Jainism Eternal and Universal Path for Enlightenment

Author(s): Narendra Bhandari
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

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Jainism : The Eternal and Universal path for Enlightenment
2. Sas dan Samyakatva (belief in right faith)
A person having the right faith, that is belief in the cardinal truths (i.e. samyagdristi) is in stage 2.This is beginning point of his journey to enlightenment. After ascending to higher states, for example stage 4, one can sometimes, howsoever briefly, have doubt in the cardinal truths under the influence of anant-nubandhi passion, afflicted by wrong faith (called As dan), and will fall back to the transitory stage 2. From there he may go down to stage 1 or rise to stage 3.
3. Misra (Unstable state)
This is a confused state. The mind keeps on oscillating betwen right and wrong perception. Even when a person has acquired the right faith, some times he may be hesitant or doubtful about the veracity of the cardinal truths, required in the fruition of Samyakmithyatva Prakriti, is at this Gunasthan.
From this Gunasthn abeing does not go directly to higher stages like Deshvir 't (stage 5) or Apramatta Sanyat Gunasth'n (stage 7) and does not bother about bondage of age, death and Marn'ntik Samudgh't.
4. Avirat Samyagdrishti (Correct faith but imperfect conduct)
The state of the soul with unwavering right faith (in the six cardinal truths) but devoid of rigorous observance of rules of conduct (i.e., A uvrats and Mah' vrats) is the fourth stage named Avirat Samyakatva.
A person with right faith and observing right conduct, by realizing the true intrinsic nature of soul and with spiritual experience attains the fourth stage. He realises that he is the sentient supreme being and is the knower, the rest of the universe being the "known”, and that he does not have any relationship with the ajiva (non-self, e.g. his body) entities. The worldly manifestations of the soul are not its true nature; they disappear with the correct vision of the nature of the self. This vision, following the elimination of the Anant nubandhi passions, leads to the blissful and detached state of being and the purity of the soul persists.
At this stage, due to rise of the karmas, the souls are of three kinds : (i) Aupshamik, where the passions exist but they are suppressed or dormant (ii) Kshayopshamic, where the passions are eliminated as they arise and (iii) Kshayik, when the passions are totally eliminated. In any of these, the person becomes indifferent to the sensual