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Jain texts have shown the path of purification, through which worldly souls can attain perfection through true insight, rational knowledge, rational conduct and rational penance. These perfected souls reside in moksha, enjoying permanent, unending and unrivalled bliss.
Qualities of the Soul
Omniscience, omni-perception, uninterrupted bliss, true insight, supreme detachment, state of eternity, formlessness, masslessness and eternal bliss are all qualities of the soul. These qualities exist in all souls. They manifest themselves in all their glory in liberated souls. In worldly souls, these qualities are obstructed by the eight types of karmas. These eight karmas compel the living being to remain stuck in the cycle of transmigration.
The eight types of karmas are as under:
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Gynaanaavaraniiya {knowledge-obscuring} Karmaa Darshanaavaraniiya {perception-obscuring} Karmaa Vedaniiya (emotion-determining) Karmaa Mohaniiya {delusion-causing} Karmaa Aayu (life-span-determining} Karmaa Naama {form-determining) Karmaa Gotra (status- determining) Karmaa Antaraaya impediment-causing} Karmaa
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Of all these karmas, the most lethal is the delusion-causing karma (Mohaniiya karma). It is the root cause of transmigration. In a manner of speaking, it is the leader of the other seven karmas. Once delusion is conquered, the other karmas can be annihilated easily. This karma causes false belief and false or perverted belief in religion leads to continual transmigration. If you desire liberation,
you must attain rational perception, rational knowledge, rational conduct and rational penance. It is these four attainments that lead to liberation.
Delusion-causing karma is difficult to conquer because its roots go deep down into our psyche. This karma has 28 genres, which are known as the 28 prakritis of mohaniiya karma. The most obdurate of them all is the ‘mithyaatva-mohaniiya prakriti' (genre of delusion caused by false belief}. This genre by itself is also called 'mithyaatva' {false belief}.
Mithyaatva means false belief, false views, false understanding, faith in false gods, false scriptures, false teachers and their teachings, confusion between what is right and what is wrong, mistrusting true gods, true scriptures and true preceptors.
