In Jainism, not everything has a soul.

Jain philosophy clearly distinguishes between:

• Jiva = that which has consciousness, life, and soul
• Ajiva = that which does not have soul or consciousness

So the distinction is necessary because Jainism teaches that the universe is made of both sentient and non-sentient substances.

Simple meaning:

• Jiva: soul-bearing living beings — humans, animals, birds, insects, even very subtle living beings
• Ajiva: non-living things — matter, space, time, motion, rest, and other inert substances

Why this distinction matters

Jainism is based on clear knowledge of reality. If everything were jiva, then there would be no difference between:

• a living being and a stone
• consciousness and matter
• bondage and non-bondage

But Jainism teaches that soul is pure consciousness, while ajiva is without consciousness. This distinction is essential for understanding:

• karma
• bondage
• liberation
• ahimsa

In short

Jainism does not say everything has a soul. It says reality has two main categories:

• jiva — conscious, living
• ajiva — unconscious, non-living

This distinction is fundamental to Jain दर्शन.