Here are some core ways Jainism differs from many other religions:

• Non-theistic foundation, with emphasis on karma and liberation rather than worship of a creator God. Real change comes from one’s own right conduct, knowledge, and discipline.

• Ahimsa (non-violence) as the central ethical principle. It extends to thought, speech, and action and influences diet (often vegetarian), professions, and daily interactions.

• The path to liberation is individual effort. Jains focus on right conduct, right knowledge, and right faith (the three jewels) and on purifying the soul from karmic attachments through austerities, vows, and self-discipline.

• Karma as a natural law: actions bind karmic particles to the soul, shaping present and future experiences. Liberation means shedding all karmic particles.

• Strict adherence to vows and ethics:

- Five main vows for laypeople: non-violence, truth, not stealing, celibacy or sexual restraint, and non-possessiveness. - Digambaras and Śvetāmbaras have additional, tradition-dependent practices (e.g., some Digambar monks practice nudity as a sign of renunciation; Śvetāmbaras generally wear simple white robes for monks).

• Rejection of a single creator deity as the ultimate controller of fate. The universe is eternal, governed by natural law, with no beginning or end.

• Emphasis on ascetic practice and discipline as a means to purify the soul, including fasting, self-control, and careful consideration before actions.

• Reverence for Tirthankaras (enlightened teachers) who illuminate the path but are not worshiped as gods who grant salvation. They are guides who show the way, not intercessors.

• Cosmology and ethics are tied to the soul’s journey: there is no eternal heaven or hell as places of punishment; rather, experiences are the result of karmic residue and are shed through right conduct and spiritual practice.

• Liberation (moksha) is achievable in this very life for those who burn away all karmas; many Jain practices aim at this immediate goal, with monastic communities playing a strong role in preserving and transmitting teachings.

Differences within Jainism (Digambara vs. Śvetāmvara):

• Monastic attire and certain practices differ: Digambar monks traditionally renounce clothes (naked) as a symbol of renunciation, while Śvetāmbara monks wear white robes.
• Some scriptures, rituals, and canonical authorities differ between the two orders, leading to variations in temple practices, festival observances, and interpretive emphasis.

If you’d like, I can summarize these distinctions with examples from the Jain scriptures or point you to specific Jain texts that discuss the core principles in more detail.