The division between Śvetāmbara and Digambara happened gradually over centuries after Mahavira. A simple, traditional explanation is:

• A famine in Magadha (around the time of Bhadrabahu) caused a migration of monks to the south, while some stayed in the north. After the famine, the two groups disagreed on practice and rule, which slowly hardened into two separate communities. ( jainknowledge.com)

Key points of difference that contributed to the split (and how they are viewed in the two traditions):

• Dress and conduct of monks:

- Digambaras: sky-clad (nudity) as the ideal, seen as the original Jain monastic practice. - Śvetāmbaras: wear white robes; see monastic life as modestly clothed.

• Liberation of women:

- Digambaras: generally hold that a woman cannot attain moksha in a female body and must be reborn as a man. - Śvetāmbaras: believe women can attain moksha and can be liberated in their own right.

• Canon and scriptures:

- Digambaras: believe the original Agamas were lost and rely on later, teacher-authored texts. - Śvetāmbaras: accept the Vallabhi codification of scriptures as authoritative.

• Life of a kevalin (omniscient being) and iconography in worship also show differences in interpretation and practice between the two groups, though both share the core Jain path (ahimsa, aparigraha, anekantavada).

In short, the split reflects debates over monastic practice, scriptures, and certain doctrinal points, anchored in the broader historical context of migration and regional development. Both traditions, however, uphold the core teachings of Mahavira.

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