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46
THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE JAINAS.
follow the rainy, and precede the winter season in India. They are practically the first half of winter (a season of 4 months). In the cold season all the muddy turbulence of the rains goes to the bottom, and leaves the upper water of ponds, tanks, etc., clear and transparent.
Note-that this stage is reached only by a soul who is ascending the subsidential ladder (Upashama Shreni). This is the last rung of the subsidential ladder. It is never touched by a soul who is fit to go up the destructive ladder (Kshapaka Shreni). The duration of the stage is one Antar-Muhúrta, and the soul cannot progress onwards from this stage. The subsided karmic matter of the passions rises again, and the soul must fall down from this stage.
लिस्सेसखीणमोहो फलिहामल भायणुदयसमचित्तो। खीणकसाओ भण्णादि णिग्गंथो वीयरायेहिं॥६२ ॥ निःशेषक्षीणमोहः स्फटिकामलभाजनोदकसमचित्तः । क्षीणकषायो भण्यते निर्ग्रन्थो वीतरागैः॥ ६२॥
62. That possessionless saint (Nir-grantha), all of whose deluding passions (Moha Kasháya) are destroyed, and whose thought is clear like the water kept in a pure vessel of crystal jewel is said by the non-attached (Oonquerors) (to be in the 12th stage of) destroyed-delusion, or delusionless (Kshina Kasháya).
Commentary. The soul ascending the destructive ladder (Kshapaka Shreni) comes up to this stage direct from the 10th, without touching the 11th stage. In the Antar-Muhúrta which is its duration, the thought-activity purifies the body very much, transforming the physical body into a highly refined (Parmaudárika), and at the close of this stage the soul's thought-activity destroys the three remaining destructive karmas (Ghátíya karmas) i. e., knowledge. obscuring, conation -obscuring, and obstructive karmas (Jnanávarniya, Darshaná varníya and Antaráya) and thus reaches the next stage, that of Omniscience.
केवलणाणिदिवायर किरणकलावप्पणासियाणाणो। रणवकेवललधुग्गम सुजाणिय परमप्प ववएसो ॥ ६३ ॥
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