Contribution of Jainas to Sanskrit and Prakrit Literature

Author(s): Vasantkumar Bhatt, Jitendra B Shah, Dinanath Sharma
Publisher: Kasturbhai Lalbhai Smarak Nidhi Ahmedabad

Page 70

Jain Yoga--Stages of Spiritual Development : Guņasthāna
such a short time as is taken by uttering five letters a, i, u, r, Ir, and leads to complete liberation'. Soul (Appā) attains siddhahood (paramappā). This state of virtue is the Divinity where in all the karmas are annihilated. Zimmer observes that in this state, the individuality, the masks, the formal personal features are distilled away like drops of the rain that descends from the clear sky, tasteless and emasculate 16. It is the individual effort (the personal endeavour) that constitutes the path to the Divinity. Soul perfectly shines with Perfect Knowledge (Ananta Jñāna), Perfect Perception or Intuition (Ananta Darsana), Perfect Conduct (Ananta Căritra), Infinite Power (Ananta Virya), Undisturbability (Akhanda), Extreme Fineness (Sūksma), Interpenetrability (Abādha) and is neither heavy nor light (Agurulaghu). Thus, pure soul is Paramātma, Divine being.
Paramātma (Divine Being)
Paramātma is the highest, supreme being, otherwise called as Paramesthin. A Paramesthin is one who is established in the supreme station". A question may arise in the mind that what is the difference between Parmesthins and Other Jivas ? Pt. Sukhalal answers "The difference lies in the presence or absence of the spiritual development. Those who have attained to spiritual development and have acquired scatheless prowess of the soul are Paramesthins. The jīvas, tardy in their process of the soul, are different from them."
The Paramesthin is the holy, supreme personality. There are five paramesthins19 viz., Arihanta (Omniscient with body), Siddha (omniscient without body), Ācārya (preceptor-leader) Upadhyāya (preacher) and Sadhu (sage). The Panca Paramesthins are supreme Divinities 20. Arihanta and Siddha are Omipotent, Omniscient, are supreme Divine while Ācārya Upadhyāya and Sadhu are ascetic sages who are themselves striving to reach the end of their journey in Siddhahood or Supreme Divinity. The three padas viz., Ācārya, Upādhyāya and Sadhu are the individual persons having certain ethical excellences and spiritual attainment. Among the Holy Pentad (Pañcaparamnesthins), the last three viz., spiritual leader, scriptural preacher and mendicant sage have been accorded an extra ordinary position of holiness and religious authority.
To express the faith and adore the ideal of ultimate transcendent Holiness, as conceived in Jainism, is to recite and meditate on the famous and