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The movement of the beings from one Gunasthäna to another is not in strictly numerical order i.e. first to second and so on. But the soul moves up and down on spiritual path according to logical rules e.g. from first Gunasthäna the soul transits straight to the fourth, but it may regress to third or second on its path to the first for reasons given herein later. We will know more about them as we briefly describe each of the fourteen Gunasthänas, in the subsequent paragraphs. The 14 stages of spiritual development are as follows:
01
07
Mithyä-drashti Gunasthäna Wrong faith Säsvädana Samyag-drashti Having tasted true faith Gunasthäna Samyag Mithya-drashti
Mixed faith stage Gunasthäna Avirata Samyag-drashti
Vow less right faith Gunasthäna Desha-virat Shrävak Gunasthäna | Partial renunciation Pramatta-samyat Gunasthäna Full renunciation with less
awareness Apramatta-samyat Gunasthäna Renunciation with
awareness Apurva-karan or Nivritti-bädara
Meditative state Gunasthäna Anivritti-bädara Gunasthäna Advance meditative state Sukshma-samparaya Gunasthana Stage of subtle greed Upashänt-moha (Kashaya)
Suppressed passions state Gunasthäna Kshina-moha (Kashäya)
Passionless stage Gunasthäna Sayogi Kevali Gunasthana
Active omniscience state Ayogi Kevali Gunasthäna.
Inactive omniscience state
13 14
01. Mithya-drashti Gunasthäna This is the lowest or first stage wherein the soul, due to manifestation of Mohaniya (Deluding) Karma, does not believe in the Right Path to salvation. The characteristic mark of this Gunasthäna is perversity of attitude towards truth; or unbelief in the truth taught by the Jina in its entirety. The soul at this stage has a minimum degree of right vision and very indistinct enlightenment - just enough that is required for a living conscious soul. A soul may find itself in this stage abinitio or may come to it from higher stages but the reason is the same i.e. the manifestation of Deluding (Mohaniya) Karma. From this stage, a soul rises only to the fourth stage for the very first time and not to the second or the third as will be described later. In this Gunasthäna, all 28 types of Deluding (Mohaniya) Karma are in manifestation. 02. Säsvädana Samyag-drashti Gunasthäna This is the second higher stage where the soul finds itself for a very short time on its downward journey to the first stage but with some taste or memory of the higher stage. A soul has attained the higher stage
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JAIN PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE - 2
