________________
1.2.5 From the Darkness of Mithyaatva to the Light of Samyaktva
Now we should try and understand how the living being progresses from false belief (mithyaatva) to samyaktva and what changes in the karmic load attached to the soul bring about this transformation. Let us first understand the capacity of the living being:
Bhavya and Abhavya Jiivas
In order to attain samyaktva, the living being has to first give up all false belief. Souls have two kinds of belief- false belief (mithyaatva) and enlightened belief (samyaktva). Evidently, both mithyaatva and samyaktva cannot stay together in the soul. Hence, in order to attain samyaktva, the soul must give up all mithyaatva (false belief). Having said that, not all living beings can give up false beliefs. This is why living beings have been placed in two categories by the omniscient Jinaas.
1. Bhavya (capable of attaining omniscience and liberation}
2. Abhavya (incapable of attaining omniscience and liberation}
And this capability (or incapability) is the most inherent and fundamental (paarinaamika) disposition (bhaava) of the soul. The disposition is eternal (anaadi). Each and every soul in the universe is either bhavya or abhavya. A bhavya soul cannot turn into an abhavya soul. Similarly, an abhavya soul cannot turn into a bhavya soul.
Bhavya: is inherently and potentially capable of attaining omniscience and liberation. A bhavya soul can give up all false belief, no matter how deep rooted it may be and can walk undaunted on the path of liberation and attain liberation.
Abhavya: is inherently and potentially incapable of attaining omniscience and liberation. An abhavya soul cannot give up false belief, no matter how well he is taught or how flawless his conduct is. He cannot walk undaunted on the path of liberation and shall never attain liberation. His disposition is towards sansaara and can never be turned away from material desires towards spiritual upliftment. Hence, such a person remains stuck forever in the quagmire of sansaara.
All the living beings that attain omniscience and liberation are bhavya.
The scriptures explain the terms 'bhavya' and 'abhavya' with an example.
Bhavya living beings are like the fertile woman who has intercourse with her husband and gives birth to a child. On the other hand, abhavya living beings are like the infertile woman who, despite intercourse with her husband, cannot conceive a child.
111
