Differences between Digambar and Shwetambar (in brief)

• Clothing and ascetic practice:

- Digambar: Monks do not wear clothes (they practice nudity as a sign of complete renunciation). Nuns exist too, but the monastic system and rules differ from Śvetāmbara. - Śvetāmbara: Monks and nuns wear white clothing as part of their renunciation.

• Canons and scriptures:

- Digambar: They hold a different set of canonical texts and traditionally believe the original Jain scriptures were in the form of Angas; over time, some Anga texts and commentaries differ in acceptance. - Śvetāmbara: They accept a broader collection of scriptures written in white-cloth communities, including texts that Digambar communities may not recognize in the same way.

• Beliefs about monastic order and gender:

- Digambar: The traditional Digambar line has historically emphasized a stricter monastic code and, in some periods, did not ordain bhikshunis (nuns) in the same way Śvetāmbaras did. Modern discussions vary by sub-tradition. - Śvetāmbara: They ordain both bhikṣus (monks) and bhikṣuṇī (nuns), and their monastic rules and ordination practices reflect that structure.

• Philosophical and ritual emphasis:

- Both traditions share core Jain principles (ahimsa, anekantavada, aparigraha) but differ in liturgy, temple practices, festival observances, and some ritual details. - Some Jain rituals, fasts, and pilgrimage sites are celebrated or observed with different customs in the two communities.

• Historical origins:

- Both trace back to Mahavira’s teachings, but they split early in Jain history and developed distinct communities, scriptures, and practices over many centuries.

If you’d like, I can point to specific Jain texts and clarify how each tradition explains particular verses or rituals, and I can also summarize how Digambar and Śvetāmbara traditions describe the path to moksha within their own frameworks.