________________
GRADATION OF SOULS AND STAGES OF OMNISCIENCE
Upadhyayas,38 and Sadhus39 have been described separately. Arhathood is the stage of final destiny or the stage of Ayoga Keyalin (stage of absolute motionlessness) in the 14th i.e., the last stage in the ladder of spiritual development (Guṇasthāna) of the soul. He has attained lordship of peaceful perfection; his Karmic influx (aśrava) is wholly stopped and is entirely freed from particles of karmic dust. His vibrartory activity has also ceased and is motionless omniscient lord.1 The Arhats see the whole truth and preaches it but add nothing since the truth is perfect and one for all, and for all times, and must necessarily be without beginning and without end.
[B] Five Types of Conditions for the Existence of Soul (Gati)
In Mangalacarana of Tattvartha Sutra, generally found and used in Jaina temples, we get a gift of Jainism. There it has been stated that there are five kinds of conditions for existence (Gati) of soul, namely, hellish (Narkiya), sub-human (Tiryañca), human beings (Manuṣya), celestial beings (Deva) and liberated beings (Siddha ).42 Nemicandra describes four. teen different ways of soul-quests (Märgaṇā), 43 which are intended to give us a detailed knowledge of souls. Existential condition (Gati) is the state of a soul, brought about by the operation of the body-condition-making Karmas (Gati-namaKarma). It is the cause of the soul's passing in either of the
38 Dravyasangraha, 53; Bṛhaddrayasangraha, 53.
39 Dravyasangraha and Bṛhat-Dra yasangraha, 54.
40
83
Devendra Suri, Karma Grantha, (ed.) Sukhalälaji (Āgrā, Ātmānanda Jaina Pustaka PrachārakaMandala, 1918), II. 2 (with comment); Gommaṭasara (Jiva Kanda), 9-65.
41 Gommaṭasarā (Jīva Kāṇda), 65.
42 J. L. Jaina, Tattvarthadhigamsutra (Arrah, Central Jaina Publishing house, 1920), pp. 2-3..
43 Nemicandra, Gommaṭasara (Jiva Kā ņda), 141-142.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
1
www.jainelibrary.org
