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“Buddhism would respectfully disagree at the central point. What Jainism calls an eternal jiva, Buddhism examines and does not find. In the Buddha’s teaching, body and mind are dependently arisen processes, and no permanent knower, owner, or essence can b
Jainism respectfully differs from that Buddhist view.
According to Jain Dharma, the jiva is real, eternal, and distinct from the body and mind. It is not an illusion or a temporary process. The soul is inherently conscious, but due to karma it becomes bound and its pure qualities are covered. This does not mean the soul changes in its basic nature; rather, bondage affects its manifested state, not its essential existence.
In Jainism:
- Jiva is permanent and real.
- Karma is a subtle material bondage.
- Liberation happens by stopping new karma and removing existing karma through right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.
- The goal is purification of the soul, not denial of the soul.
So from the Jain standpoint, the soul is not an imagined essence. It is the true knower, seer, and experiencer, covered by karma, and liberation is its complete purification and freedom.
