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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
Other branches of philosophy too describe the various stages of soul's progress, but there so much clarity is not to be met with and minute deal is not to be found as in the treatment of Gunasthanaka'. We hold on the contrary that nowhere shall you find what you find here in the school of thought promulgated by the Omniscient Lord. Mango, you shall find only on a mango tree and not on a tree of acacia.
(5) DESH VIRATI GUNASTHANA
(The stage of partial non-attachment)
This stage is reached by the soul when it arrives at partial nonattachment. This stage is also known as 'Virata virata' (partial attachment and partial non-attachment) “Samyatasamyata" (half restraint and half non-restraint) “Vrata vrata" (half observance of vows and half non-observance).
On the fourth stage the soul does acquire 'Right belief' but due to strong influence of unfolding of the Karmas obsessing the right conduct, the soul is not capable of putting it in life. While here in the fifth stage these karmas are weakened in influence and the soul tries to put into practice actually what it has believed.
On this stage the soul cannot abandon all this sin-incurring activities but tries to escape from such activities and as a result it can escape from some of them. Technically this stage is called the stage of "Partial non-attachment".
The standard of judging this stage lies in primarily accepting the right-belief and then accepting twelve vows of a Jain laydevotee. Those who are unable to accept all the twelve vows may accept a few of them and cordially cherish to accept the rest in future. They may accept the rest when the circumstances favour them.
You daily hear the word "Shravaka" (Jain-lay-devotee) but you are confused on being asked about the meaning of the word. Have you ever tried to reflect on the meaning of this word ? The word "Shravaka" is derived from the root "Shru" in Sanskrit which means "To hear”. Shri Abhayadev Suri has explained the meaning of the word in Sthanangasutra thus "one who hearslistens to the preachings of Jina is a Shravaka”. Thus it is the
