Gunasthana


are the fourteen stages of spiritual development and growth through which a soul gradually passes before it attains moksha. According to Jainism, it is a state of soul from a complete dependence on karma to the state of complete dissociation from it. Here the word virtue does not mean an ordinary moral quality, but it stands for the nature of soul — knowledge, belief and conduct.

Classification

The fourteen Gunasthāna represents the soul's gradual manifestation of the innate qualities of knowledge, belief and conduct in a more and more perfect form. Following are the stages of spiritual development:
HeadGunasthānaMeaning
Belief
1. MithyātvaThe stage of wrong believer
Belief
2. SasādanaDownfall from right faith
Belief
3. MisradrstiMixed right and wrong belief
Belief
4. Avirata samyagdrstiVowless right belief
Minor Vows
5. DeśavirataThe stage of partial self-control
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		6. PramattasamyataSlightly imperfect vows
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		7. Apramatta samyataPerfect vows
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		8. ApūrvakaraņaNew thought-activity
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		9. Anivāttibādara-sāmparāyaAdvanced thought-activity
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		10.Sukshma samparayaSlightest delusion
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		11.Upaśānta-kasāyaSubsided delusion
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		12.Ksīna kasāyaDestroyed delusion
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		13.Sayoga kevaliOmniscience with vibration
Right conduct:
Mahavratas 		14.Ayoga kevaliThe stage of omniscience without any activity

The Fourteen stages

;1. Mithyadristi
The first stage signifies gross ignorance. If at this stage, a person meditates on his existence, there is a temporary suspension of the following:
  1. mithyātva
  2. samyaga mithyātva
  3. samyak prakriti
;2. Sasādana
This gunasthāna represents the mental state of the soul in the process or act of falling from right faith. Here sā means "with" and sādana means "exhausted", hence that which is characterised by exhausted faith.
;3. Misradrsti
Misra literally means mixed. At this stage, a person hovers between certainty and doubt on Right belief.
;4 Avirata samyagdrishti
When doubts of an individual are removed, he/she reaches this stage and becomes a samyagdrishti. The doubts may have been removed by meditation or the instruction of a spiritual teacher.
;5. Deśavirata
Deśa means partial and virata means vow i.e. observance of the partial vows in pursuit of Right conduct.
;6. Pramatta virata
First step of life as a Jain muni. The stage of complete self-discipline, although sometimes brought into wavering through negligence.
;7. Apramatta virata
;8. Apurva Karana
The stage of one in whom the passions are still occurring in a gross form.
;9. Annivrtti Karaņa
The stage of one who practices the process called annivrtti karaņa and in whom however the passions are still occurring.
;10. Sukshma sāmprāya
The stage of one in whom the passions occur in a subtle form.
;11. Upaśānta-kasaya
The stage of one who has suppressed every passion but still does not possess omniscience.
;12. Kshina Moha
The stage of who has annihilated every passion but does not yet possess omniscience. According to the Jain text, Gommatsāra Jīvakanda:
;13. Sayoga Kevali
Sa means "with" and yoga refers to the three channels of activity, i.e., mind, speech and body. Kevali is a term used to refer the omniscient beings. This stage is characterised by the destruction of all inimical karmas and attainment of omniscience.
;14. Ayoga Kevali
This is the last stage on the Path, and is followed by the soul's destruction of the aghātiā karmas. Those who pass this stage are called siddha and become fully established in Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct.

The destruction of causes of bondage

The whole scheme of gunasthana in Jain philosophy is devised in a logical order according to the principle of decreasing sinfulness and increasing purity. At the first stage, all the five causes of bondage — Irrational beliefs, non-restraint, carelessness, passions and activities of mind, speech and body — are in full operation. Irrational beliefs are partially suppressed in the second and third stages, and are fully eliminated in the fourth stage. In stages five and six, non-restraint is gradually eliminated in stages. From the seventh stage onwards, carelessness is removed and only passions and activity exercise their influence. From the eleventh to the thirteenth all the passions are eliminated and only activity is present. On the last stage, there is no activity, hence no binding of karma.

The destruction of karmas

Out of the four ghatiya karmas, darsana mohiniya karma is destroyed first in the fourth stage of gunasthana. Caritra mohiniya karma is destroyed next in the twelfth gunasthana. The remaining three ghatiya karmas are destroyed in the 13th stage and the rest four aghatiya karmas are destroyed in the 14th or the last stage of gunasthana.

Citations