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types of obstructions and remains all the time in pure conscious attentiveness, i.e. Saksi-bhava and equanimity, which is the ultimate goal of every soul that the Jaina Sadhana aims to achieve.
GUŅASTHĀNA AND ITS DEVELOPMENT
The doctrine of fourteen stages of spiritual development (Gunasthāna) is one of the most popular theories of Jainism. Except the Samavāyanga, none of the canonical works refer to this theory. Scholars maintain strongly that the reference made to Gunasthāna as found in the Samavāyanga is an interpolation incorporated in it at the time of the second Valabhi Council, i.e. in the fifth century AD. The Niryuktis are also silent about this theory, except the present edition of the Āvaśyaka-niryukti where, in two Gathas, the names of fourteen Guņasthānas are mentioned. It is remarkable that till the period of Haribhadra's commentary on the Āvaśyaka-niryukti, these two Gathas were not accepted as niryukti Gathas because Haribhadra (eighth century), in his commentary, clearly mentions that these Gathas are quoted by him from the Sahgrahani-sūtra .
It seems that till the fourth century AD the concept of these fourteen stages of spiritual development had not come into existence, Umasvati's Tattvārtha-sūtra (third-fourth century AD), which throws light on almost every aspect of Jaina philosophy and religion including various stages of spiritual development, does not mention the fourteen Gunashthanas as such. Nor does its autocommentary mention it. Though in the ninth chapter of the Tattvārtha-sūtra the author mentions four, seven and ten stages of spiritual development, yet he does not make any mention of these fourteen stages in it. On that basis we can conclude that the theory
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Jainism and its History
