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THE GRADUAL WAY OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
The 14 Gunasthanaks (The stages of development) : Mithyathva, Avirati, Pramad and the Kashayas are the internal defects of the soul. On account of these things, the soul exists at lower levels. As these defects in the soul get destroyed, step by step, virtues appear in the soul. The soul proceeds step by step by the Gunasthanaks. It goes on attaining higher and higher levels of existence.
In the Jain Dharma fourteen Gunasthanaks have been described. They are the following (1) Mithyathva (2) Saswadan (3) Misra (4) Avirati (5) Samyag drishti (5) Desh virati (6) Pramatta (Sarva Virati) (7) Apramatta (8) Apurvakaran (9) Anirvritti Badar (10) Sukshma Samparay (11) Upashanta Moh (12) Kshina Moh (13) Samyog Kevali (14) Ayog
Kevali.
The jiva that can put an end to Mithyatva exists in the second or in any higher stage. (Gunastanak). The jiva that can discard a little avirati exists in the fifth; and that which can discard avirati completely exists at the sixth or at a higher stage. That which can discard pramad exists at the seventh or at a higher stage; that which can discard kashayas completely dwells at the eleventh or at a higher stage; and the jiva that can discard yogas (the psychophysical activities) reaches the fourteenth stage and attains Moksha.
(1) MITHYATHVA (False vision or faith): Though this is a defect, it has been considered to be the first Gunashthanak because it indicates the lowest state of the Jiva from the point of view of its virtues and because after Mithyatva is discarded, the first virtue appears in the soul.
At this level, all jivas from Ekendriyas upto Asanjni Panchendriya and all Bhavabinandijivas or worldly ones or Samjnipanchendriya jivas; attached to mere pudgals are collected.
At the second level exist all these jivas which, though they do not have faith in the words of Tirthankar Bhagwan desire
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