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Iṣṭopadeśa - The Golden Discourse
various kinds.
The four types of passions, mentioned above, are subdivided into four classes each according to their potency:
1. anantănubandhi - most malignant: that which leads to endless cycle of worldly existence owing to wrong faith. 2. apratyakhyāna - highly malignant: that which arrests even partial abstinence of the householder.
3. pratyakhyāna - malignant: that which enables the
householder's vows to be observed but stands in the way of the more rigorous vows of the ascetic.
4. sañjvalana - gleaming: that which disturbs perfect conduct. It gleams along with self-restraint or even in its presence self-restraint shines. It only debars the soul from pure self-concentration.
The potency of the four classes of passions has been likened to a line drawn on stone, on earth, on dust, and on water, respectively.
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The task in the path of spiritual progress, essentially, is to rid the soul of all karmic dirt already associated with it, while ensuring that no fresh particles of dirt are able to settle in. There are in all fourteen stages of spiritual progress (guṇasthāna) which constitute the journey of the soul from the lowest stage of bondage and ignorance to that of full illumination and godhood. (see p. 13-14)
The last stage of ayogakevali accomplishes complete liberation. On the termination of the ayuḥ karma, which determines the association of the soul with the body, the ayogakevali is freed from all kinds of fetters of matter and immediately ascends to the Holy Abode of Gods Siddha Silā to reside there in everlasting enjoyment of omniscience, infinite bliss, and all other divine attributes.
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