The ‘absence of soul’ in non-living things. There are five types of ajīva:

• the medium of motion – dharma-stikaya
• the medium of rest – adharma-stikaya
• space – ākāśa-tikaya
• visible matter – pudgala-stikaya
• time – kāla.

The last is not always counted. Together with jīva or ‘substance with soul’, ajīva forms the universe.