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earlier part of this chapter – that of normal endeavour or Yathāpravrttikaraṇa. The minimum extent of this Gunasthāna is one Samaya and the maximum is less than one Muhurta. 8. Gross Passion Dissimilarity Stage (Nivrtti Bādar Guna
sthāna) -
This is the eighth spiritual stage, attainable by a soul on the ascendant as well as on the descendant. The vigilant soul that has completely freed itself from the clutches of the first three vile types of passion-quartets - Infinitely binding, Renunciation hindering and Complete renunciation obscuring - attains this stage. This is the stage, which also decides the future of the subjects' spiritual progress. Here, the souls prepare to mount the Destructional or the Subsidential ladder. Here, a word about the nomenclature ‘Nivrtti Bādar Guņasthāna' will not be out of place. The word 'nivstti' here means dissimilarity. It is because the volitional dispositions of the souls at each samaya of its duration of one Antarmuhurta are innumerably dissimilar. Again, the passionate states of the souls remain gross up to the ninth stage and become fine only at the tenth stage, it is also known as ‘Bādar?. Another feature of this stage is that the souls employ exceptional endeavour method (Apūrva-karaṇa)to attain spiritual purity and, therefore it is also known as Apūrva-karana stage. According to 'Gunasthāna Kramāroha' spiritual contemplation is possible at this stage. The minimum and maximum durations of this stage are also the same as those of the seventh Guņasthāna. 9. Gross Passion Similarity Stage (Anivrtti Bādar Guna
sthāna) -
This is the ninth spiritual stage, attainable by a soul on the ascendant as well as on the descendant. 'Anivrtti' means similarity. It is because the dispositional states of souls at specific points of time during the duration of this stage are similar, and
214: JAINISM: THE CREED FOR ALL TIMES
