Jaina Culture

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

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JAINA CULTURE
this stage. The difference between their conditions is that all the abhadyas live eternally in this state, whereas only those bhavyas who by reason of certain unfavourable conditions do not reach salvation do so, for à certain period. With the other bhavyas this stage has no beginning but an end that comes sooner or later. With a being who fell from a higher stage and sank into wrong belief, it has a beginning as well as an end.
The second gunasthāna is of.very short duration lasting in the minimum one samaya and in the maximum six doalikäs. Those beings who possessed right belief produced by the suppression of wrong belief during the period within a muharta but who had lost it again on account of the breaking out of passions, are said to enjoy this gunasthana. After the lapse of the settled period, the being necessarily sinks back into the first guṇasthana.
The fundamental characteristic of the third punasthana is indifference which lasts only during the period within a muhürta. It is mixed belief produced by the mingling of truth and falsity. After the lapse of the time of the stay on this stage, the being attains wrong or right belief according to the circumstances.
To the fourth gunasthana belong those beings who possess right belief and have the knowledge of truth and falsity but on account of the rise of certain passions who are not capable of practising self-discipline. The duration of this stage is in the minimum less than a muhurta and in the maximum more than thirty-three sägaropamas.
In the fifth gunasthang partial self-discipline, exists. The duration is in the minimum less than a muhurta and in the maximum somewhat less than a püroakoţi.
The being belonging to the sixth gunasthana attains complete self-discipline, although he is disturbed through negli