Fourteen Gunasthana

Arun Zaveriwww.ScientificMeditation.com

Phone: +91 22 2414-2989 Email: [email protected]

Paryushan Parva Lecture SeriesJain Center of Greater Boston

Norwood, Massachusetts, USASeptember 2-9, 2013

Day 6

Stages of Spiritual Progress

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Soul vs. Karma

Karma

Karma’s inherent potency is the centripetal force that compels the soul to transmigrate

Soul’s inherent potency is the centrifugal force which ceaselessly tries to pull itself away from the endless transmigration

Soul

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Perverse Beliefs (

Non-abstinence (

5 Causes of Karmic Influx

Remissness (

Passions (

Activities(

MentalVocal

Physical

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Right Faith & Attitude

Abstinence & Self-Restraint

5 Causes for Stoppage of Karmic Influx

Spiritual Alertness

Freedom from Passions

Stillness

MentalVocal

Physical


The Doctrine of the fourteen stages of spiritual development

Fourteen Gunasthana

Fourteen states of the soul with reference to the consideration of the purification of karma

Nature of purification due to the manifestationof qualities of the soul


14 - Omniscience with total cessation of activitiesEmancipation -

13 - Omniscience with activities

7 - Self-restraint with freedom from

remissness

3 - Right cum wrong belief

8 - Dissimilar coarse passions

6 - Self-restraint unexempted from remissness

5 - Right belief with partial abstinence

4 - Right belief attended with non-abstinence

2 - Lingering relish of right faith

1 - Perverted belief – deluding world-view

12 - Extirpation of delusion

11 - Subsidence of delusion

10 - Subtle passion

9 - Similar coarse passion

Fourteen Gunasthana


1. Deluded World-View (Mithyatva Gunsthan)

The soul’s original and beginning less state of always surrounded by wrong beliefs

The soul is in spiritual slumber, unaware of its own bondage with Karmic matter

Perverted beliefs occur due to the strong influence of View Deluding Karma

Soul endlessly transmigrates within 8.4 million species, experiencing pain and pleasure


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Fruition of Karma Karmic Expression Primal Drives

Messages of Attachment Aversion

Subtle Taijjas Body– Link body

LesyaPsychic Colors

Electromagnetic FieldLimbic System

Neuro-Endocrine Mechanism

Activities:Mental Vocal Physical

Soul (Atma)

Karma body

Taijjas body

Physical Body

InstinctsPassions,

Quasi-Passions

Influx ofKarma Matter

Karmic influx and bondage

Vicious Cycle of Karma

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2. Lingering enlightened worldviewSaswadan Samyakadristi Gunsthan

Pit-stop for the Soul on its way down from right belief of 4th to 11th stages of spiritual progress to the lowest (1st)

The Soul loses the right faith, but retains the passing taste or lingering relish of right faith for maximum 4 hours and 48 minutes (= 6 avalikas)


3. Right and Wrong World ViewsMishra Dhristi Gunasthan

Mixture of enlightened and deluded world views

Subsidence and partial destruction of the View Deluding Karma results in partially enlightened world view but not firm conviction in the truthfulness of the truth

This stage marks the dawn of spiritual progress, but it lasts less than 48 minutes (intra-hour)

To progress further the soul must now suppress the force of karma, otherwise it will fall back to stage 1 via stage 2


Gordian Knot of View & Conduct Deluding Karma

Conduct deluding: Anger Pride Deceit Greed

View Deluding: The near perfect

enlightened world-view Deluded world-view Mixture of the two


Purification

Two capacities assist centrifugal force of soul: Generate a series of varied new experiences Generate progressively purer karma

Progressive purification:1. Lowering of duration of karma2. Lowering of intensity of karma3. Premature fruition during intra-hour4. Unprecedented type of bondage of very short

lived karma5. Transformation of one type of karma into

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4. Right Belief with Non-Abstinence

The soul enjoys the dawn of enlightened word view (samyag darshan) which leaves a lasting impression

Such enlightened word view is attained on more than one occasion during spiritual progress until the final liberation is achieved

The soul is prone to fall to the third or second stage when it faces rising of view deluding karma which was postponed for intra-hour


Belief – Reality of the self – bondage and emancipation of soul Tranquility – calming of passions: Anger, Pride,

Deceit & Greed Keen desire for salvation – saving from sin and

its consequences Detachment from – worldly affairs, body and

pleasure Compassion – Kindliness, friendship towards all,

fellow feeling

Characteristics of right faith


4. Right Belief with Non-AbstinenceKarmic clusters are divided into three heaps in the

last time unit of the third stage

Pure Semi Pure Impure

Any one heap comes into effect at the end of 3rd stage

Will not obscureenlightened world view

Soul sticks to 4th

stage - retainsenlightened world view

Will partly obscureenlightened world view

Soul rebuffs and slips to 3rd stage. It may either go to 4th

stage again or to the 1st stage via the 2nd

Will completely obscure world view

Tenacious passion arises and the soul slides back to 2nd

and then 1st stage


Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Stages

Soul actively cultivates morality to reach higher stages

Capacity to self-restrain begins at 5th stage of Enlightened World-View with Partial Self Restraint. The layperson takes twelve small vows

The 6th stage is Complete Self-Restraint with Unexempted Remissness. The person takes the great vows of an ascetic

The 7th stage is Complete Self-Restraint with Freedom from Remissness. This is achieved through deep meditation


Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Stages

During these stages soul is on one of two ladders:

1. Ladder of Suppression -

2. Ladder of Elimination -

The Soul that climbs the first ladder suppresses the deluding karma, reaches 11th stage and falls down to 6th, 5th, 4th or 2nd stage.

The Soul that climbs the second ladder eliminates the deluding karma and climbs up to the 12th stage


Twelfth, Thirteenth, & Fourteenth Stages

In the 12th stage there is complete self-restraint with no deluding karma

In the last time unit of the 12th stage, the soul eliminates knowledge covering, intuition covering and energy obstructive karmas and reaches 13th stage

13th stage is omniscience with physical activity

In the 14th stage the remaining karmas are eliminated and the Soul attains disembodied liberation


14 - Omniscience with total cessation of activities

13 - Omniscience with activities

7 - Self-restraint with freedom from remiss

3 - Right and wrong beliefs

8 - Dissimilar coarse passions

6 - Self-restraint unexempted from remissness

5 - Right belief with partial abstinence

4 - Right belief attended with non-abstinence

2 - Lingering relish of right faith

1 - Perverted belief – deluding world-view

12 - Extirpation of delusion

11 - Subsidence of delusion

10 - Subtle passion

9 - Similar coarse passion

E M A N C I P A T I O N


1. Deluded world-view2. Lingering relish of right faith3. Right cum wrong belief4. Right belief attended with non-abstinence5. Right belief with partial abstinence 6. Self-restraint un-exempted from remissness 7. Self-restraint with freedom from remissness8. Dissimilar coarse passions9. Similar coarse passion 10. Subtle passion 11. Subsidence of delusion 12. Extirpation of delusion13. Omniscience with activities14. Omniscience with total cessation of activities


Fourteen Gunasthana

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