In Jainism, "aatma" (or "atma") refers to the soul or the self. It is considered the true essence of every living being. According to Jain philosophy, the aatma is eternal, indestructible, and distinct from the body and matter. Every living organism, from the smallest microorganism to the highest celestial being, possesses an aatma.

The aatma is characterized by consciousness (chetana), knowledge (gnan), and perception (darshan). It is bound by karma due to ignorance, attachment, and aversion. The ultimate goal in Jainism is for the aatma to attain liberation (moksha) by shedding all karmic bonds, thereby achieving its pure, blissful, and omniscient state.

Key points about aatma in Jainism:

• It is eternal (has neither beginning nor end).
• It is the true self, distinct from the physical body.
• It is the experiencer of pleasure and pain due to karmic bondage.
• Liberation (moksha) is the state where the aatma is free from all karmas.

The understanding and realization of the true nature of aatma are central to Jain spiritual practice and philosophy.