Answer

According to Jain Dharma, species can become extinct due to changes in karmic conditions, environment, time-cycle, and the collective rise and fall of living beings according to their own karma.

Jainism teaches that the soul is eternal, but bodies and life-forms are temporary. So when a species disappears, the souls do not get destroyed; they take birth elsewhere according to their karma.

Explanation

In Jain philosophy:

• Jīva is eternal — every soul has always existed and will always exist.
• Bodies are temporary — human, animal, plant, heavenly, hellish, and microscopic bodies arise due to karma.
• Birth in a particular species depends on nāma-karma — body-making karma determines the type of body a soul receives.
• Species exist when suitable karmic and material conditions exist — when those conditions are no longer present, that form of life may disappear from a region or world.

So extinction does not mean the end of souls. It means that a particular physical form is no longer available for souls to be born into under those conditions.

Jain cosmology also teaches that the universe goes through vast cycles of time, called utsarpiṇī and avasarpiṇī. During these cycles, lifespans, body sizes, strength, environment, and living conditions change. Because of these changes, certain kinds of beings may appear, decline, or disappear.

Spiritual Understanding

From the Jain view, extinction also reminds us of the importance of ahimsa. Human violence, greed, carelessness, and destruction of habitats create suffering for countless living beings.

Even though Jainism explains life through karma, it does not encourage indifference. Instead, it teaches responsibility:

• protect life wherever possible,
• avoid unnecessary harm,
• live with restraint,
• reduce greed and consumption,
• practice compassion toward all living beings.

Takeaway

In Jainism, species may become extinct because the karmic and worldly conditions for that body-form no longer remain. But the souls themselves are never destroyed; they continue their journey through saṃsāra according to karma. The spiritual lesson is to practice ahimsa and protect living beings with compassion.