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Indian Ethnicity and Religious Heritage
development which has in all 14 Steps. Arhat is the soul, which is at the 13th. Step which is called "Sayogi Kevali" which means that the liberated soul with human body. When such a soul leaves the human frame it achieves the status of a Siddha who has no more to undergo the cycle of births and deaths. When the soul reaches 13th stage it has reached the position of a "Sthitaprajna" of Gita. The above referred ladder is known as "GunaShthanaka" yur24*. Each step of this ladder shows the stage of spiritual development so far achieved so that an aspirant can know where he or she stands in his or her march for the total freedom.
Mechanism of Bondage and Freedom..
. In view of what is stated above, Jainism has stated the mechanism of bondage and freedom of the soul in its formula of seven stages namely, Papa (sinful action), Punya (virtuous action), Asrava (inflow of Karmas), Bandha (bondage), Samvara (stoppage of all inflow), Nirjara (annihilation of accumulated Karmas) and Moksha (final liberation). Meanings shown against each step are self
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