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Stages of Spiritual Development
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the rarity and destruction of illusory Karma. The illusory Karma consists of two prowesses. The function of the first is to cover up the Guna of the Atmā known as right faith-Sam yaktva, so that philosophic liking and right vision do not evolve in the soul. The function of the second prowess is to enwrap the quality-Guna of the soul known as conduct-Cäritra. As a result the Ātmā acquires natural liking and right vision, but is not able to undertake the right activity following this; it is not able to attain to the right self-perspective. The first prowess of illusory Karma that obstructs Samyakrva-right faith-is designated darśanamohaniya - that which eludes right vision and the second is designated Căritramohaniyathat which eludes right conduct. Here, the darśanamohaniya is more powerful of the two, because, the prowess of Caritramohani ya is not lessened unless and until the former becomes rare or is destroyed. Once the prowess of darśanamohaniya is minimised, Càritr amohaniya gets weaker by stages and comes to annihilation in the end. In all the obstacles to Karma, the most dominant and the most powerful is the illusory. The reason is that all other coverages -ävaranas remain acute till the power of the mohaniya is acute and with the power of the mohani ya in the decline the power of other avaranas is also on the decline. This is precisely the reason why the conception of Gunastbānas is dependent upon the comparison and superiority of the mohaniya Karma.
These are the Gugasthānas? or ladders of spiritual development : (i) False vision- Mithya dịşti. (ii) Slight taste of right vision --Sāsvādona Samyak drsti. (iii) right, faise or mixed vision-Sampak mith yā drsti. (iv) Constant right vision - Avirata Samyakdịşti, but not self-dis
cerament. (v) partial self-control-desavirati, sometimes wavering through
negligence. (vi) complete self-discernment--Pramatta Samyata. 1. Vide, 'Samavāyānga', 14th Samaviya.
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