SAMAYASARA

Thus say the pure (those speaking from the standpoint of the pure soul). Indeed, that which is known is the same as the knower—that is, the soul itself in a state of self-absorption.

Commentary

The fourteen spiritual stages original: Gunasthanas; these represent the ladder of spiritual ascent in Jaina philosophy, which track the progress of the soul from delusion to a state of perfection, are useful as a practical introduction. In its highest essence, the soul neither needs nor is capable of any divisions or stages; it is always infinite and whole. The soul rids itself of delusion in the 12th stage, while in the 13th and 14th stages, it attains the perfection that comes from complete and permanent freedom from delusion.

In the first and lowest stage, the soul is subject to karmas Subtle matter that attaches to the soul, obscuring its natural qualities that cloud right conduct and right belief. In this stage, up to 28 causes of delusion may be present: the 25 types of right-conduct-deluding karmas, as well as wrong belief, mixed belief, and right belief clouded by slight errors. From here, the soul always advances to the fourth stage, though it may also go to the 5th or even the 7th stage. If the soul falls from the 4th stage, it may drop to the 3rd stage due to the influence of mixed right-belief-deluding karmas.

In the second stage, the three kinds of right-belief-deluding karmas exist but are inoperative. The remaining twenty-five are active. The duration of this stage is the shortest, namely, at most six Ávalis original: Ávalis; a very brief unit of time, similar to the wink or twinkling of an eye. This is a stage that the soul never enters while progressing upward. It is only one of the three possible stages the soul occupies if it suffers a downfall from the 4th stage. These three downward stages are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. If the soul’s right belief from the 4th stage becomes mixed with wrong belief—caused by the operation of mixed-belief karmas—the soul falls to the 3rd stage. From the 3rd, it may drop straight to the 1st or rise back to the 4th stage. However, the operation of "error-feeding passions" original: Anantanubandhi kashayas; intense passions that prevent the soul from attaining right belief without the presence of wrong belief causes the soul to fall from the 4th to the 2nd stage. From there, it falls back into the 1st stage—the universal pit of delusion and wrong belief where the bottom rung of the ladder of progress rests. From this pit, the soul must once more rise to the 4th stage to try and climb higher.

In the third stage, only 22 causes of delusion are active—specifically, 21 (all except the 4 error-feeding passions) of right—