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Jaina Ethics It may also be pointed out here that there are examples of aspirant, like Bharata, who attained liberation within no time of attaining the samyaktva. This proves that liberation is not necessarily a slow process. The speed depends on the intensity of the previously accumulated kurmans on the one hand, and the intensity of earnestness of the aspirant on the other.
The great obstacle 'delusion' (moha):
Before we proceed to describe the stages of development, let us state it clearly that the main enemy of the spiritual progress is delusion (moha). It has two aspects : (1) that which perverts-attitude of soul (darśanamohaniya) and (2) that which obstructs right conduct in the form of mental pol. lution (cāritra mohaniya). Once the first type of delusion is removed, the aspirant is bound to get rid of the second type of delusion also. We have already referred to the various sub-varieties of darśanamohanīya and cāritramohaniya.
It is after subsidence or annihilation of all the three types of darśanamohaniya and attainment of the first degree of intensity, anantānubandhi, of four kaşāyas that the aspirant comes to the fourth stage of development from where his real struggle begins. The threefold division of ātman :
Broadly speaking, the ātman can be divided into the following three categories according to the position occupied in the laddar of spiritual development :
1. Extrovert soul (bahirātman) 2. Introvert soul (antrātman). 3. Super-soul (paramātman).
Extroversion is to get rid of. Introversion is the means to the goal of the supra-ethical stage, which is the paramātman.
Bahirātman :
This is a state of impulsive life of lust and worldly en
1. Adipurāņa, 47-395. 2. Paramātamaprakāśa, 1.12. Also Jñānārņava, 32.10. 3. Mokşapāhuda, 5-8.
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