Jiva

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Jiva

In Hinduism

Hinduism

'Hinduism' is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as , a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal dharma", by its practitioners....
and Jainism

Jainism

Jainism is one of the oldest Indian religions that originated in India. Jains believe that every soul is divine and has the potential to achieve God-consciousness....
, a jiva ( alternate spelling, jiwa) is a living being, or more specifically the immortal essence of a living being (human, animal, fish or plant etc...) which survives physical death. It has a very similar usage to 'atma

Atman (Hinduism)

The Atman is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the soul. It is one's true self beyond identification with the phenomenal reality of worldly existence....
', but whereas atma refers to 'the self', 'jiva' is used to denote a 'living entity' or 'living being' specifically. The concept of the jiva is similar, but not necessarily identical to, the concept of the soul
Soul

In many religions and parts of philosophy, the soul is the immaterial part of a person. It is usually thought to consist of one's thoughts and Personality psychology, and can be synonymous with the spirit, mind or self....
as presented in Abrahamic religions.

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Encyclopedia

In Hinduism

Hinduism

'Hinduism' is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as , a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal dharma", by its practitioners....
and Jainism

Jainism

Atman (Hinduism)

Sanskrit

Sanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India....
Jivás, with the root jiv- 'to breathe'. It has the same Indo-European root as the Latin word Vivus: "Alive".

Definition

In the Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is an important Sanskrit Hindu scripture. It is revered as a sacred scripture of Hinduism, and considered as one of the most important religious classics of the world....
of Hinduism the jiva is described as immutable, eternal

Eternal

Eternal can mean:* Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state* Eternal life, or immortalityIt can also refer to:...
, and indestructible. It is said not to be a product of the material world (Prakrti

Prakrti

Prakrti or Prakriti is, according to Vedanta philosophy, the basic matter of which the Universe consists. It is composed of the three gunas or modes, known as tamas , rajas and sattva ....
), but of a higher 'spiritual' nature. At the point of physical death the jiva takes a new physical body depending on karma

Karma

Karma is the concept of "action" or "deed" in Indian religions understood as that which causes the entire cycle of causality originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Buddhism philosophies....
and the individual desires and necessities of the particular jiva in question.

For further explanations see reincarnation
Reincarnation

Reincarnation, literally "to be made flesh again", is a doctrine or Metaphysics belief that some essential part of a living being survives death to be reborn in a new body....
and transmigration.

Goals

Jain and Hindu scriptures describe the ultimate goal of the jiva as being either of the following (depending on the particular philosophical tradition):

'liberation' from material existence (moksha
Moksha

In Indian religions, Moksha or Mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth or reincarnation and all of the suffering and limitation of worldly existence....
)
obtaining pure love of God
God

God is a deity in theism and deism religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
(bhakti
Bhakti

Bhakti is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Within Vaishnavism bhakti is only used in conjunction with Vishnu, Krishna or of the associated avatar, who are the source of attractiveness....
) (not followed by Jains
Jains

Jains may refer to:* People who are from Jain religion called List of Jains, a list of people who follow the Jain religion.* Jainism, known as Jain Dharma , is a religion and philosophy...
as they don't believe in God.
or becoming liberated from the happiness and distress of the world, while still being existent within it (jivanmukta
Jivanmukta

Jivanmukta is someone who, in the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, has attained nirvikalpa samadhi - the realization of the Self, Parasiva - and is liberated from rebirth while living in a human body....
).

For further information see Dharmic Religions.

In Fiction

Jiva is the name of one of the main characters in Karmatrón

Karmatron

Karmatr?n y los Transformables is a comic book created in 1986 in comics by Oscar Gonz?lez Loyo. The comic book was an instant hit among Mexican kids because it tackled spiritual issues through various religious and metaphysics perspectives while maintaining an accessible format to all audiences....
, the Mexican comic book.

Certain characters in author Jennifer Roberson's

Jennifer Roberson

Jennifer Mitchell Roberson is an author of fantasy and historical literature.Roberson has lived in Arizona since 1957. She grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, but in 1999 relocated to Flagstaff, Arizona....
Sword-Dancer series wield magical swords called jivatmas which contain the essences of vanquished opponents.

Jivas play a recurring role in the comics of Jim Woodring

Jim Woodring

Jim Woodring is a Seattle-based comic book author and artist. He also produces fine art works in a variety of other media, including painting and charcoal, and designs toys....
.

Jiva

Definition

Goals

In Fiction

See also

External links