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Essence of Jainism
becomes decisive anout its end, and, with a firm determination, activares itself for the purpose. It is at this time that the foundation of spiritual development is laid. Now the Atmā, with its knowledge and prowess of virility, wrestles with ignorance, attachment and jealousy It may ccussionally suffer a setback, but in the end, just as a result of this, its knowledge and virility of prowess are doubled and it continues to fight and suppress the enemy, and continues to grow more enthusiastic thereby. With the enrichment of enthusiasm, there is released an unparalleled stream of delight-- Ananda. The Ātinā, totally engrossed in this stream of delight continues to weaken the cycle of ignorance, attachment and jealousy and continues to advance towards its natural state of the stages of spiritual development.
(c) The ultimate limit of this state is precisely the perfection of development. Once this state of perfection is attained to, the Ātma attains to a state far higher than the mundane world. Here, only natural Ananda dominates, this is the time of what we call liberation - mokşa
Fourteen Gunasthānas and their Explanation
In the ancient Scriptures of Jainism, known as Āgamas, we come across a systematic thinking and analysis of the stages of spiritual development. The states of the Armā are fourteen and they are known as Gunasthanas in these works.
Gunasthāva
Guna means the life-force or inspiration of the soul, equani. imity, conduct, virility etc. Sthäna means the higher and lower stages of the purity of these prowesses. These inherent natural Gunas are enwrapped by various obstacles in the state of mundane existence. The purity of the Gunas here, is lesser or greater in proportion to the rarity and the destruction that they bring about being greater or lesser. In this manner, innumerable types of the higher or lower quantum of the purity of the Guņas are possible. They are, in brief, divided into fourteen and these are the Gunasthanas. The fourteen Gunasthānas aro conceived of mainly on tho basis of
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