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________________ Gunasthanas Stages of Spiritual Development Pravin K. Shah * JAINA Education Committee * Jain Study Center of North Carolina * 509 Carriage Woods Circle * Raleigh NC 27607-3969 * E-mail: education@jaina.org * Website: * 919-859-4994 and Fax
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________________ Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas * There are 14 stages of spiritual development - Soul travels from complete Ignorance (Mithyatva) state to the complete blissful and liberated state * The order of Gunasthanas is logical and not chronological - They are arranged according to the principle of decreasing sinfulness and the increasing purity -Soul removes its f Ignorance (Mithyatva) on 4th stage f Vowlessness (Avirati) on 6th stage f Passions (Kashaya) on 12th stage f Ghati karma on 13th stage f Yoga (activities of body, mind and speech) on 14th stage and attains liberation
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________________ Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas 01 Mithyatva (False conviction or faith) f Delusion or Gross ignorance state of Right faith or conviction f This state is possessed by all souls from the beginning of time f Soul does not have a true knowledge and faith in reality but believes in non-reality f Three progressive stages Mithyatva Mohaniya -Mithyatva Mohaniya (Wrong belief) -Mishra Mohaniya (Right/wrong belief) Samyaktva Mohaniva (Clouded right belief) f Soul migrates to 4th stage after acquiring right conviction of its proper or right knowledge
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________________ Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas * 02 Sasvadana (Stage of having tasted true belief) f One has a taste of true belief f This states exists only while actually falling down from the fourth to the first stage f Duration less than 48 minutes 03 Mishra (Mixed Stage) f Mixed or partially rational belief. f Also the condition of mind while actually falling down from the fourth to the first stage f After the first fall, condition of mind going up from first to the fourth stage f Duration less than 48 minutes
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________________ Stages of Spiritual Development (Gunasthanas) 04 Samyag_drashti or Samyaktva (Right Faith or Conviction) f Soul migrates directly to 4th stage from the 1st stage (first time) f Soul possesses Right Faith (Samyaktva) and Right Knowledge but lack of self control or conduct and hence it is known as Avirata_samyagadrasthi (Vowless Right Faith) f Gateway to Liberation f Three ways to achieve Samyaktva - Upasham (suppression) - Kshayik (eradication) - Kshayopasham (partial suppression and partial eradication) f Three types of Faith Deluding (Darshan Mohaniya) Karma and four Anantanu_bandhi Kashaya (very intense passions) has been suppressed or eradicated. These seven Karma are called Darshan-saptak. f Downfall occurs if Mithyatva was suppressed only
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________________ Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas 05 Desavirata_samyagadristi (Partial Renunciation) f Practicing partial vows of Right Conduct f Conquered over Apratyakhan_kashay (intense passions) f Highest spiritual stage for laypeople 06 Pramatta_virata (Full Renunciation with some Non-awareness) f Total renunciations of Material belongings and Family life (follows ascetic life) f Observes five great vows though possesses some Non-awareness (Pramada) f Conquered over Pratyakhan_kashay (high passions) 07 Apramatta_virata (Full Renunciation with total awareness) f Observes vows at every moment without negligence (pramada) f Passions are reduced to minimum in intensity, quality, number and form (Sanjvalan) f Partial realization of natural joy or bliss (svabhavik ananda)
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________________ Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas 08 Apurva_karana or Nivratti_badara_samparaya (Meditative state) f Pureness of soul increasing f Remains in meditative state f Traces of Passions are still present 09 Anivritti_karana or Anivratti_badara samparaya (Advance meditative state) f More advanced thought-activity or meditation 10 Sukshma_samparaya (Almost passionless state) f Only very slight pious greed left to be controlled
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________________ * Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas 11 Upasanta_moha (Quiescence passionless state) f Quiescence of the remaining traces of pious greed f Fallback occurs due to suppression of passions 12 Kshina_moha (Complete passionless state) f Desirelessness (Vitaraga) State f Complete eradication of even pious greed f Duration is less than 48 min f No fallback can occur (all passions are eradicated)
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________________ Stages of Spiritual Development Gunasthanas 13 Sayogy kevalin (Active Omniscience State) f Omniscience state (elimination of four Ghati karma) f Perfection of Right Vision, Knowledge, Conduct, and Power or Energy f It is known as Liberation in the embodied state s Activity of Body, Mind and Speech exist (Yoga) f Tirthankara establishes religious order 14 Ayogy_kevalin (Passive Omniscience State) f Cessation of all activities of the three yogas f Duration is very short (few seconds) f Next step is the attainment of Liberation or Nirvana