7.

4 14 (Fourteen) Gunsthanaka
14 Gunsthanakas is a kind of imaginary ladder of 14 steps wherein one can
slowly and steadily ride and goes up and up, by, first attaining Samyak Charitry,
Samayak Darshan and Samayak Gyan and thereafter making conscious efforts to
reach the ladder and ultimately attaining Moksha.

Gunsthanak is thus a kind of mile stones/stages to be reached one after the

other. Thus, having being in the succeeding stages are more advanced than one in
the preceding stages. Those whose spiritual efforts are mild have to halt at any
intermediary stage and to experience rise and fall repeatedly. Some of us are first
halting at an intermediary stage, according to our efforts and character. Initially all
the living beings are in first stage, and by one's spiritual efforts pass through the
successive stages.

When a person attains twelth stage, he becomes free from passions and
destroys delusion. When the thirteenth stage is achieved, one becomes liberated
while living and at death only the fourteenth stage could be achieved from which
there is an end of birth and rebirth. Person with hard spiritual efforts march very
fast stage by stage and soon reach the twelth stage, and subsequently thirteenth
stage. So, in the process to reach fourteenth stage, twelth stage is the final camp,
thirteenth stage is an aim and fourteenth stage is final goal.

Thus, this subtle subject deals with spiritual march of the soul. The journey,
as usual start from the first stage. Some ascend slowly and some ascend fast
accordingly to one's spiritual efforts. Those not alert and vigilant, may even fall
down from upward journey. Delusion often brings fall. That is why, we have been
warned by Tirthankaras and religious teachers, not to be lethargic and negligent,
while assending the ladder. Once twelth stage is reached, there is no danger of
flloing down.

As stated earlier, the ladder of the Gunsthanaka, is an imaginary one. The

stream is like a continuous flow. The delusions from 1 to 14 have been made in our
mind for sake of convenince. Here we have description of each one.

1 Mithyathva Gunsthana:

It is an elementary stage of absence of right faith, or there is a wrong

understanding. There is ignorance or illusions in our mind. Mithyatwa is nothing
but absence of true spititual attitude, and everybody lacking true spiritual attitude
are in first stage. Even wrong path is perveived as right path due to Mithyatwa.
There is lack of discrimination of realising what is worthy and what is unworthy.
Right faith or inclination has not manifested itself. Here good qualities do exist, but
they have not been brought out. Mithyatwa is there, but in mild flow, not intense.
That is why it is a Gunsthana.

2 Ssdana Gunasthana:

This stage is characterised by fall from right faith to delusion, to wrong faith. Once
the process of down fall starts, it does not take much time to fall to first stage. So
this stage is of a moment's duration only. Those climbing up and up on the ladder,
without falling, don't fall on this stage. From this stage, downward journey to first
stage is immediate and inevitable.

3 Misra Gunasthan:

In this stage, the soul is characterised by the peculiar internal transformation which
is in the form of mixture of right faith and wrong faith (Misra). There is a conflict
between old tendencies (Mithyatwa) with new tendency (Samyakatwa). The perfect
discrimination is absent in this stage. Two opponent forces struggle, as a result of
which, one either falls back to first stage (Mithyatwa) or rises up to the higher stage
of right faith.
4. Avirati - Samyag Dristi:

The soul at this stage acquires the right faith but is lacking in spiritual efforts. It
does not abstain from the wrong path or does not stop evil acitivities. If it achieves
its right path, the basic ground for spiritual development is prepared. In this stage, a
person develops feeling of universal compassion and friendliness. Even when he
performs evil actions, his conscious bites him and he repents for what he does. He
resolves to decrease the defects and he lives in confirmity with the resolve
accordingly to his capacity.

5. Desvirati:

Desvirati is the how wherein the house holders - a Jain devotee, practices right
faith. It is abstinence from immoral acts, at least partially, if not completely. It is a
beginning of journey in right direction.

6. Pramatta Gunsthana:

This is the stage of the monks, who have taken great vows. As such, there is
complete abstinence from unvirtous acts, but there does exist spiritual lethargy or
carelessness. Though not intentionally, but due to negligence, some spiritual duties
are not properly respected. If the readiness or negligence is not intense, it is not
regarded as Pramada, but when they are intense, they are considered Pramada.

7. Apramatta Gunasthana:

When the monk is free from Pramada or lethergy, this stage is reached. He is
spiritually vigilant as to what he is expected to do. Not slightest laxity is permissible.
Therefore, the careless conduct are stopped and the practice of vow becomes
perfect and faultless.

8. Apuva - Karam :

At this stage, the soul attains unprecendented spiritual awareness. The conduct
deluding karmas are suppressed by soul. The stage provides strong base for
suppression of conduct deluding karmas.

9. Anivtthi karana:

This stage is broader base of previous stage. Unprecedented spiritual fervour and
vigour already attained in previous stage here becomes uniform in all souls. The
only difference between previous stage and this one is in difference of degree of
internal purity of the soul.

10. Suksmasamparya :

This stage is attained when all the conduct deluding karmas get suppressed and
very subtle greed (attachment) alone remains to disturb the soul. Here, in this
stage, the soul is practically free from all the four passions (Krodha, Man, Maya,
Lobha) except a very slight degree of greed.

11. Upsantamoha:

The sound beginning of suppressing all the conduct deluding karmas was made in
the 9th stage. Now in this stage, that target is reached and all the four passions i.e.
conduct deluding karmas (including even subtle greed) are totally suppressed in this
stage. If however, a person does not remain vigilant and allows the rising of
suppressed passion, he will fall down to some lower relevant stage.
12. Kshin Moha:

The subtle greed which was active in 10th stage is absent here. The soul which
has started climbing up the ladder of destination of passions/karmas, goes up from
the tenth stage to directly the 12th stage. For them, there is no eleventh stage.
Both 11th and 12th stages are characterised by perfect egnonimity, but the only
difference between the two is, 11th is not permanent, 12th is permanent. One can
slowly fall down from 11th stage, but not at all from the 12th stage. At this twelth
stage of spiritual development, the soul enters into pure trance, the highest
meditation.

Not only the conduct deluding but also knowledge obscuring, vision obscuring and
obstructive karmik matters are destroyed, and for him, attainment of "Kevalgyan" is
now a sure result.

13. Sayogkevli Gunasthan:

Yes, he has attained "Kevalgyan" but this stage is "Sa-yog Kevli" which means that
the activities of body, mind and speech are performed. He is liberated while living.
The faith deluding karmik matter does not obstruct his right faith.

14. Ayogi Kevli Gunasthan:

This is final spiritual stage when all the activities of body, speach and mind are
totally stopped. Ayogi means free from activity. At this stage, he leaves his mortal
body and attains disembodied stage of liberations.