After someone takes diksha in Jainism, their life changes completely – both externally and internally.

In simple points:

1. They become a sadhu or sadhvi

- Diksha means formal renunciation. - The person is no longer a “householder”; they are now a Jain monk (sadhu) or nun (sadhvi). ( jainknowledge.com)

1. They give up worldly life and identity

- No personal property, money, business, or job. - Leave behind family roles: no husband/wife/parent/child relationship in the worldly sense. - Live with very few basic necessities, all owned only in a religious sense (e.g., rajoharan/ogho, scriptures, etc., depending on tradition). ( jainknowledge.com)

1. They accept the five great vows (mahāvrat)

Practised in the strictest way possible: - Ahimsā – complete non‑violence - Satya – complete truthfulness - Aste­ya – not taking anything not given - Brahmacharya – total celibacy in body, speech and mind - Aparigraha – total non‑possessiveness This is far stricter than the small vows of laypeople. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Their daily routine becomes fully spiritual

Typically includes: - Study of Jain scriptures - Repeated Navkār Mantra, pratikraman, meditation - Vows of limited food (only once or twice a day, only what is given on gochari) - Many fasts and other tapasyā (austerities) - Walking only on foot, often barefoot; careful movement to avoid harming even tiny life‑forms. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. They come under the guidance of an ācārya or guru

- After diksha, the new monk/nun lives in a sangh (group) under a guru. - They follow strict discipline, rules about travel, speech, food, interactions, etc.

1. Their goal becomes only one: moksha

- The purpose of diksha is to purify the soul and break karmic bonds. - By intense vows, self‑control, and meditation, they aim ultimately for keval‑jnan and then moksha (liberation from birth and death). ( jainknowledge.com)

1. They become guides for lay Jains

- Sadhus and sadhvis are one of the four “pillars” of Jain religion (sadhu, sadhvi, shravak, shravika). - They give discourses, answer questions, and show by their own life how to live with non‑attachment and ahimsā. ( jainknowledge.com)

1. Differences in Digambar / Shvetambar traditions (in brief)

- Digambar sadhus practise even more external renunciation (e.g., sky‑clad for male monks), have a particular set of possessions and rules. - Shvetambar sadhus/sadhvis wear white clothes and follow their own detailed code. - But in both, the inner meaning is the same: complete renunciation, strict vows, and the path to moksha. ( jainknowledge.com)

So, after diksha, a person’s life is no longer about career, family, or comfort. It becomes a full‑time, lifelong journey of tyāg (giving up), tap (austerity), and dhyān (meditation) aimed at freeing the soul.

You can read more in detail here