Yes. I thought it would be refreshing to present it in a different way.
“Is this one way to distinguish life and inert matter? i.e. rupa created solely from kammic energy is life, and the rest is the inert matter?”
EVERYTHING has its origins in kammic energy (via Paticca Samuppada).
– However, it is not necessary to focus on that right now.
– The critical point is that ONLY kammic energy can create those six units of hadaya vatthu and five pasada rupa.
“These 6 entities, plus whatever else created by kammic energy only, is life.
The rest is inert matter.”
Yes. That is correct.
– In addition to those six entities, iithi bhava, purisa bhava rupa and jivitindriya rupa (#14, #15, #17 in the following Table) are created ONLY by kammic energy.
“Rupa (Material Form) – Table”