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What happened at the Council of Valabhi?

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Jainism Statue of the Jain Tirthankara (saviour) Mahavira.

The Council of Valabhi, held in the mid-5th century CE (specifically 453 or 456 CE) in the city of Valabhi, was a pivotal event in the history of Jainism.

During this council, the Jain canonical scriptures—which had been transmitted orally for centuries—were systematized and codified into their present form. This gathering is recognized as the fourth and final council in Jain history.123

The event had significant sectarian implications:
* Shvetambara Canon: The council was held without the participation of the Digambara sect, and it successfully codified the Shvetambara canon that remains in use today.3
* Irrevocable Schism: The Digambara monastic community rejected the validity of this codification, which solidified the long-standing division between the Shvetambara and Digambara sects.3

While some commentators suggest that the existing version of the canon may have originated from an earlier council at Mathura, the Valabhi council is widely regarded as the primary source of the current Shvetambara scriptures.2