Answer

In Jain Dharma, we are born because the soul is bound by karma.

The soul is eternal, but due to its own past actions, passions, attachments, and ignorance, it takes birth again and again in different forms. Birth is not considered the beginning of the soul; it is one stage in the long journey of saṃsāra.

Explanation

According to Jain philosophy:

• The soul has existed since beginningless time.
• Because of karma, it moves through cycles of birth, death, and rebirth.
• Our anger, ego, deceit, greed, attachment, and aversion attract and bind karma to the soul.
• As long as karma remains, the soul continues to take birth.

So we are not born by accident. Birth happens because karmas from the past mature and give rise to a particular body, family, lifespan, circumstances, pleasures, and pains.

Spiritual Understanding

Jain Dharma teaches that human birth is very valuable because it gives us the rare opportunity to understand truth, practice right conduct, reduce karma, and move toward liberation.

We are born not merely to enjoy, suffer, compete, or possess things. From the Jain perspective, the deeper purpose of human life is:

• to awaken the soul,
• to practice ahimsa, self-control, and compassion,
• to reduce attachment and passions,
• to follow the path of Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct,
• and ultimately to attain moksha — freedom from birth and death.

Takeaway

We are born because of karma, but human birth gives us the chance to become free from karma. In Jain Dharma, life becomes meaningful when we use it for spiritual awakening and liberation.