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Aspects of Jainology : Volume VI
of four passions and spiritual inertia and climbs the seventh ladder.
7. The seventh stage is the stage of self- control and self awareness alongwith freedom from spiritual inertia, which is technically known as apramatta-samyata-gunasthāna. At this stage the self has full control over his passions and observes the moral code without any negligence. This stage can be attained by overcoming the nine types of pramādas or unawareness and the three sets of four types of passions. From this stage there are two ways open for the upward spiritual journey of the soul. They are technically known as upaśama-śreni and ksapaka- śreņi. Upasama-śreņi is the path of suppression or subsidence while the Kasapaka-śreņi is the path of annihilation. The person, who climbs the ladder of spiritual progress by suppressing his passions, is bound to fall from spiritual heights but the person who climbs up the ladder of spiritual heights through the annihilation of his passions ultimately attains nirvāņa or emancipation.
8. The eighth stage of spiritual development is called apūrvakaraņa. In this stage self attains a special purification and spiritual strength, and thus becomes capable of reducing the duration and the intensity of the previously bonded karmas. At this stage soul performs the four processes of the karma – sthitighata (destruction of the duration of karmas). rasaghāta ( destruction of the intensity of karmas). guna-sarikramana (transformation of the quality of karmic matter) and apurva-sthitibandha (bondage of an unprecedented kind of duration ). This total process is technically known as apūrva-karana. In this stage the soul for the first time experiences the spiritual bliss and tranquility and emotional disturb- ances do not effect it much. At this stage the three sets of four passions alongwith anger and pride of the fourth set disappear, only subtle deceit and greed alongwith nine sub-passions ( instincts ) remain.
9. The ninth stage is named as anivettikarana, because the process of anivịttikarana operates in this stage. It is also known as bādara-samparāya gunasthana, because in this stage there is occasional possibility of the soul being effected by gross passions (bādara-samparāya ), although it has a power of control over them. At this stage, out of nine sub-passions, three types of sexual instinct subside and only six instincts and subtle greed remain, but due to the presence of sub-passions and subtle greed, a fear of attack by gross passions remain. At the end of this stage struggle for spiritual progress comes to an end and the soul climbs the tenth ladder.
10. This stage is named as sūkṣmasamparāyagunasthāna, because at this stage only the subtle form of greed remains. This greed can be interpreted as the subconscious attachment of the soul with the body. When this subtle attachment alongwith remaining sub-passions is subsided or annihilated, the soul ascends to the next stage. The soul, who has made his spiritual progress through the ladder of subsidence (upašama-śreni ) ascends to the eleventh gunasthāna and the soul, which take up the ladder of annihilation (kşapaka-śreņi ), climbs directly to the twelfth stage.
11. This stage is known as upaśāntamohaniyagunasthāna; because in this stage deluding karma remains in the subsided form. It is the highest stage for those who ascend through the ladder of subsidence or suppression. But ultimately the suppressed passions arise and disturb the tranquility of mind. The soul invariably descends from this stage either to the sixth, fifth or fourth or even first stage. This is noteworthy that Jainism does not advocate the process of suppression of the passions for the spiritual progress. This view of Jainism is further supported by the modern psychologists such as Freud etc.
12. The twelfth stage in the spiritual development of the soul is called kşiņamola-gunasthāna. In this stage deluding karma, which is the main obstruc
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