Basic Principles Of Jainism

Author(s): Narayan Lal Kachhara
Publisher: Narayan Lal Kachhara

Page 63

arduously attained height and can, wholly or partially annual the development achieved till then. This becomes easily comprehensible, if we call to our mind the fact, that remaining on one stage may last only a few minutes, so that in the morning one can be on a high level, sink down from it at noon, and climb up again in the evening. This is an internal and spiritual process, not observed from outside. The different possibilities of the succession of the gunasthanas are conditional upon the process which leads to the attainment of the samyaktva and upon the two ways, by which the method of reduction of karma can be brought about.
The psychical condition of the soul due to the rising, settling down, perishing, or partly settling down and partly perishing, of karmic matter (udaya, upasama, ksaya, ksayopasama) is called gunasthana. It is a matter of common experience that we come across numerous living beings which belong to different stages of understanding due to ignorance (avidya). These states are due to the difference in state of existence before the commencement of development. We are often confronted with a situation where some souls are aware of the need to shed the karmas while some other have an indistinct vision of the need. All awakening is created only when the soul becomes conscious of what is hindering it in its advancement. There are three things which have to be subdued or eradicated: the mass of karmas, their intensity and duration. It is the adequacy of spiritual effort that determines the subsidence of these aspects of the karma.
The fourteen stages of spiritual evolution have been enumerated in verses 9 and 10 of Jiva Kanda of Gommatasara. They are: 1) and Mithyatva (delusion), 2) Sasadana (downfall), 3) Misra (mixed). 4) Avirata Samyaktva (vowless right belief), 5) Desavirata (partial vow), 6) Pramatta-virat (imperfect vow), 7) Apramatta-virat (perfect vow) 8) Apurva-karana (new thought-activity), 9) Anivritti Karna (advanced thought activity), 10) Suksma Samparaya (slight delusion) 11) Upashanta Moha (subsided delusion), 12) Ksina Moha (delusionless), 13) Sayoga Kevali (vibrating omniscient). 14) Ayoga Kevali (non-vibrating omniscient). These should be known as fourteen spiritual stages in the order enumerated. After the last stage, the soul becomes liberated. The fourteen stages have been designated on the basis of the prominent thought activity at each succeeding stage of evolution. We shall deal with each of them in the same order.
1) Mithyatva (Delusion)
Thi
This is the stage when a soul is affected by wrong belief due to the deluding or infatuating karmas. It is the stage of false belief or conviction. Such a person does not believe in the right path. He does not believe in reality and the values of truth and goodness. On the other hand, he sticks to wrong beliefs, and the right beliefs are unpalatable to him. Such a person will not believe in the seven truths. His beliefs are one sided, perverted, doubtful, false or indiscriminate. The consciousness of the soul in this state is obsessed with ignorance.
Jainism is based on reason and logic. There are people who believe in wrong practices and superstitious creeds. When a soul is involved in such wrong beliefs, the person becomes