Answer

The two main Jain sects, Digambara and Śvetāmbara, gradually formed after differences developed among Jain monks regarding conduct, scriptures, and discipline.

Traditionally, the separation is connected with a severe famine in Magadha, often placed a few centuries after Bhagwan Mahavir’s nirvana. During this time, a group of monks led by Acharya Bhadrabahu is said to have migrated south, while another group remained in the north. Over time, differences in practices and beliefs became formalized into two traditions.

Explanation

The two sects were not formed suddenly on one exact day. The division developed gradually due to:

• Different monastic practices: Digambara monks follow complete non-possession, including not wearing clothes. Śvetāmbara monks wear simple white robes.
• Scriptural differences: Śvetāmbaras preserve a canon of Agamas. Digambaras hold that the original Agamas were eventually lost and rely on later authoritative texts based on the teachings of the Jinas.
• Historical separation: Due to migration and long separation during the famine period, practices developed differently in different regions.
• Different views on certain doctrinal matters: For example, the two traditions differ on the spiritual status of women in the present life and details of Lord Mahavir’s life.

The names mean:

• Digambara means “sky-clad,” referring to the ideal of complete renunciation practiced by their monks.
• Śvetāmbara means “white-clad,” referring to monks and nuns wearing white robes.

Spiritual Understanding

Although the two sects differ in some practices and historical understandings, both accept the core Jain principles:

• Ahimsa — non-violence
• Anekantavada — many-sidedness of truth
• Aparigraha — non-possessiveness
• Karma theory
• Liberation through right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct
• Reverence for the 24 Tirthankars

Takeaway

The Digambara and Śvetāmbara sects formed because of historical separation, differences in monastic discipline, and later differences in scripture and doctrine. But both traditions remain devoted to the path taught by the Tirthankars: purification of the soul through non-violence, self-control, and liberation.