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Here, one needs to realise that after having spent innumerable pudgala paraavartna kaalas {humongous periods of time found in Jain scriptures, impossible to express in terms of digits} lost in avyavahaara raashi {nigoda, where the soul does not even have a body of its own and is unable to transmigrate in one of four states - hellish being, human being, subhuman being and celestial being and remains stuck in a state of limbo}, the soul comes into the vyavahaara raashi{where the soul is born with a body and can transmigrate in one of four stateshellish being, human being, subhuman being and celestial being} only when one soul leaves the vyavahaara raashi and attains liberation. The only criterion that determines which soul will escape from nigoda is the soul's own destiny. Hence one living being in vyavahaara raashi (where the soul comes in the cycle of transmigration and it becomes possible for it to attain liberation) should be thankful to the souls who have attained liberation (moksha).
One thing is certain: only those living beings are motivated to attain liberation who are bhavya {capable of attaining liberation and whose time left in transmigration is equal to or less than one pudgala paraavartana kaala. Those living beings who are bhavya capable of attaining liberation but whose time left in transmigration is greater than one pudgala paraavartana kaala do not realise that:
• Liberation is the greatest goal of all • Religion is the means of attaining liberation • One should use the means of religion to attain the goal of liberation
Even in the case of a soul who is in the charamaavarta stage, he might have to live through several
times. But religion shall remain accessible to him. Religion helps him lessen his karmic load. Certain instrumental causes may lead to the soul attracting karmas in this stage, but it will shed them too. This cycle of attracting karmas and then shedding them may be repeated several times.
Victory over Delusion
Samyaktva is inversely proportionate to delusion. The lowest stage of spiritual development is known as the first gunsthaanaka or the mithyaatva gunsthaanaka. This stage is known as the Bahiraatmaa stage, where the living being identifies with the body. All souls in this stage do not have exactly the same level of spiritual development. The levels of delusion suffered by the soul vary from person to person. Some are highly deluded, others are less deluded and yet others suffer from very mild delusion.
Progress is the nature of the soul. As delusion departs from the soul, its samyaktva is strengthened
and it progresses spiritually. It passes through various stages of spiritual progress like acharamaavartakaala, charamavartakaala, ardhapudgalaparaavartanakaala, parita-samsaarii, apunarbandhaka, yogadrishti, etc.
Having understood these terms, let us follow the progress of the soul to higher stages.
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