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JANUARY, 1993
able to take up its second type only in the twelfth stage. These two meditations are based upon scriptural text. In the thirteenth stage, the Kevali does the third type of sukla dhyāna, and liberation is attained by the fourth type in the final stage.
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A review of the duration spent in each stage shows that the aspirant stays the longest in the fourth, fifth, and sixth guṇasthānas. These therefore are given great importance and described in greater details in Jain scriptures. The eighth although a very important stage, lasts for a short period only. The five-fold technique described in that stage can be applied repeatedly from sixth to tenth stages for the rapid elimination of karmas.
This brief review can be concluded by reminding the readers that descriptions are necessarily imperfect and these stages are better understood by practice and actual experience.
The author wishes to express his gratefulness to Dr. Sagarmal Jain, Director of the Parsvanath Jain Research Institute, Varanasi, for guiding and scrutinizing this work.
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