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अध्याय - १०
the annihilation of all karmas is liberation'.
The reader's attention is drawn to the distinction between the two stages represented by the 'Arhat' and the Siddha'. The attainment of omniscience is described in the first sutra of this chapter, and the attainment of complete liberation in the second. Omniscience is attained on the destruction of the deluding, the knowledge-obscuring, the perception-obscuring and the obstructive karmas, in the order mentioned in the first sutra. As long as the deluding karmas are very powerful, spiritual progress is very slow if not impossible. In that condition the self is almost a slave to the karmic forces at work and is tossed to and fro in the ocean of transmigration. The secret of spiritual progress lies in the ascendancy acquired with great difficulty and effort by the self over the deluding karmas. Only then does the self become the master of evil and begin to succeed in overcoming evil. It is no doubt a tough fight between the self and evil, and there may be ups and downs in this long and arduous struggle. But the undaunted and unconquerable soul carries on the battle incessantly, gradually establishes ascendancy over the forces of evil, ultimately roots out evil with the help of pure concentration and becomes the Victor. This epic story of the struggles of the soul with the forces of evil may be read with absorbing interest in the several masterpieces of Jaina literature in Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada and other Indian languages. These four - the deluding, knowledge-obscuring, perception-obscuring and obstructive karmas - are called destructive (ghāti) karmas, as these four main types of karmas interfere with the four infinitudes described in the fourth sutra, which are the essential characteristics of the soul. The other four main types are called non-destructive (aghāti) karmas, as these do not harm these four infinitudes. The self attaining omniscience becomes an Arhat, and the self attaining complete release a Siddha. There may be a longer or a shorter interval between the attainment of these two stages. That depends upon the lifetime still remaining on the manifestation of omniscience. And this may vary from soul to soul. Till the time of complete release, the Arhat is associated with the body. When the other four types of karmas are entirely destroyed, the released pure soul (Siddha) goes up to the summit of the universe and dwells there in eternal bliss.
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| SR No. | 009661 |
| Book Title | Tattvartha Sutra |
| Original Sutra Author | Umaswati, Umaswami |
| Author | Vijay K Jain |
| Publisher | Veer Shasan Sangh Calcutta |
| Publication Year | 2011 |
| Total Pages | 177 |
| Language | Sanskrit, Hindi, English |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari, Book_English, Philosophy, Tattvartha Sutra, Tattvartha Sutra, & Tattvarth |
| File Size | 791 KB |