Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Boolchand
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society

Page 58

(01) knowing the truth and the next doubting it. The second and the third steps are thus merely transitional and transitory ; it is the fourth step which is really stable after the first stage.
The distinguishing mark of the fourth stage is that the soul has belief in the path of liberation but is unable to observe the rules of conduct for attaining liberation; the thought-activity characterising this stage is that the soul has destroyed excessive anger, pride and greed but not entirely escaped from their influence. In this stage, the Jiva however develops the power of curbing anger ( 918 ), the realisation that the world is evil (NT), the capacity for non-attachment (what), compassion (317FTI) and true faith (37T15747). In the fifth stage (atiafa) the desire to realise the objective by the proper regulation of conduct first manifests itself, and the individual takes partial vows, e.g., the vow not to drink intoxicant or eat flesh (FERİHTTT) or to keep all the twelve vows of a householder (TATTF) or to maintain absolute chastity etc. The sixth stage (fa) can be ascended by a professed ascetic, who renounces all worldly objects, and who controls even the slight passions. But as yet the jiva remains slack in concentration. By further effort the soul mounts to the seventh stage ( TTT) when renouncing all carelessness, it becomes fully absorbed in spiritual contemplation. From the seventh stage onwards the path of ascent follows two different routes, (1) the route in which the several right-conduct-deludirg karmas become quiescent and controlled, and (2) the coute in which they get actually destroyed. Thus the eighth stage ( TO) is marked by an absolute control or conquest of pride and consequently by an unusual intensification of the power of meditation and concentration. This is the beginning of the first Sukla-dhyana pure concentration and gives a joy to the jiva the like of which he has never experienced before. The ninth stage ( 37f7afa ) is marked by an absolute control or conquest of deceit