Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' ( Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or a ...

of the

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 n ...

tradition, around 150 CE. Mulachara discusses ''anagara-dharma'' – the conduct of a

Digambara monk Digambara Sādhu (also ''muni'', ''sādhu'') is a Sādhu in the Digambar tradition of Jainism, and as such an occupant of the highest limb of the four-fold ''sangha''. They are also called ''Nirgranth'' which means "one without any bonds". Di ...

.Mulachara Ka Samikshatmaka Adhyayana; Premi, Phulchand Jain, 1987 It consists twelve chapters and 1,243 verses on (mendicant discipline). It is also called Digambara Acharanga. The text is written in a dialect that is distinct but shares characteristics with

Ardhamagadhi Ardhamagadhi Prakrit was a Middle Indo-Aryan language and a Dramatic Prakrit thought to have been spoken in modern-day Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and used in some early Buddhist and Jain drama. It was likely a Central Indo-Aryan language, related to ...

. Its dialect has been called Digambara Sauraseni (or Jain Sauraseni) and proposed to reflect the language of ancient

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...

region by Indian scholars. Many characteristics of the Mulachara manuscript, as found in

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, share elements of monastic conduct found in Svetambara scriptures. Some of the verses of ''Mulaccara'' are almost same as those found in Svetambara's ''Dasavaikalika''. This suggests the existence of an ancient shared textual tradition between Digambaras and Svetambaras, one that likely split and differentiated later. Vasunandin wrote a Sanskrit commentary on the ''Mulacara'', and it is titled ''Acaravrtti''.

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Hindi translation of Mūlacāra (Digital Library of India)
Jain texts {{India-stub

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