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Aspects of Jainology : Volume VI
moveable in nature they are thought of as trasa. The Jivasthāna, Mārgaņāsthāna, Gunasthāna have also moveable nature of vāyu is so apparent that it is developed. Wherever these topics have been discuscalled trasa, first of all out of five one sensed beings. sed in the Arga-Agamas such as Bhagavati etc. the By minute observations, it is seen that fire too has a reference has been made to Anga-bāhya Agamas tendency of gradual expansion through fuel so it is (External authorities such as Prajñāpanā etc. It also included into trasa (mobile). But the move-ment confirms that these theories are developed after the of water is regarded as possible only due to the low c. 2nd. First they are discussed in the Anga-bāhya level of the earth so movement is not its own nature. Āgamas and afterwards at the time of Valabhi-vācanā Therefore, water, like the vegetation is also taken as they are included in Arga-āgamas with the note that sthāvara ( immobile ). As the movement in air and for detailed discussions relevant Ariga-bāhya scripfire is inherent so these two are considered as trasa tures are to be seen. and other as stha varas. Further when the two or more Jaina Theory of Gunasthāna and its Developement sensed jivas are recognised as immobile (sthavara)
The doctrine of fourteen stages of spiritual the problem of reconciling this view with agamic development (Gunasthāna ) is one of the most popustatements arose. In the Svetambara schools this lar theories of Jainism. Except Samavāyānga, none of reconciliation is marked as the basis of the distin- the canonical work refers to this theory. Scholars are ction of labdhi and gati. From the standpoint of the of the strong opinion that the reference relating to labdhi, air and fire are viewed as immobile (sthāvara ) Gunasthāna found in Samavāyanga is an interpolabut viewed from the angle of movement (gati ) they tion incorporated at the time of second Valabhi remain mobile (trasa ). In the Dhavala commentary Council (c. 5th A. D. ). The Niryuktis are also silent of Digambara tradition (c. 10th ) the problem is about this theory, except the present edition of solved differently. It is said that the basis of calling Avasakaniryukti wherein, two gathās mention the air and fire as sthāvara, is not their movement but names of these fourteen Gunasthānas. This is remarktheir Nāma-karma origin. Jayasenācārya, the comm
able that till the time of Haribhadra's commentary on entator of pañcāstikāya of Kundakunda, solves the Avaśyaka Niryukti, these two gathās were not problem by making a distinction between niscaya- tinction between niscaya-
accepted as Nirvukti pathas as in his con
accepted as Niryukti gathās as in his commentary, he naya and vyavahāra-naya. According to him, the has clearly mentioned that these găthas has been earth, water and vegetation are included into pañca quoted by him from the Sangrahani-sutra. sthāvara because of their Nāma-karma origin, but air
It seems that till the c. 4th A. D. the concept and fire classification under pañcasthāvars are only
of these fourteen stages of spiritual development has from the practical point of view ( vyavahāra ). From
not come into existence. Umāsvāti's Tattvārthasūtra niścayanaya they are trasa as they actually appear to
throwing light on almost every aspect of Jaina philobe mobile. All these excercises really are worthwhile
sophy and religion including various stages of attempts to reconcile the differences, cropped of
spiritual development does not mention the fourteen during respective contentions of the ancient and the
Gunasthānas as such. The same is the case with its later scriptures.
auto-commentary. Though in the ninth chapter of the So far as the question of different classifica- Tattvārthasutra the author has mentioned four, seven tions of jivas are concerned they are crystalised and ten stages of spiritual development, yet he does during the c. 3rd-10th. In that period the concepts of not make any mention of these fourteen stages in it.
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