Jiva (जीव)
"The Conscious Soul"
The living soul — conscious, eternal, and capable of liberation. It is pure, infinite awareness underneath it all.
The Essence of Jiva
Upayoga: Pure Consciousness
Upayoga is the defining characteristic of Jiva. It is the manifestation of consciousness through perception (Darshana) and knowledge (Jnana).
Amurta: The Formless
While residing in a physical body, the soul itself is non-material (Amurta). It possesses no taste, color, smell, or touch.
Kartr: The Agent
The Jiva is the doer of its own actions and the reaper of its own karmic fruits, traversing the cycles of existence until liberation.
"Just as a lamp illuminates a room, the soul illuminates the entire body with consciousness."— Tattvartha Sutra
Eternal Continuity
The soul was never created, and it can never be destroyed. It transitions through forms like a traveler through stations.
Infinite Potency
Every Jiva possesses the inherent capacity for infinite knowledge, perception, and bliss.
The Three States
- Bahiratman (External Soul)
- Antaratman (Internal Soul)
- Paramatman (Supreme Soul)
Anekantavada
Understanding the soul through multifaceted reality. The soul is both permanent in its essence and changing in its modes (Paryayas).