Thread by @jainatva_

What is the difference between Bhavya Jeev (भव्य जीव) and Abhavya Jeev (अभव्य जीव) in Jainism?

#भवी_अभवी
#Jainism
#Jain

Before explaining the difference between Bhavya and Abhavya Jeeva, it is pertinent to mention that there is a third category of jeeva too which is referred as Jaati Bhavya.(जाती भव्य)

Here is the explanation:

Bhavya Jeeva : Those jeevas that have the ability to attain moksha (मोक्ष)and will attain moksha sooner or later are called Bhavya Jeeva. Such Jeevas can attain knowledge of all the 14 poorvas(पूर्व). They achieve Samyag-Darshan and ultimately end their cycle of birth and death.

Abhavya Jeeva : Those Jeevas that do not have the ability of attaining moksha and will, obviously, never attain moksha are called Abhavya Jeeva. Such jeevas have inherent mithyatva called Anaaiya Apajjavasiya (अणाइया अपज्जवसिया) that has no beginning and no end.

They never come out of this mithyatva and, therefore, are not able to attain Moksha. Nevertheless, they can attain knowledge upto some parts of the 9th poorva. They can take diksha, even become Acharya and be born in devlok upto the Graiveyak Viman (ग्रैवेयक विमान).

But, they can never end their cycle of birth and death.

Jaati Bhavya Jeeva: Those jeevas that have the capability of attaining moksha and yet will never attain for one reason or the other are called Jaati Bhavya Jeeva.

The three categories of jeeva have been explained by giving example of woman. Bhavya Jeeva can be likened to a woman who is capable of bearing a child and does become a mother. Abhavya Jeeva can be likened to a woman who, being infertile, cannot become a mother.

Jaati Bhavya Jeeva can be likened to a woman who can become a mother but never becomes for one reason or the other. For example, she may renounce the world and take diksha.

Jaati Bhavya Jeeva is compared to a piece of wood floating in the middle of a large ocean which will never come to the shore. It has the ability to float, is also floating, but will never reach the shore.

Bhavya Jeevas are said to be innumerable times more in number than the Abhavya Jeevas. Only a keval-gyani (केवल ज्ञानी) can tell whether a person is Bhavya or Abhavya Jeeva. Other knowledgeable persons can only make a guess.

In general, it can be said that a person who is samyag-drishti (सम्यग दृष्टि) or has the ability to achieve samyag-darshan (सम्यग दर्शन) is a Bhavya Jeeva. One who does not have the ability to achieve samyak-darshan can be said to be Abhavya Jeeva. 🙏