Jainism developed sub-sects mainly due to differences in practice, interpretation, and governance of monastic communities after Mahavira’s time. Key reasons:

• Monastic attire and conduct: The core split is often described as a difference over nudity. Digambar monks practice sky-clad (naked) austerity, while Shvetambar monks wear white robes. This reflects deeper questions about ideal renunciation and what constitutes true ascetic discipline.
• Canon and scriptures: Different groups came to emphasize or accept different textual sources and sermons. Over time, this led to divergent beliefs about which scriptures and teachings are authoritative.
• Roles of women and lay followers: Debates about women’s ordination, participation of laypeople in rituals, and the pace of renunciatory practice created tensions that contributed to sectarian paths.
• Leadership and reform movements: Various kotis (monastic lineages) and reformers led to organized groups with distinct practices and codes of conduct, expanding into sub-sects such as Sthanakvāsī, Terapanth, and others within the Shvetambar tradition, and further regional variations within Digambar communities.
• Regional and historical contexts: Diaspora, regional Jain communities, and interactions with surrounding cultures shaped evolving customs, rituals, and interpretations, producing a tapestry of sects rather than a single uniform practice.

Despite these differences, all Jain sub-sects share core Jain principles: non-violence (ahimsa), truth (satya), non-stealing (asteya), celibacy (brahmacharya), and non-possessiveness (aparigraha); they mainly reflect varied emphases on discipline, ritual practice, and textual authority within that shared framework.