Indian Culture and Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

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(d) Sukṣmasāmparāya Gunasthāna (Tenth) (e) Upaśāntakasāya Gunasthāna (Eleventh)
(f) Kșīņakaṣāya Guñasthāna (Twelfth) These Gunasthānas from the seventh to the twelth are the meditational stages or the stages of illumination and ecstasy. By the time the aspirant
aches the seventh Gunasthāna, he has developed a power of spiritual attention, of self-merging and of gazing into the ground of the soul. It is through the aid of deep meditation that the mystic now pursues the higher path. In consequence, he arrives at the eighth and the ninth stages. In the tenth Gunasthāna there is only subtle greed that can disturb the soul. The soul suppresses even this subtle greed in the eleventh Gunasthāna. If the self follows the process of annihilation instead of suppression it rises directly from the tenth to the twelth Guņasthāna. 5. Dark-night of the soul post-illumination : Fall to the first or the
fourth Gunasthāna. Owing to the suppressed passions gaining strength, the illuminated consciousness of the eleventh Gunasthāna falls to the lowest stage or to the fourth stage. The consequence is that the ecstatic awareness of the transcendental self gets negated and an overwhelming sense of darkness envelops the mystic. 6. Transcendental life : (a) Sayogakevalī Gunasthāna (Thirteenth)
(b) Ayogakevalī Gunasthāna (Fourteenth) The slumbering and the unawakened soul, after passing through the stages of spiritual awakening, moral and intellectual preparation, now arrives at the sublime destination by dint of ascending the rungs of meditational ladder. In the thirteenth stage the soul possesses dispassionate activities and develops omniscience. It is a state of JivanaMukta, a supermental state of existence and an example of divine life upon earth. In the fourteenth stage the soul annuls all activities, but preserves omniscience and other characteristics. After this, disembodied liberation results (Videha Mukti). The self in these two Gunasthānas bears the title of 'Arhat' and after this, the title of 'Siddha.' This state of Siddha is beyond all Gunasthānas.
It may be noted here that the self in these two Gunasthānas is called Paramātman. This perfected mystic is established in truth in all directions.
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Indian Culture and Jainism