Answer

Human body cells are pudgala, not jiva.

Explanation

In Jain Dharma:

• Jiva means the living soul, the conscious principle.
• Pudgala means matter, including the physical body and all its parts.

Body cells are part of the physical body, so they belong to pudgala. The jiva is the conscious soul that inhabits the body, but it is not the cell itself.

Spiritual Understanding

This distinction is very important in Jain philosophy:

• The body is temporary and material.
• The soul is eternal and conscious.
• Liberation comes through realizing the difference between jiva and pudgala.

When we understand this clearly, we reduce attachment to the body and increase awareness of the soul.

Takeaway

Cells = pudgala Soul = jiva

The body is made of matter, while life and awareness come from the soul.