Jainism teaches that the jiva (soul) is distinct from the sharir (body). According to Jain philosophy, the soul is eternal, conscious, and has its own intrinsic qualities such as knowledge (jnana), perception (darshana), bliss (sukha), and energy (virya). The body, on the other hand, is material and perishable.

When a soul takes birth, it acquires a body according to its past karmas. The association between the soul and the body is temporary and changes with each birth due to the cycle of samsara (rebirth). Upon death, the soul leaves the body and, depending on accumulated karmas, takes another form.

So, jiv (soul) and sharir (body) are not the same. The soul is the true self, while the body is only a temporary residence for the soul. The ultimate goal in Jainism is for the soul to liberate itself from all karmas and the cycle of birth and death, achieving moksha (liberation), where it exists in its pure, bodiless state.