The Jaina Doctrine of Karma And The Science Of Genetics: [2.1] Life In The Science Of Karma

Living organism depends upon an 'organization' that regulates all its action. What exactly then is 'living'? In other words, what is the difference between 'animate' and inanimate?

According to Jaina Philosophy, animation is caused by the unity of a non-physical (or non-material) entity called soul or spirit with a material body. That is, there is a subtle spiritual self associates with the gross physical body during the life; death is the separation of two. Until emancipated, the soul is always enveloped by karma (as karma śarīra). Thus on death what is separated from the physical body is soul-cum-karma śarīra. It is the karma that is responsible for the 'organization' of the physical body. The role of the non-material soul is some what akin to a catalyst. An organism 'lives' its duration of its life-span which is determined by one of the eight main categories of karma viz. āyuṣya karma.^[1]