Monks and Acharyas
Acharya Hemachandra
आचार्य हेमचंद्र · આચાર્ય હેમચંદ્ર
The bright boy from Dhandhuka who became the all-knower of a dark age
- 5 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
A little boy named Changdev is noticed by a wandering teacher who sees greatness in him. He grows into one of the most learned monks India has known, and with the help of a king, he fills a whole land with kindness to living beings.
What it teaches Learning Non-violence Open-mindedness Dedication
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago in Gujarat there lived a little boy named Changdev. He was very clever and very kind, and he loved to ask questions.
One day a wise monk came to his town. He saw how bright Changdev was. This boy can become a great teacher, he told Changdev's mother. Let me teach him. His mother loved him very much, but she wanted him to help many people. So she said yes.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Reverence belongs to goodness, by whatever name it is called.
To talk about together
Why do you think Hemachandra's verse at the temple made his critics go quiet?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.