Answer

Yes. In Jain Dharma, the duration of one’s present life is determined by Āyuṣya Karma or Āyush Karma.

Āyush Karma decides the life-span of a soul in a particular birth.

Explanation

According to Jain philosophy, when a soul takes birth, its type of life and duration are connected with previously bound karmas. Among the eight main karmas, Āyuṣya Karma determines how long the soul will remain in that body.

So, death occurs when the Āyush Karma of that life is completed.

Āyush Karma is connected with the four types of existence:

• Narak Āyuṣya – hellish life-span
• Tiryancha Āyuṣya – animal, plant, or lower life-form life-span
• Manushya Āyuṣya – human life-span
• Deva Āyuṣya – celestial life-span

A person may appear to die due to illness, accident, old age, or other causes, but from the Jain karmic viewpoint, these are external circumstances. The fundamental reason is the completion of that life’s Āyush Karma.

Spiritual Understanding

This teaching reminds us that life is limited and uncertain from our point of view. Therefore, Jain Dharma encourages us to use human life wisely for:

• Samyak Darshan – right faith
• Samyak Jnan – right knowledge
• Samyak Charitra – right conduct
• Ahimsa, restraint, forgiveness, and spiritual purification

Takeaway

Yes, death depends on Āyush Karma. When the Āyush Karma of the present life ends, the soul leaves that body and moves onward according to its remaining karmas.