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throughout the universal space and as a result it can experience the remaining Vedaniya karma in the remaining life-span. Having exhausted all the eight types of karma in this manner, the soul leaves the mundane existence forever and rises to the ultimate stage of attainment of spiritual perfection or Siddhatva, which is the fourteenth and final stage of spiritual progress called Incorporeal Omniscient Stage (Ayogi Kevalī Gunasthāna). The soul can stay in the thirteenth stage of embodied perfection for a minimum period of an Antarmuhurta and a maximum of somewhat less than a Pūrvakoti varsa. 14. Incorporeal Omniscient Stage (Ayogi Kevali Gunasthāna)
This is the fourteenth and the final stage of spiritual progress. It is attained by a perfected soul that has irresidually exhausted all the eight types of karma at the thirteenth stage. This accomplishment is achieved by stopping the bodily functions by the omniscient soul at the end of its life-span in the thirteenth stage. The soul stays in this state only for a time taken to pronounce five short vowels a, i, u, rand l, after which it rises to the uppermost part of the universe and permanently resides on Siddhasilā, or Isatprāgbhāra Prthvī, the abode of the perfected incorporeal souls.
Conclusion -
The foregoing description of the fourteen spiritual virtuestations or Guņasthāna reveals as to how systematically and methodically the Jaina seers have realised these concepts in their lives and preached them for the benefit of the posterity. It tells us the various ingredients of spiritual progress – rightness of faith, belief, vision or perspective, gaining of right-knowledge, controlling of passions, restraining one's body, mind and speech, to be vigilant in performance of one's spiritual duties, not succumb to the lure of sleep, gossip, sensory pleasures, etc. so that one can make uninterrupted progress towards one's ultimate goal of spiritual emancipation and final liberation.
218 : JAINISM: THE CREED FOR ALL TIMES
