Bhavi abhavi jeev
Bhavi jeev and Abhavi jeev are Jain terms for souls with different liberation potential.
- Bhavi jeev: those souls that have the capacity to attain liberation (moksha) in time. They can progress on the right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct path and eventually be liberated.
- Abhavi jeev: those souls that are considered incapable of attaining liberation in their present state and cycle. Their karmas bind them in samsara, and they do not progress toward moksha at this time. Over many births this status could, in theory, change if their spiritual situation changes, but in the present cycle they are not on the path to liberation.
Note:
- The terms bhavi and abhavi are about inherent potential, not about a single lifetime.
- Different Jain traditions describe nuances in interpretation, but the core idea remains: bhavi = capable of moksha; abhavi = not capable of moksha in the current conditions.