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124
Jain Theism harmony, in the words of Dr. Radhakrishnan, “He is in the world but not of the world." This stage is comparable to Jivanmukta and Mukta of Hinduism and Anāgamin and Arhatship of Buddhism."34 5.3.4. Five Labdhis
We have seen that the fourth Gunasthāna is the real beginning of the spiritual development. A soul before coming to this stage passes through certain stages which are five. The first one is called “Kșayopaśāma, which means destruction cum-subsidence of the Karmic matter."'85 As a result of the first one the soul involves into good actions and leads to happiness. This is the second stage called “Visuddha Labdhi.''86 “The third Labdhi is Darsana Labdhi where the soul with the help of a teacher leads into the nature of six Dravyas and nine Padārthas."87 "The fourth Labdhi is called Prayogya Labdhi. means the capacity to reduce the duration of Karmas. All these four Labdhis are important only if they lead to the fifth, Karma Labdhi. It is attainable by Bhavya Jiva only.""88
Before we discuss the stages of spiritual development, let us mention that the aspirint ascends the stages either by subsidence (Upasama) or by annihilation (Kșaya) of Karmas.'89 These are known as two ladders or Sreņis of spiritual development. 5.3.5 The Guñasthānas or Stages of Spiritual Development
“From the state of complete dependence upon the Karman to the state of complete detachment from it, 14 stages, the so called, Guņāsthanas (states of virtue) can be distinguished.”® These fourteen stages are marked by the gradual subsidence of eight Karmas, “There are stages of development in which the soul gradually delivers itself, firstly from the worst, then from the less bad, and, finally, from all kinds of Karman, and manifests the innate faculties of knowledge, belief and conduct in a more and more perfect form."91. The following are the different stages. "92
84. Bhargava Dayanand, : Jain Ethics, (1968), p. 208 85. Labdhisära, Bombay, (1976), p.4 86. Ibid. p. 5. 87. Ibid., p. 6 38. Gommatasära : Jivakåņda 651 39. Virasena on Satakbandagama, 1.2-8,14 (Vol. VI p. 317) 70. Karmagradtha I, 56a, also see Glasenapp's The Doctrine of Karma in Jain
Philosophy (1942), p. 68. 91. Ibid., p. 68
92. Ibid
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