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Jain: A Treatise on Jainism: The Fourteen Gunasthanas, Spiritual Stages
The Spiritual Bookstore Online World Religion Library
A Treatise On Jainism
By - Shri Jayatilal S. Sanghvi
CHAPTER V THE FOURTEEN GUNASTHANAS (SPIRITUAL STAGES)
According to Jain Philosophy there are 14 Spiritual Stages (Gunasthanas) of thought activities, which a soul, desirous of being liberated and of attaining perfection has to pass through. The 14 Spiritual Stages which trace the progress of the soul from delusion to a condition of perfection are useful as a practical preliminary. In its highest essence the soul neither needs nor is capable of any divisions or stages; it is always itself infinite. The 14 Spiritual Stages are: (1) Mithyatva, Wrong Belief, Delusion. The thoght activity of the soul due to the operation of the Right Belief Deluding Karmas. In this, the soul does not believe in the right path to liberation. All 28 sub-classes of Mohaniya i.e. deluding karma may be present in this first and lowest stage. From here the soul always goes to the 4th Gunasthana. (2) Sasadana, Downfall. The second and third stages are the intervening progressive stages of thought activities between wrong belief and right belief of the 4th stage. In the 2nd stage the three kinds of right belief deluding karmas are existent, but in an inoperative condition. The remaining 25 are operative. The duration of this stage is the shortest, viz. at the most 6 Avalis, or winks or twinklings of an eye. This is a stage, which is not touched by the soul in its progress. It is only one of the possible 3 stages, which the soul occupies if it suffers a downfall from the 4th stage. These 3 downward stages are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd. When there is operation in the 4th stage of one of the four Anantanubandhi Kashayas, error feeding passions, the soul falls down to the 1st stage through the 2nd and the thought activity in the passage through, is called Sasadana. (3) Mishra, mixed right and wrong belief. Operation of Samyak mithyatva mohaniya karmas or Mishra Mohaniya. Belief in right and wrong at one and the same time. This is reached on falling down from the 4th stage. From the 3rd, the soul may come down straight to the 1st or rise to the 4th stage. But the operation of the error feeding passions without operation of wrong belief brings about the downfall of the soul from the 4th to the 2nd stage. In the 3rd stage, only 22 causes delusion are operative, namely, 21, i.e., all except the 4 error feeding passions of right conduct deluding karma, and only 1, i.e. mixed right and wrong belief of the right belief deluding karma. (4) Avirata Samyaktva, Vowless Right-Belief. A soul which enters the 4th stage is said to have reached the threshold of Liberation. At this stage the soul has got only right belief. The soul here has belief in the Path of Liberation, but cannot observe the rules of conduct for attaining Liberation. Here only 21 causes of delusion are operative. There is no right belief deluding karma except of the 3rd kind i.e. when the right belief is clouded by wrong belief. (5) Desha Virata, partial vows, i.e. taking the partial vows. All the 11 Pratimas or stages of a layman's life come in this stage. As soon as the soul begins to follow the practical vows of a layman, it is said to enter the 5th stage. Here only 17 causes of delusion are operative. The four partial vow preventing passions become quiescent here. (6) Pramata Virata, imperfect vows. After renunciation of all worldly objects, still occasionally to turn the mind to the service or needs of the body. This is Pramattabhava, careless slackness in concentration. Henceforth, the stages are all in the life of a muni, saint. Here only 13 causes of delusion operate. The 4 total vow preventing passions become quiescent. The 6th stage is also a retrogressive one. It is reached by a soul which is going down from the 7th stage. But such a downfallen soul may regain the 7th stage from the 6th. Indeed this can go on for a long, long time. (7) Apramata Virata, Perfect vows. Renouncing the careless slackness of the 6th Gunasthana, and being absorbed in spiritual contemplation (righteous contemplation of tbe highest type). From here there are 2 Shrenis, or ways of ascent, (1) Upashama Shreni in which the right conduct deluding karma subsides, (2) Kshapaka Shreni in which it is being destroyed. This last is the necessary way to Moksha, liberation. (8) Apurva Karana, New thought activity. Karana or thought activity which the sain't soul had never yet acquired. This is the beginning of the first Shukladhyana, pure concentration on the pure Atma or Self. In the 7th and 8th stages 13 causes of delusion operate but their operation is mild. (9) Anivritta Karana, Advanced thought activity, Special thought activity of a still greater purity. A stage of Pratham Shukladhyan. Here 7 causes of delusion operate, 6 slight passions no-kashyas subside or are destroyed. (10) Suksma Samparaya, Slightest delusion. All passions are destroyed or have subsided, except very slight nominal greed. This is also, first Shukladhyana. (11) Upashanta moha or Upashanta kashaya subsided delusion. A thought activity which is produced by the subsidence of the entire right conduct deluding karmas. This is also first Shukladhyana. A saint must fall down from here, but if strong enough, he can resume his ascent from the Kshapaka mode of ascent in the 8th stage. Here all 28 causes of delusion subside. Here the soul can stay at the most for one antar muhurt. After falling down to any of the lower stages up to 7th, the soul can go up the destructive ladder to the 8th and higher stages, skipping the 11th or the highest point of the subsidential ladder on its way from the 10th to the 12th stage, the highest point of the destructive ladder, where delusion does not subside but is entirely destroyed. (12) Kshina moha, delusionless. The entire right conduct deluding karmas are destroyed, in this stage, and the thought activity produced belongs to the 2nd Shukladhyana. The saint attaining this, does so directly from the 10th stage without passing through the 11th stage. (13) Sayoga Kevali, Vibrating Perfect Soul. Before commencing this, the soul must have destroyed the three remaining destructive karmas knowledge obscuring, conation obscuring, and obstructive karmas. The soul is subject to mundane vibratory activity due to body making karma. A saint after destroying all the four Ghati karmas by dint of meditation and self-realisation enters the 13th stage of Vibratory Omniscient (Sayoga-Jina), when he is known as Arhat or the Worshipful Lord. The Soul becomes Arhat or Perfect Soul in human body with vibrations in it. Preaching and peregritnations belong to this stage. The Worshipful Lord proclaims Truth to the world. (14) Ayoga Kevali, Vibrationless Perfect soul. When the same soul or the Worshipful Lord is about to be entirely freed from karmas and his vibratory activity has ceased, the soul is said to have entered the 14th stage of Non-vibrating Omniscient Lord (Ayoga Jina). During the very short period of this stage the soul destroys the remaining four Aghati karmas i.e. Vedniya, Nama, Gotra and Ayu karmas. Then the soul leaving the body goes to Siddhalaya at the top of the universe, is finally free from all the karmas and has accomplished all that was to be accomplished, liberation Moksha. Such a soul is known as a Perfect Soul (Siddha). The soul is a pure soul substance full of the infinite attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, etc. In one word the soul is itself God. Thus, it will be seen that all these 14 Spiritual Stages are due to wrong belief, vowlessness, carelessness, passions and vibratory activity. Carelessness (Pramada) in intensity or mildness lasts from the 1st to the 6th stage of imperfect vow. Therefore, the first six stages are referred to by the word "Pramatta". All the other eight stages are meditation and free from carelessness in pursuing the Path of Self-realisation, and are described as "Apramatta". The stages are indices of degrees of progressing thought activities. They are mere steps of ladder to reach the abode of Liberation. When the top is reached, the ladder is left behind. Thus the soul in its essence is devoid of any distinction of stages. While a saint remains in the 6th and the 7th stages and improves his qualifications, so that he has the capacity of controlling the whole order of saints and supervises their general conduct, he is said to be head of the order of saints or an Acharya, and as such he follows and practises the five kinds of conduct. They are as follows: (a) Darshanachara, Conduct of right belief. Performance of all those duties which keep right belief firm. (b) Jnanachara, Conduct of knowledge. Minute and detailed study of the scriptures, with the view of increasing right knowledge. (c) Charitrachara, Conduct of observing saintly character. Thirteen kinds of rules of conduct are to be observed as under: Five vows: (1) non-injury (2) truth (3) non-stealing (4) chastity (5) possessionlessness The saints have to observe these rules fully, without any blemish or transgression Carefulness in: (6) walking (7) speaking (8) eating (9) lifting up and laying down (10) excreting Control of: (11) Mind (12) Speech (13) Body Observing these rules regularly and flawlessly with the idea of realising the self is called Charitrachara. (d) Tapachara, Conduct of austerities is the proper and regular observance of 12 kinds of austerities (tapas) as fasting, etc. (e) Viryachara, Conduct of soul force means the development of soul force and repulsion of the karmic forces with the view of attaining liberation. An Acharya, as defined above, himself practises and observes all the above mentioned five kinds of conduct, and instructs the saints of his order to do the same. Any saint of the order who is in the 6th and the 7th stages, is well versed in Jain scriptures and is capable of teaching and instructing other saints of the order, is called the preceptor (Upadhaya), All other saints who are neither Acharyas nor Upadhyas are known as Sadhus. They may be in any spiritual stage from the 6th to the 12th stages, when delusion is absolutely destroyed. From the 8th to the 12th, all are the progressive stages of meditation. In these stages a saint is deeply absorbed in meditation and self realisation. From the above, we note that a soul when it observes and follows the 13 rules of conduct, remains either in the condition of an Acharya, Upadhyaya or a Sadhu and the attainment of the condition of being an Arhat or a Siddha is an outcome of the observance of the rules of right conduct. The Arhat or Arihant and the Acharya, Upadhyaya and Sadhu are said to be Mahan Atmas (great souls). All the above five i.e. the Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and Sadhus are called five Supreme Dignitaries (Pancha Parmeshthi). It is only these five Dignitaries, who are worshipped by the Jainas in general. The most miraculous benedictory hymn (Navakar Mantra) which every Jain usually recites everyday consists of Namaskar to this Panch Parmeshthi. This Mantra comprises an adoration of qualities. In it, we have the praise of the highest souls (Siddhas) who have completely realised all the natural and inherent qualities of the soul and of those qualified persons who are on their way to realization.
from Jainism: A Treatise on Jainism
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