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and proceeds further. Even the souls of Tirthankaras like Mahavira have to pass through this struggle. It is a democratic process where no one gets a preference and everyone has to make progress by his own. individual efforts. In this struggle every Jiva has to pass through fourteen stages. Each stage has a different level of development.
1. Mithya Drashti which means unreal vision. This is a stage of spiritual blindness. This results form Darshanavarniya Karma.
2. Sasadana Samyag Drashti some souls fall to this stage after attaining higher stage of vision.
3. Mishra which is the stage of mixed feelings of real and unreal attitude towards life.
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4. Avirati Samyag Drashti though the soul gets proper vision, but that vision does not remain constant. (Most of the thinkers are at this stage) 5. Desha Nirati There is partial stoppage of material enjoyments
6. Pramat Samyat there is further progress which is hindered by inertia. Many saints are at this stage.
7. Apramatta Samyat - When inertia goes away and the soul becomes ready for Nirjara.
8. Apurvakaran the soul enters the stage where it experiences spiritual development which is unique and not experienced ever before. The Soul is now able to shed the Karmic veil by its pacification and destruction called "Upashama and Kshaya". If however, only the course of pacification is taken, there are chances of fall which takes it to the lower stage. 9. & 10. Anivruti and Sukshama Samparaya - Anivruti means not totally annihilated and Samparaya means passions. At this stage the passions are still not totally annihilated.
11. Upashanta Moha - As the passions are not totally annihilated, Moha i.e. attachment at times asserts and causes a fall to the second stage. The Soul then gets experience and again ascends up, and enters the next stage. 12. Kshaya Moha Moha is totally destroyed.
13. Sayoga Kevali - all Karmic bondages are destroyed and the soul attains Kevalya Jnana. Only body remains attached to the Soul, and so there remains the yoga (joinder) of the body. This is the condition of Vitaraga or Arihanta.
14. Ayogi Kevali the body connection goes away and the soul exists in purest form. It reaches Siddhahood which is pure Godhood. Now the cycle of birth and death ends.
The above stages are the soul's journey to the final freedom and absolute bliss. (Ref: pg 88-92)
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