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SUTRAS
THE KEY TO THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE
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Wherever we are, the entirety of all knowledge is always with us. The fact that we do not perceive this at present, is caused only by our own prejudices, errors, misconceptions and erroneous beliefs what knowledge is all about and how it should be gained. This bias blocks our very access to knowledge. It limits the bandwidth of what we regard as acceptable. Once we remove these blocks, our awareness begins to reach into regions previously believed inaccessible.
There is no need to visit special locations to 'receive' knowledge or to wait till we are in possession of 'better' insight. If we want to gain more comprehensive understanding and ultimate freedom, we only need to secure access to this complete treasure-trove of knowledge readily available within us. The path to freedom is wide open for everyone at any place and time.
How revolutionary this concept is becomes apparent when we consider the absolute independence we gain. Since all knowledge already exists within us, we do not need anyone - no church, no guru, no organization of any kind - to 'give' or to withhold knowledge. We only need to find out how to perceive what readily exists within us.
We all have intuitive access to this path. It is open for everyone without the study of any kind of formal knowledge.
Yet there exist external sources which offer information how to become aware of the mechanisms that lead to the experience of superior levels of comprehension and existence: These are the reports of those who successfully completed the path to liberation.
These reports describe 14 stages (gunasthanas) human beings experience on their path to ultimate freedom. Each of these stages is characterized by the type of karma manifesting therein (the kind of emotions we feel, how intense they are and what types of action we are attracted to), the time we stay in a particular stage, the direction in which we pass through and how much our development is stimulated. Because of these differing features each stage has a
unique feeling and significance. Jain Education International
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