$JES 901 Jainism and Spiritual Awakening E9

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 55

Gotra karma (Status Determining Karma):
This Karma determines whether a living being will be born in a restrained and respected family or otherwise. It obscures the soul's characteristics of equality, and determines family, social standing, and personality.
This karma is not simply with mundane aspects of birth environment, but rather with whether that environment is more or less conducive to the pursuit of the spiritual life.
07- CLASSIFICATION OF DRAVYA KARMA - PRAKRUTI BANDH
Äyu karma (Life Span Determining Karma):
This karma determines the span of life in one birth or one life cycle, thus obscuring the soul's nature of eternal existence.
Spiritual Progress and Karma
On the path of a spiritual progress;
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A person first destroys Darshan Mohaniya karma and attains Samyaktva (4th stage of Gunasthänak).
Then he destroys Chäritra Mohaniya Karma and attains Anant Sukh (infinite happiness). This stage is called Vitaräga (12th stage of Gunasthänak).
Then he destroys Jnänävaraniya, Darshanävaraniya, and Antaräya karma and attains Keval-jnän (infinite knowledge), Keval-darshana (infinite perception), and Anant-Virya (infinite power and energy). This stage is called Kevali or Arihanta (13th stage of Gunasthänak).
A Kevali attains liberation only after all Aghäti karmas are destroyed which occurs at the time of death (14th stage).
After nirvana, all Kevali souls are known as Siddhas. The Siddha state is a state of pure consciousness. It does not possess a physical body. The soul remains in this total blissful state forever.
JAINISM AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING