Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s7.t8.41

v1.c7.s7.t8.41

The Jain concept of “Jiva” contains undertones of reincarnation or release; however, the Jain “Jiva” is distinct from the concept of “Atman” or “Brahman” in the mainstream Brahmin philosophy. The Jain jiva exists in all kinds of things, or achieve release and break away from bondage; while the Brahmin “Atman” or “Brahman” refers to the things themselves, assuming that things and Atman/Brahman are essentially one and the same. In contrast, in interpreting “Jiva”, Jainism never made the claim that only Jiva is real and all things are unreal.