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therefore overcomes Pratyakhyänävaraniya Kashäy. He is thus in control of all Kashäys except Sanjwalan type and Nokashäy types. He may also have the capacity to give up the worldly life and stays free from the worldly attachment. He, however, does not have the capacity to remain fully alert and aware. As such, he is subject to the minor pitfalls. That is due to Pramäd or indolence in which he is still likely to get indulged. This stage is therefore also known as Pramatta Virati Gunsthän. The aspirants at this stage are considered fit to preach.
SEVENTH STAGE: While trying to control indolence, the aspirant reaches this stage known as Apramatta or the stage of no indolence. Subtle anger of the Sanjwalan category comes under control at this stage. But other Sanjwalan Kashäys also known as Samparäy Kashays still continue to exercise hold over him. This is not a steady stage. At times the aspirant is overcome with indolence and reverts to the 6th stage. As he becomes conscious of it, he tries to overcome the indolence and gets back to the 7th stage. This movement from 6th to 7th and 7th to 6th is likely to continue long. If the aspirant does not happen to fall further below, he eventually achieves irreversible control over indolence and reaches the next stage.
EIGHTH STAGE: The path of liberation consists of right perception, right knowledge and right conduct. The right perception arises at the 4th stage and right knowledge is gained along with it. From the 5th stage onward, the aspirant tries to control the defiling instincts so as to go in for the right conduct. By virtue of overcoming the indolence, he should have gained control over the instinct of anger by the end of 7th stage. During the 8th stage, he develops the capability to control other subtle defilements and semi-defilements, which he never had before. As such, this stage is known as Apoorvakaran or the unprecedented stage. It is hard to reach this stage and only a few aspirants attain that level. The ascent from this stage is rather quick.
The aspirant is now capable to go in for Shukladhyan, which is the highest type of meditation. Thereby he can rapidly rise to the next two stages. The progress on the ladder had so far been partly by eliminating the delusion and partly by pacifying it. The route for advancing from this stage to the 10th stage is bifurcated. One is termed as Upasham Shreni, which relates to further advancement by pacifying the subtle defilement. The other is called Kshapak Shreni, which relates to the advancement by destroying it.
NINTH STAGE: This is known as Anivruttikaran or Anivrutti Bädar. The term Badar is used here in a relative sense indicating that the subtle defilement obtaining at this stage is gross as compared to the one in the next stage. At this stage the aspirant gains control over very subtle forms of Män and Mäyä and certain semi-defilements. As such he can stay above sexual instinct. The remaining semi-defilements and the wholesome attachment, which can be termed as subtle Lobh still continue to remain at this stage.
TENTH STAGE: This stage is known as Sukshma Samparäy. Sukshma means very subtle and Samaräy indicates a finer sense of Kashay. As such the aspirant at this stage reaches a very subtle state. This stage relates to overcoming the defilement. The remaining semi-defilements (Nokashäy) and the subtle sense of Lobh are overcome at this stage. At the end of this stage, the aspirants progressing by Upasham Shreni reach the 11th stage, while those progressing by Kshapak Shreni skip that stage and reach the 12th one.
ELEVENTH STAGE: This is known as Upashänt Moh, meaning the stage, where delusion is pacified. The aspirants reaching this stage have thus pacified the defiling instincts but have not destroyed them. As such they become subject to defilement and therefore fall back. This happens on account of the loss of vigilance. If they do not regain enough vigilance, they can fall up to the second stage. They can, of course, rise again by regaining the alertness and by progressively destroying the defilement.
TWELFTH STAGE: This stage is known as Kshin Moh, meaning the stage, where delusion is totally destroyed. Aspirants reaching this stage have not therefore to revert to the lower stage. Now they have to get rid of the Ghati Karmas pertaining to the subtle levels of Darshanävaraniya
