The Soul's Natural Purity
The soul is inherently pure; karma only temporarily obscures its nature.
Unlike views that see the soul as inherently flawed, Jainism holds that the soul is naturally pure, omniscient, and blissful. Karma temporarily covers these qualities; liberation reveals them.
The soul's light is only covered, never extinguished.
This optimistic view of the soul grounds Jain soteriology.
Jiva Philosophy
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- What Jainism says about illness and the body failing
The soul in Jain doctrine is not damaged, only covered — naturally omniscient and blissful, obscured by karma. A failing body is a thicker covering rather than a diminished self, and the claim is precise: nothing about what you actually are has been reduced.