In Jain dharma, cheese is generally discouraged, and in stricter practice it is avoided.

Short, clear points:

1. Source of cheese

- Cheese is made from milk, and many Jains today avoid or reduce all dairy because modern dairy production often involves himsa (violence) to cows and calves. - Many cheeses (especially Western/hard cheeses) use animal rennet (from the stomach of calves). This makes such cheese definitely not acceptable for a Jain.

1. Vegetarian / microbial rennet cheese

- Some cheese is made with microbial or vegetarian rennet. - Even then, issues remain: - It is still a dairy product (linked to cow–calf separation, etc.). - There may be fermentation and many micro-organisms involved. - So, some relatively liberal Jain households may allow limited cheese, but conservative or strict Jains avoid it.

1. Digambar vs Shwetambar

- Digambar: Generally stricter; many avoid cheese and often try to avoid dairy altogether, especially when doing any vow (vrat), Paryushan/Das-Lakshan, etc. - Shwetambar: Many families do use milk, curd, paneer, ghee in daily life, but even among them, cheese is often avoided, or taken only if clearly vegetarian and in small amounts. - During Paryushan / special vrats, even those who normally take dairy usually do not take cheese at all. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Practical guidance

- If you want to follow a strict Jain lifestyle, best is: - Avoid cheese completely. - If your family/tradition is a bit more flexible: - Only consider cheese that is: - Clearly 100% vegetarian (no animal rennet), - As simple and fresh as possible (like fresh homemade paneer rather than aged/processed cheese), - And even then, taken sparingly and preferably avoided during vrats and Paryushan. ( jainknowledge.com)

You can read a simple explanation on this topic here