Studies in Jainism

SR No.: 006565
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 182
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 11 MB

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STUDIES IN JAINISM
six lesyas and hence all the animate objects in general and human beings34 in special, give rise to six categories.
Fourteen Groups
According to the Jaina philosophy the ladder leading to liberation consists of 14 steps known as guṇasthānas.35 A living being may be at either of these steps according to the extent of his or her or its spiritual evolution. The human beings are in no way, an exception, to this rule. This will suggest that there are 14 groups under which mankind can be classified.
One who is conversant with this branch of the Jaina philosophy will easily see that broadly speaking, human beings can be divided into two classes, too. For, all those who are at any one of the first three gunasthānas are nonJainas and the rest, Jainas. It is only on reaching the fourth step that one ceases to be a non-Jaina and becomes a Jaina.36 The arrival at the 5th step is no doubt a step nearer to salvation; but the real spiritual progress commences after reaching the sixth step. This as well as the remaining 8 steps are within the reach of saintly characters only. 37 That is to say, Jaina lay-men are on the 4th or the 5th step and saints, on any step beginning with the sixth and ending with the 14th.
It is also possible to form two groups of human beings, viz. (1) the chadmastha and the vitaraga, in case these two words are interpreted etymologically.
34. Of course those who are ayogikevalins have no leśyä whatsoever. They are the holy persons on the point of attaining mukti and bidding a good-bye to saṁsāraor metempsychosis. 35. For the discussion of this subject in English, the reader is
referred to G.O.S. No. LI (pp. 429-439).
36. Before one can attain the status of a Jaina, he or she should have 35 mārgānusari-guņas or the qualities leading to the path of Jainism.
37. The mere vesa of a Jaina saint counts for nothing. Such an individual is denounced as a hypocrite. It may be added that the absence of any external Jaina characteristics is not necessarily a disqualification for the attainment of salvation, in case that individual is really imbibed with the true spirit of saintliness.