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When does a bhavya and abhavya jeev take diksha. Are there differences in their feelings leading them to diksha? If yes, what?
In Jain philosophy, the starting point is this:
- Bhavya jīva = a soul that can ultimately attain moksha.
- Abhavya jīva = a soul that, by its own very intense mithyātva and mohanīya karma, will never attain moksha. ( jainknowledge.com)
Your question is very good: “When do bhavya and abhavya jīva take dīkshā? And are their inner feelings different when they take dīkshā?”
Let’s separate clearly:
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1. Can an abhavya jīva take dīkshā?
Yes, an abhavya jīva can take dīkshā (become monk/nun etc.).
- Jain texts say: abhavya jīva may be born in any gati (deva, manuṣya, tiryañch, narak) and may even do tapas, śubha karma, dān, etc.
- But: true samyag-darshan (right faith) never arises in an abhavya jīva, and therefore moksha will never come, no matter how much outer austerity is done. ( jainknowledge.com)
So:
- Bhavya jīva: can take dīkshā and can, in some future bhav, reach moksha.
- Abhavya jīva: may also take dīkshā, but that dīkshā will never lead all the way to moksha, because samyag-darshan and complete destruction of deluding karma will never occur.
Only a Kevalī can really know who is bhavya or abhavya. Ordinary people (including us) must never label a particular person as “abhavya”. ( jainknowledge.com)
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2. When does a bhavya jīva take dīkshā?
For a bhavya soul, dīkshā normally arises out of:
- Udvega / vairāgya
- Deep shock or disgust toward saṃsār: “This cycle of birth‑death, relationships, possessions is full of misery; nothing here is truly mine.”
- Śraddhā / samyag-darshan
- Firm faith in Tīrthankar’s teaching, in tattvas (jīva, ajīva, puṇya, pāp, bandha, samvar, nirjarā, moksha).
- Moksha-icchā (bhavya-bhāva)
- Pure desire: “I want to free my soul from karma and attain the state of Siddha.”
So for a bhavya jīva, inner reason for dīkshā is mainly moksha-mārga – detachment, right faith, and aspiration for liberation.
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3. When does an abhavya jīva take dīkshā?
Since abhavya never gets true samyag-darshan, its inner base is different:
- It may feel some kind of detachment, but not the full, right‑rooted vairāgya that leads to moksha.
- Often the causes can be:
Outwardly the dīkshā-ritual may look the same (same vows, same clothes, same lifestyle). But inwardly, for an abhavya jīva, the final goal is not true moksha; it is śubha saṃsār (good worldly condition), or even just temporary relief, not complete freedom from saṃsār.
So:
- Bhavya dīkshā = supported by samyag-darshan (if not fully, at least its strong seed) and clear moksha-aim.
- Abhavya dīkshā = supported by mithyā-darshan, mixed intentions, and cannot blossom into moksha, even over endless time.
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4. Are their feelings different at the time of dīkshā?
From Jain viewpoint, yes, spiritually they are very different, though we humans may not see it clearly.
Inner feeling of a bhavya jīva
- Deep, peaceful detachment.
- Strong faith in Tattva and Tīrthankar.
- Clear understanding: “I am soul; body, relations, wealth are not mine.”
- Desire for karmakṣaya (destruction of karma) and siddhatva (liberation).
Inner feeling of an abhavya jīva
- Some mix of worldly fear, attraction, emotion, or calculation.
- No true, stable samyag-darshan; mithyātva remains at root.
- Aim is better saṃsār (good rebirth, heaven, prestige), or just escape from current pain, not total escape from saṃsār.
Because of this difference in inner cause (hetu), the final result (phala) is also different:
- Bhavya + dīkshā + right cause → can move towards keval-jnān and moksha (sooner or later).
- Abhavya + dīkshā + wrong/mixed cause → only puṇya saṃsār, never moksha.
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5. Practical Jain teaching for us
- We must never decide, “He/She is abhavya.” That is only in omniscient’s knowledge.
- The safe and right attitude is:
You can read more on bhavya / abhavya concepts here and on abhavya jīva here
