How can the soul be considered pure when karma is covering it? if a dirty object isn't a pure thing, it's dirty isn't it? for buddhism this is just a storage effect which is internal. Please give me Jainism's opinion.

In Jainism, the soul is pure by nature, even when it is bound by karma.

How Jainism understands this

The soul (jīva) has innate qualities such as:

• knowledge
• perception
• bliss
• energy

These are its true nature. Karma does not become the soul’s nature. Karma is pudgala — subtle material particles — that attach to the soul because of passions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed.

So is the soul “dirty”?

Jainism would say:

• The soul is not dirty in essence
• But it is obscured, covered, or bound by karmic matter

A good analogy is:

• A mirror covered with dust

- The mirror is still a mirror - Its nature is reflective - Dust only hides its brightness

Similarly:

• The soul remains pure in its essential nature
• Karma only obstructs the soul’s natural qualities

Why this matters in Jainism

If the soul were truly impure by nature, then liberation would be impossible. But Jainism teaches that liberation is possible because:

• karma is foreign to the soul
• karma can be removed
• when karma is destroyed, the soul reveals its original purity

Important Jain point

Jainism does not say that impurity is merely a psychological storage effect. It says karma is a real subtle material bondage attached to the soul.

So the soul is like:

• a pure jewel covered by mud
• or fire covered by ash

The jewel is still a jewel. The fire is still fire. Likewise, the soul remains pure, though covered.

Short answer

In Jainism, the soul is pure in its own nature, while karma is an external bondage that covers and obscures it. The soul’s purity is not destroyed; it is only hidden until karma is removed.