________________
Gunasthänak. He is in delusion and believes material happiness is the true happiness. He is devoid of true religion. He has Anantänu-bandhi Kashaya
Bahirätmä acquires Karma with two types of intensity, tightest (Nikächit) and tighter (Nidhatti). In Nidhatti, one can endeavor to change its duration and intensity but cannot change its quantity and nature. In Nikächit, one cannot change its duration, intensity, quantity and nature. He has to bear the fruits of this type of Karma.
Antarätmä - Introvert:
Antarätmä is the stage of virtuous inner aspect. It knows that his body and his soul are two separate entities and he himself is a soul. He knows that his body is ephemeral but his soul (himself) is permanent and is capable of the right knowledge, right faith, right conduct and unlimited energy. He is in fourth or higher Gunasthänak. He is engaged in purifying himself and knows that the material world is full of misery. Antarätmä is still under the influence of knowledge obscuring, perception obscuring, deluding and obstructive Karma but the intensity is milder.
Antarätmä acquires Karma with two types of intensity that cause loose (Sprushta) and tight (Baddha) karmic bondage. Sprushta means the Karma having a dry association with the soul. They just touch the soul. Baddha means the Karma having tight bondage with the soul.
Paramätmä: Supreme
The pure state of the soul is known as Paramätmä. In this state, there is no association with Karma. Without Karma and without the cycle of birth and death, the state of the soul is pure, liberated and supreme. The Liberated soul is always absorbed in undisturbed and unlimited joy.
Moksha (Liberation from all Karma)
The karma get dissociated from the soul as soon as they yield their fruits completely and reach the limit of their time duration. The process of partial dissociation of this type goes on incessantly in the case of worldly souls caught in the cycle of transmigration. But the spiritually beneficial 'partial dissociation' is that which takes place in association with the stoppage of the inflow: And when the process of the stoppage of the inflow of new karma and that of the dissociation of the bound karma reach their acme, the absolute and total dissociation of karma, which characterizes liberation, is attained. Complete purity of the soul is Moksha. Jiva free from all the eight Karma is called liberated. Great Ächäryas say that, "As a heavily clay layered pitcher drowns in the water and comes back to the surface when it is freed from the clay layers, the soul bound by Karma submerges in the Samsär (cycle of birth and death) and it goes upwards to the Siddha-loka, when it is freed of the Karma."
The liberated souls are called Siddhas - who are enjoying the pure state of their souls. There are an infinite number of Siddhas. The number of Siddhas is continuously increasing. There will be an infinite number of more Jivas who will become Siddhas in the future. At the present time, the human beings from five Mahä-videha Kshetras (other place in the universe as per Jain geography) are capable of becoming Siddhas. Jivas in five Bharat Kshetras (one of them where we live) and five Airävat Kshetras have to be reborn in the Mahä-videha Kshetras to attain Moksha at the present time. These two Kshetras are in the fifth segment (Ärä) of the regressive time cycle (Pancham Ärä of Avasarpini Käl). Moreover, no one can attain Moksha directly from these two Kshetras. This does not mean that the Jivas in these two Kshetras cannot undertake spiritual pursuit (Sädhanä). One has to continuously shed one's Karma to have the right birth at the right place to go to Moksha. Therefore, one should assume that Moksha is possible from here, and continue his Sädhanä.
Liberated souls are also known as Paramätmä, Ishvar, Bhagawän, God, etc. Jains believe that there are an infinite number of liberated souls (Jinas).
Per Jain beliefs, Arihanta is the living God. He has absolute knowledge. Therefore, he reveals the essential and real form of the universe. He revealed that the world is without a beginning and it has no end. Each and every substance in the universe does undergo continuous change in its mode but is never destroyed or created. Behind this eternal process there does not exist anyone's planning or organization. The whole universe is a self-regulated by the property of each and every substance in it. For living
180
JAIN PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE - 2
