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THE JOURNEY OF THE SOUL
adhaḥpravṛttakarana, by which the soul on a lower level can rise higher and acquire purity, begins to operate in this stage.22 In this stage of self-development, the journey has taken a definite direction, although it may not proceed with the directness and speed required for the proper and speedy development of the self. However, the efforts for the moral life have taken the right direction and, if pursued, will continue towards the final realization of the self.
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(8) Greater self-control and a more definite progress on the path of self-realization is possible in the eighth stage of development. This is called the stage of apurva karana. The self attains special purification, and it is capable of reducing the intensity and duration of the karma. is able to reduce the intensity of the karmas and transform the karmic series. Such a process increases the purity of the soul. The apurva karana operates in this stage. The souls bring about the subsidence of the karma, which is responsible for the obscuration of the right conduct, after having acquired freedom from the bondage of the karmic matter of sleep and drowsiness. But the karma determining the age, the ayu karma, still operates. And those who proceed on the way of the destruction of the karma which obscures right conduct, go the way of destruction of karma called kṣapakasreni. Here also the karma determining the age still exists. Gommaṭasāra gives a detailed analysis of the process of apurva karana operating in this stage. The duration of the stay of the soul in the two scales of subsidence and destruction is different. The soul going the way of subsidence remains, at the most, for an antarmuhurta. But, while going the way of destruction of karmas, it remains for an antarmuhurta as a rule. In this stage one is only affected by mild passions. One experiences extreme delight in overcoming the strain arising out of the suppression and elimination of the passions that one may have in this stage in a mild form. Emotional disturbances do not much affect one. It is possible to develop a stoic attitude of calm and indifference in this stage of self-development, because one has already overcome, with fair confidence, even the milder forms of passion that disturb quiet concentration and contemplation. (9) Next is the ninth stage of self-development. It is called anivṛtti-bādara-samparāya. The process of anivṛtti karana operates in this stage. It is possible to have progress in the direction of either suppression or destruction of the karmic matter. But one may be affected by gross passions to some extent. Therefore it is called badara-samparāya. However, the affliction of the soul by the passions and by the emotional disturbances is still possible, though it is only an occasional possibility and not a frequent occurrence. Very rarely is one afflicted by gross passions and emotions. But it is possible to overcome such emotional disturbances,
22 Gommaṭasara: Jivakända, 48, 49.
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