Jiva (Sanskrit: जीव, IAST: jīva), also referred as Jivātman, is a living being or any entity imbued with a life force in Hinduism and Jainism.
A common metaphysical entity discussed in the scriptures (such as the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishad and Vachanamrut) in the seven schools of Vedanta is the jiva or atman: the soul or self.
In addition, it thinks through the mind, contemplates through the citta [one of the inner faculties] and forms convictions through the intelligence [buddhi].
Vedanta is one of the six schools (darshanam) of Hindu philosophy, and it contains subschools that have derived their beliefs from the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.
The aforementioned three scriptures are commonly referred to as the Prasthantrayi.The Advaita (non-dualist) Darshan posits the existence of only one entity, Brahman.
Those distinctions empirically perceived, along with those expounded in the Prasthanatrayi, are accounted for within this school by the recognition of a relative reality (vyavaharik satta).
[9] This notion of difference yet non-difference is commonly depicted through an analogy: just as rays originate from the sun but are spatio-temporally distinct from it, so too jivas are parts of the whole that is Brahman.
[10] Founded by Madhva, the Dvaita (dualist) Darshan rejects the Advaita (non-dualist) notion of one ultimate reality.
Within the system, some souls are inherently and eternally destined for liberation, others for hell and still others for migration through the cycle of birth and death.
[12]: 267 It is in this cycle where jivas have the opportunity to perform positive or negative deeds (karmas), and make spiritual efforts to break free of it, known as liberation (moksha).
[14]: 234 Ramanuja uses the doctrine of the body and the soul (sarira and sariri) to explain the relationship between God and the jivas.
But it behaves as a quality of that luminous substance....In this same way, the self has the form of consciousness but also has the quality of consciousnessUnlike other schools, Vishishtadvaita philosophy proposes that moksha (liberation) is not just the end of transmigration, but also a sense of bliss and joy found in the contemplation of God and living a life of devotion, as a result of which God will aid in granting moksha.
[18] The Shuddadvaita Darshan, proposed by Vallabhacharya, has a concept of "nitya-sambandha" which means eternal relationship between jiva and Brahman (Parabrahman).
[17]: 283 Jiva Goswami, one of the main scholars in the Caitanya Vaisnava school, offers a definition of the self that shares many characteristics of other schools but is distinctly aligned with the Bhedhabhedha position that the jiva is a part of Brahman: Furthermore, it has the intrinsic characteristics of being an apprehender, agent and qualitative experiencer, and by its own nature and at all times it is an inherent part of indwelling Lord.The philosophy proposed by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepts that the jiva is aware and possesses distinct qualities.
[5] The Akshar-Purushottam Darshan, the teachings of Swaminarayan as interpreted by the BAPS,[20] centers around the existence of five eternal realities, as stated in two of Swaminarayan’s sermons documented in the Vachanamrut, Gadhada 1.7 and Gadhada 3.10: Puruṣottama Bhagavān, Akṣarabrahman, māyā, īśvara and jīva – these five entities are eternal.
[21]From all the Vedas, Purāṇas, Itihāsa and Smṛti scriptures, I have gleaned the principle that jīva, māyā, īśvara, Brahman and Parameśvara are all eternal.