Jainism is not a later “sect” that grew out of the Indus/Sindhu civilization. In Jain tradition, it is an eternal dharma (sanatana) that has always existed, and it regards its own line of Tirthankaras (24 in total, with Mahavira as the 24th) as guiding teachers who revived and taught the path of ahimsa, truth, and spiritual purification.

Key points:

• Jainism is usually dated to well before common era, with historical figures like Mahavira (circa 6th century BCE) playing a central role in organizing and teaching the Jain path. Some Jain sources place earlier teachings in the broader dharma (ancient Indian culture) but not as a mere offshoot of the Indus Valley or Sindhu Saraswati civilization.
• The Indus/Sindhu civilization (c. 2600–1900 BCE) predates Jainism and left archaeological traces, but Jainism as a living tradition emerges later in the Indian subcontinent and is distinct from the later devotional currents of Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
• Vaishnavism and Shaivism are devotional streams within the broader Hindu framework. Jainism, while sharing cultural milieu, follows its own path centered on non-violence (ahimsa), non-attachment, and the liberation of the soul through right conduct, right knowledge, and right perception.

If you’d like, I can explain how Jain texts describe the lineage of Tirthankaras and how Jain practice differs from the devotional practices found in Vaishnavism and Shaivism.