jiva

[ jee-vuh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Hinduism. the individual soul, regarded as a particular manifestation of Atman.
Jainism. Also called ji·vat·ma [jee-, vaht, -m, uh].
1. the individual soul or life monad, compared to a transparent crystal stained by karmic matter with colors, or lesyas, of varying hues.
2. all such monads collectively, regarded as the animating principle of the universe.

Origin of jiva¹

1800–10; < Sanskrit: literally, living

Browse