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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
does exist spiritual lethargy or carelessness (pramāda). At times, due to idleness the monk neglects the religious acts or acts of duty and thereby shows disrespect towards them; he does not perform them, or performs them carelessly. This is pramāda. Negligence, carelessness or unmindfulness causes excessive eating, excessive sleep, etc. So, they are regarded as careless acts. But moderate eating and moderate sleeping are not included in the careless acts. The rise of mild passions is not regarded as a case of pramāda. When the passions become intense, they are considered to be a case of pramada. Why is the rise of mild passions not regarded as a case of pramada? It is because the rise of passions is there even in the seventh stage and up to tenth stage too, but their intensity becomes milder and milder. Therefore, the seventh stage, though characterised by the rise of mild passions, is regarded as free from pramada. And though at the stages eighth, ninth and tenth, there is the rise of milder and milder passions, they too are considered to be free from pramāda.
7. Apramatta-guņasthāna This is the stage of a monk who is free from spiritual lethargy (pramäda). Even the self-controlled monk fluctuates between the state of spiritual lethargy and that of spiritual vigilance and vigour. Constant zeal for and mindfulness in the performance of what one should perform is the state of spiritual vigilance and vigour (apramāda). If the slightest laxity creeps into the state, the monk is sure to lapse into the condition of spiritual lethargy.
In this stage, all careless conducts are stopped and the practice of vows becomes perfect and faultless.
8. Apūva-karana At this stage, the soul attains unprecedented spiritual fervour necessary for effecting suppression or annihilation of the conduct-deluding karma. From this stage onwards begins the process of either suppression or annihilation of the conduct-deluding karma. (As a matter of fact, having its strong base in this stage, the process actually starts from the next, i.e., ninth guṇasthāna).
1. 'Karana' means activity of the soul.
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