Among the branches of Jainism, it’s the Svetambara community that holds the Acharanga Sutra in the highest esteem. As one of the twelve Angas, this ancient manual on monastic discipline forms the bedrock of Svetambara monastic life. Whether it’s the Murtipujaka (temple‐worshipping) faction, the more austere Sthanakvasi movement, or the Terapanthi group—which just concluded its biennial seminar in Udaipur this spring—the Acharanga remains their guide for ethical conduct, perfect restraint, and non-possession.

Digambara Jains, by contrast, maintain that the original Angas—including the Acharanga—were lost long ago. Their scholarly traditions instead lean on works like the Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama and the Kasāyapāhuda, composed in the early centuries of the common era. While Digambara monks will often reference the themes of ahimsa, aparigraha and samyak-darśana found in the Acharanga, the text itself doesn’t carry canonical authority for them.

In recent years, efforts to digitize Svetambara scriptures have brought the Acharanga to wider audiences. Apps such as the Jain e‐Library, launched in late 2023, offer line-by-line commentaries by noted Acharyas, connecting a practice rooted in the 1st millennium BCE with cutting-edge technology. At the same time, dialogues at events like the Global Jain Summit 2024 have spotlighted how monastic precepts from the Acharanga still resonate in debates over environmental ethics, minimalism and mindful living.

It’s fascinating to see how, despite schisms over scripture, the moral principles enshrined in this venerable text continue to inspire both scholarly study and practical application across Jain communities worldwide.