Doctrines of Jainism

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi Godiji Jain Derasar Mumbai

Page 59

The Doctrines of the Jainas
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The states of the soul are judged also by Lesyas or types of thought. These are six in number, being graded according to intensity of violence. The first Lesya is Krsna
(black) symbolizing the most cruel thoughts. Then there are Nila (blue), Kapota (light blue, like the colour of a pigon), Tegas (fiery), Padma (lotus-coloured) and Shukla (white). The thoughts of a person with Sukla Lesya are of the purest nature. The Lesyas numbered 2 to 5 symbolize the intermediate stages.
The Yoga system divides the flow of mental activity into Sansara pragbhava and Kaivalya pragbhava, showing the bent of mind towards worldly pleasures or towards spiritual realization, respectively. They are just like the states of Bahiratman and Antaratman as shown above.
The Buddhist recognizes five states of Prthaginana, Shrota and Panna Sakrdagamin, Anagamin and Arhat. The first state contains the idea of Bahiratman, the next three of Antaratman and the last one of Paramatman.
The Jain literature on Karman and Gunasthana describes the above path in minute detail. Haribhadra, Subha Chandra and Yosovijaya have explained it on the lines of the Yoga system. But the theory of Gunasthana serves as the backbone for all methods.
The first Gunasthana is known as Mithyadrsti. It represents the state of wrong attitude. The soul has been rotting in it from time immemorial without finding the real path. It is not a step towards realization, as might be assumed from its inclusion in the 14 steps, but the lowest state, where the spiritual journey is not even begun. There are some stages even before the beginning of that journey, and they are included in the first Gunasthana.