Who Were the Caityavāsins? Monastic Dwelling, Sectarian Polemics, and Reform in Medieval Jainism

The term caityavāsin has long been used to describe Śvetāmbara Jain monks accused of abandoning itinerancy and residing in temple complexes—a characterization shaped by later reformist narratives that equated temple dwelling with monastic laxity. However, pre-reform sources largely remain silent on these issues, and even non-Khartaragaccha texts do not emphasize this supposed transformation. Over time, caityavāsin became a ubiquitous polemical label, retrospectively applied to define the pre-reform past or discredit rivals. Through the case study of Upakeśagaccha, this paper examines the limitations of these polemical labels and questions the assumption that temple residence inherently violated monastic vows. By reassessing epigraphic, textual, and archaeological evidence, it challenges reductionist views and responds to broader questions of how to define the caityavāsin tradition, its practices, and the evolving concerns over monastic dwelling in Jain reform movements.