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**Tattvārtha Sūtra**
[10.7]
According to its nature, a living being (jīva) ascends. The upward movement of a jīva does not occur above the lokanta (the end of the universe) because there is no dharmāstikāya (spacial substance of dharma) beyond the lokanta. The example of the upward movement of a jīva after the removal of obstructive karma is illustrated by the seeds of a pumpkin and a castor oil plant. A pumpkin, covered with numerous coatings, remains submerged in water, but as soon as the coatings are removed, it naturally begins to float on the water. Similarly, a castor seed, which has remained in its pod, leaps upwards as soon as the pod breaks. In the same way, as soon as the bondage of karma is broken, the jīva also rises upwards.
**238**
The Twelve Characteristics Indicating the Siddhas
Kṣetra, kāla, gati, liṅga, tīrtha, character, each-buddha-explained, knowledge, avagāhana, antar, sakhyā, and alpa-bahutvaḥ are the means of understanding the characteristics of the siddhas.
To particularly know the nature of the siddha beings, twelve aspects have been specified. Here, the contemplation of the nature of the siddhas is intended based on each aspect. Although there are no worldly characteristics like motion and liṅga among all siddha beings, one can still conceive and reflect on differences in the perspective of the past. Among the twelve aspects, which include kṣetra and others, one should consider each as much as possible from both past and present perspectives.
1. Kṣetra (place) - From the perspective of the present condition, the place of liberation for all liberated beings is one and the same, the siddha kṣetra, that is, the self-region or the space-region. However, from the perspective of past conditions, the place of their attainment is not the same, because different karmabhūmis (realms of born beings) can lead to liberation according to the view of birth, and from the perspective of total gathering, liberation can occur from the overall human region.
2. Kāla (temporal conditions such as avasarani) - From the present viewpoint, there is no worldly cycle of time for attaining siddhahood, since they attain it at the same time. From the perspective of the past, beings born in the states of avasarpinī, utsarpinī, and anavāsarpinī, as well as anuttsarpinī, attain siddhahood in relation to birth. Similarly, in relation to the total gathering, beings attain siddhahood in all those times.