Here is a simple Jain-dharma-based summary of the origin of the Śvetāmbara (Shvetambar) sect:

1. Meaning of “Śvetāmbara”

• “Śveta” = white
• “Ambara” = clothes/garment

So Śvetāmbara means “white‑clad”, referring to monks and nuns who wear simple white clothes.

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2. How did the division start?

After Bhagwan Mahavira’s nirvana, the Jain sangh continued, but over a few centuries differences slowly developed in:

• Rules of monastic life (especially clothing)
• Preservation of scriptures (Āgams)
• Certain doctrinal points (e.g., women’s moksha)

A famous traditional background is:

• A long famine occurred in Magadh (around 3rd–4th century BCE).
• Āchārya Bhadrabahu led one group of monks towards South India (Karnataka region).
• Another group, under Āchārya Sthūlabhadra, remained in the North.

Over time:

• The southern line maintained stricter, nude asceticism → later known as Digambara (“sky‑clad”).
• The northern line accepted wearing simple white robes and gradually formed the Śvetāmbara (“white‑clad”) tradition.

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3. Śvetāmbara’s own traditional dating

According to many Śvetāmbara Jain traditions:

• The schism is linked to events around 83 CE (often mentioned as a key date of separation).
• The final shaping of Śvetāmbara tradition and its canon (Āgam scriptures) is associated with the Council of VALLABHI (in Gujarat), around 5th–6th century CE, where the Śvetāmbara Āgams were written down and organized.

So, in simple words:

> The Śvetāmbara sect did not exist in Mahavira’s own time. It gradually emerged in the centuries after him, becoming clearly distinct by the early centuries CE, and fully crystallized (with its own scriptures and practices) by about the 5th–6th century CE.

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4. Difference in viewpoint (Digambar vs Śvetāmbara on origin)

• Śvetāmbara view

- Their line continued from the original Jain sangh, preserving the Āgams through an unbroken teacher–disciple lineage. - The formal separation is later (around 83 CE and after), with Vallabhi council as a major milestone.

• Digambar view

- They say those who remained in the North became lax during/after the famine and started wearing clothes, and that true ancient practice was preserved by the line that became Digambar. - Thus, they see Śvetāmbara as the later, more relaxed group that adopted clothing and other changes.

Both, however, accept Mahavira and the basic Jain philosophy equally—the differences are mainly in practice, scripture, and some doctrinal points, not in the fundamental principles like ahimsa, anekāntavād, aparigraha, samyak-darshan/gyān/charitra.

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5. Useful simple reference

A short Jain-oriented explanation of the origin of the Śvetāmbara sect and its time-frame is available on JainKnowledge: you can read more here

For background on why the Jain community divided into Digambar and Śvetāmbara, see also: