Jainism does not place a religious ban on marrying someone from a different caste. The core teachings focus on the soul’s progress, ahimsa, truth, and right conduct, not on caste purification or restrictions. Social practice in many Jain communities has historically favored endogamy (within one’s own caste/sect), but this is cultural rather than a strict religious rule.

Key points:

• There is no doctrinal prohibition against intercaste marriage in Jain scriptures.
• Traditional practice often preferred marriages within the same Jain community or within the same sect (Digambara or Śvetāmbara) or sub-castes, mainly for cultural and ritual compatibility.
• Gotra-based exogamy/endogamy is a cultural guideline in some places, not a universal religious ban, and interpretations vary by local community.

If you’d like, you can read more on these nuances in Jain Knowledge’s discussions about intercaste marriage and Jain marriage norms: