THE CONCEPT OF LIBERATION IN JAINISM
Jainism stands for ahimsa in conduct, anekanta in thought, syadavada in speech and aparigraha in social relation. These are the four strong pillars on which the edific of Jainism stands. Primarily, Jainism is a system of ethics; logic and metaphysics support the ethics. 'As I do not like pains, so nobody else in the world.' is the maxim which is the foundation of Jaina ethics. Prof. Winternitz writes. It is the Jainas, however, who far more than any other Indian religion, emphasize the commandment of ahimsa, non-violence. Thus ahimsa in conduct is the foundation of Jainism.
According to Jainism there are seven categories. viz., Jiva, ajiva, asrava, bandha, samvara and moksa. Some Jainas also admit tow more categories-papa & punya. Thus for them there are nine categories. The former include these two in asrava. These are the categories which an aspirant of liberation ought to know. Thus the Jaina classification of categories is purely from the standpoint of a mumuksu an aspirant of liberation.
The jiva is not under the control of any supra mundane spirit as the atman of the Vaisnava-Vedantins which is under the control of the Lord. It is the master of its destiny.
According to Jainas there is a ladder of fourteen steps by which a jiva has to pass to reach the moksa. These stages of spiritual development are called Gunasthans in Jaina philosophy. They are briefly described in Rajavartika of Akalankadeva in IX.1.12 to IX.1.30. They are follow-
1- Mithyadrsti-Gunasthana (Perversity of attitude) : The jiva at this stage is completely under the influence of actions. Consequently, he has no true attitude towards things. A Jaina sloka puts the state of the jiva this stage As a man blind from birth is not able to say what is ugly and what is beautiful, so a man at this stage cannot determine what is real and what is false.
2- Granthibheda-Gunasthana : At this stage the jiva develops some capacity to distinguish between what is false and what is right.
3- Misra-Gunasthan or (Stage of right-cum-wrong attitude) : At this stage there is a tension of knowledge and doubt. The peculiarity this stage is that it lasts only for an antar-muhurta and then the soul either rises to the fourth stage or falls down to the second stage.
4- Avirata-Samyaka drastic-Gunasthana (Stage of right vision without abstinence) : The soul has at this stage acquired right-vision but still it is lacking in spiritual strength. And in spite of knowledge and will it cannot abstain from the wrong path. It is still unable to take the vows which protect man from the actions, though he fully understands the value of such vows.
5- Desvriati-Gunasthana (Stage of right vision with capacity for partial abstinence) : At this stage the soul can observe the vows with a partial success.
6- Pramatta-Gunasthana (Self control with spiritual inertia) : This stage can be reached by ascetics only. The soul has self control, yet spiritual inertial persists at this stage.
7- Apramantta-Gunasthana : At this stage the spiritual inertia is over come. This is the stage of self-control with freedom from spiritual inertia. Anger is completely destroyed at this stage.
8- Apurvakarm-Gunasthana : At this stage the soul attains purification. Its heart is filled with joy never experienced before. Now the soul can reduce the intensity and duration of the actions which have bound it. This stage lasts only for one antarmuhurta at the most. Pride completely disappears at this stage.
9- Anivrtti-Gunasthana : At this stage the soul incessantly persues pure meditation. The deceit completely disappears at this stage.
10- Suksma-samparya Gunasthana : Only ascetics can reach this stage. At this stage the ascetic looses all sense of humour, all aesthetic pleasures in beauty and all perceptions of pain, fear, grief etc. At this stage all passions are destroyed except the subtle greed which troubles him now and then.
11- Upasntamoha-Gunasthana (Stage of suppressed passions) : This is the most critical period of life for the ascetic. If he is able to destroy the lingering greed, he is safe, and passes to next stage; or he may fall to the previous stage. This stage lasts for one instant in the minimum and one antarmuhurta at the maximum.
12- Ksinakasya-Gunasthana (Stage of annihilated passions) : At this stage the soul is not only free from all the greed's but it is also free from all the destructive actions (Ghatiya-karmas) and becomes omniscient. The aghatiyakarmas still persist.
13- Sayoga kevali-Gunasthana: The ascetic at this stage shines inn eternal wisdom. This stage corresponds to the state of jivan-mukti of other systems. The aghatiya-karmas are there by virtue of which the soul has to live in mortal frame. Out of the five conditions of bondage, viz, perversity, non-abstinence, spiritual inertia, passions and activity the first four are completely annihilated by now. The last one still remains; hence it is sayoga, with activity. The soul is omniscient at this stage. This stage lasts for one antarmuhurta in the minimum and about a purvakoti in the maximum.
14- Ayoga kevali-Gunasthana : This stage is arrived at when all the actions are completely detached or entirely destroyed. This state lasts for the period of about five seconds. At the end of this stage the soul attains moksa.
These are the fourteen stage which a soul has to cross before final liberation. In the state of bondage the soul suffer from five kinds of evils-wrong belief, vowlessness, carelessness, passion and vibratory activity of body, speech and mind.
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