In Jain Dharma, ātma (jīva) is not made or created. It is eternal, beginningless, and endless.

1) How does ātma “happen”?

It does not happen or come into existence at some time. According to Jain philosophy:

• Ātma is always existent
• It is not produced by anyone
• It is independent in its own nature
• It is covered by karma because of its own association with karmic particles

So, the question is not “how was ātma made?”, but rather: How does ātma get bound with karma and take birth in different bodies?

2) Why is it attached to living beings only?

Because ātma itself is the principle of life. Where there is ātma, there is life. A body without ātma is non-living matter.

In Jainism, all embodied living beings have a jīva, whether:

• one-sensed beings
• two-sensed beings
• humans
• animals
• heavenly beings
• hell beings

This attachment to a body happens because of karma bondage. Karma causes the soul to take birth in a suitable body according to its past actions.

3) How long can ātma remain without a body?

In Jainism, the soul can remain without a physical body in the liberated state.

That means:

• When a soul becomes siddha, it is free from all karma
• Then it remains without body forever
• It does not return to birth and death again

So the ātma can remain without a body eternally in liberation.

4) Why is it usually attached to a body?

Because until liberation, the soul has karma bondage. That karma makes the soul take one body after another.

So body-attached existence continues due to:

• ignorance
• passions like anger, pride, deceit, greed
• activities of mind, speech, and body
• karmic bondage

5) How far does ātma travel?

In Jain view, a soul can travel through many realms of existence, but it does not travel like a physical object. Rather, it takes rebirth in different bodies and worlds according to karma.

A soul may be born in:

• human realm
• animal realm
• heavenly realm
• hell realm
• even in subtle forms of life

When liberated, the soul rises to the top of the universe, to the Siddha Śilā.

6) Very important Jain understanding

• Ātma is eternal
• Ātma is not created
• Ātma is bound by karma
• Ātma can be without body in liberation
• Ātma’s true nature is infinite knowledge, perception, bliss, and energy

If you want, I can also explain this in very simple Hindi or in Jain scriptural style.