Soul Science Part 02

Author(s): Parasmal Agrawal
Publisher: Kundakunda Gyanpith

Page 48

Virtue and Vice (Punya and Papa)
possessions and may become a saint very soon. Further, though it is again rare but it is possible that very soon the new saint becomes so much absorbed in the Self that by body and mind also he does not consciously indulge in any association with Karma of any type. After this stage, the soul may become Arahanta and then after completing the present human life, the soul gets liberation and attains a state called Siddha. It may be noted that an Arahanta is a worldly living being in the state of omniscience and bliss whereas a Siddha is in the state of omniscience and bliss without any kind of physical body. One may refer to Appendix -2 for more details regarding Arahanta and Siddha.
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It is important to note that after becoming SamyagDrști, a majority of souls take many rebirths to achieve a state of total absorption with the soul, devoid of any association with Karma. The scriptures reveal that the important milestones mentioned in above paragraph [i.e., (i) renunciation of worldly possessions, (ii) to get absorbed in the Self such that by body and mind also one does not consciously indulge in any association with Karma of any type, (iii) becoming Arahanta, and finally Siddha] are reached in the spiritual path of every soul attaining liberation.
Regarding other extreme corresponding to the slow track mode, scriptures reveal that the time required to complete this journey, after becoming SamyagDrști for the first time, is less than or equal to Ardha-Pudgala-Paravartana-Kāla (APPK). According to scriptures, it is impossible that a soul after becoming SamyagDrști does not get liberation within time period Ardha-Pudgala-Paravartana-Kāla (APPK). This time duration, APPK, is very long time; it is more than trillions of years. Although APPK is well defined, its value in terms of the number of years is difficult to compute. However, it may