Aryika Aryika Aryika, also known as Sadhvi, is a female mendicant (nun) in Jainism. In the traditional Digambara tradition, a male human being is considered closest to the apex with the potential to achieve liberation, particularly through asceticism. Women must gain karmic merit, to be reborn as man, and only then can they achieve spiritual liberation in the Digambara sect of Jainism. This view is different from the Svetambara sect that believes that women too can achieve liberation from "Saṃsāra" by being mendicants and through ascetic practices. According to Svetambara Jain texts, from "Kalpasutras" onwards, Jainism has had more "sadhvis" than
Sadhu had 6,000 sadhvis of which less than 100 belong to the Digambara tradition and rest to Svetambara. The processes and rituals of becoming a sadhu vary with sect; in almost all sects, a sadhu is initiated by a guru, who bestows upon the initiate a new name, as well as a mantra, (or sacred sound or phrase), which is generally known only to the sadhu and the guru and may be repeated by the initiate as part of meditative practice. Becoming a sadhu is a path followed by millions. It is supposed to be the fourth phase in a Hindu's