Jain dharm me jiva (आत्मा) hi asli/real hai. Har jeev me chaitanya, darshan, jñān, and sukha ki guṇ hoti hain. Isliye “asli” ya “nakli” jiva ka farq nahi hota—sabhi jiva atīt-नित्यम (eternal) hote hain, bas unpar karmo ka dhakaav (vastra jaise) hota hai.

• Bahut se jivaon ki apni apni pehchaan hoti hai: kuch jiva bhavya (liberation-pañch) hote hain, kuch abhavya (jo mukti nahi paa sakte) hote hain. Ye bhavya/abhavya ki sthiti karm ke karan hoti hai, na ki jiva ki asli pehchaan ki.
• Jiv ko jyon ki jyon rehne ki shakti karm se bandhi hoti hai. Karm saaf ho jaaye to jiva ko apni asli guṇas (chetana, darśan, jñāna, vīrya, sukha) milti hain aur ant me mokṣa mil sakta hai.
• “Nakli jiva” ki concept dharm me nahi: jo dharm me galat samajh hoti hai, wo hoti hai ki hum apne aap ko sharir ya maya ke rup me samajh lete hain. asli svarupa jiva ke antr me hai; sharir to keval adhar (container) hai.

Digambar aur Shvetambar traditions ke beech kuch vichar dharaon me bhinnata ho sakti hai ki kaunse jiva mukti ke kshetra me kitna pramaanit hote hain, ya keval siddha ya arihant ki sthiti par kis tarah se prakash dala jata hai. Par mool arth yahi hai: asli jiva chaitanya aur guṇon se bharapoor hai, karm ke dhakne se uski prakashna chhupi hoti hai, na ki jiva hi fake ya nakli hota hai.