• Dharma (in Jainism): The overall path or universal law that leads to liberation. It is the righteous way of living and the guiding principles (like ahimsa non-violence, satya truth, asteya non-stealing, brahmacharya, aparigraha, etc.). It is the big framework of ethics and spiritual aims taught by the Tirthankaras.

• Aachaar (conduct/discipline): The practical code of daily living and behavior that follows the dharma. It is how you actually perform your duties and rituals, observe vows, and manage your actions in everyday life (for example, how you speak, what you eat, how you treat others, how you observe fasting or sallekhana, and the specific rules for monks and laypeople).

Key difference:

• Dharma is the overarching path and principles.
• Aachaar is the concrete conduct and discipline you practice to follow that path.

In Jainism, both strands are essential: dharma gives the aim, and aachaar provides the means to live by that aim. Different Digambar and Shwetambar traditions may emphasize slightly different practical details, but both agree on the same core dharma and its implementation through aachaar.