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THE JAINA DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION
109
Višeşāvaśyakabhāşya tells us the function and operation of this energy called yathāpravrttakaraṇa towards self-realization. The struggle for self-realization consists of two ways namely apūrvakaraṇa and aniyrttikaraņa. Here the word karaņa means an urge to push up the self toward ultimate goal. The process of apūrvakaraṇa enables the self to steer clear all the impediments of karmagranthi while anivșttikarana leads to the dawn of perfection. The process of apūrvakaraṇa lessens the duration and intensity of karmas in the following four processess : destruction of the duration (sthitighāta), destruction of the intensity (rasaghāta), conversion of longer duration of karmas into very short duration of not more than even a muhurta (gunaśreni), and the conversion of intensive degrees of karmas into milder degrees (gunasamkramana).103 In the anivrttikarana, the most intensive type of passions and vision-deluding karmas are destroyed and one gets the fourth stage of guņasthāna.194
The Labdhisāra describes the operation of the process of yathāpravșttikaraña as manifesting into two forms, i. e. apūrvakarana and anivettikaraṇa. By these processes the self paves the way towards selfperfection in four ways :
(i) annihilation and subsidenc of karmic matter : (ii) purification of the self by these processes;
the possibility of getting instruction from the sages; (vi) reduction in the duration of all types of karmas except the
age-determining karmas.106 However, this effort for selfpurification is possible only to bhavyajīvas, those who are capable of attaining liberation. With this background, let us study the doctrine of gunasthānas through which an aspirant passess in the course of spiritual development toward mokşa.
1. PERVERSITY OF ATTITUDE (MITHYĀDRSȚI)
This is the lowest stage of wrong notion of the self obsessed with gross ignorance which is caused by the absence of the effects of right attitude.106 Here the self accepts wrong belief as right belief under false impression. Every self exists in this stage at least to a minimum
103. 104. 105. 106.
Virasena on Şaškhan lāgama, vol. VI, p. 222. See D. N, Bhargava, Jaina Ethics, p. 210. Labdhisära, 3-7 : Kalghatgi, Some Problems in Jaina Psychology, p. 153. Cf, Vites āvašyakabhas ya, 521.
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