Gunasthana

Guṇasthāna (Sanskrit: "levels of virtue") are the fourteen stages of spiritual development and growth through which a soul gradually passes before it attains moksha (liberation). 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.

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:

The first stage signifies gross ignorance. If at this stage, a person meditates on his existence, there is a temporary suspension of the following:

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.

Misra literally means mixed. At this stage, a person hovers between certainty and doubt on Right belief.

When doubts of an individual are removed, he/she reaches this stage and becomes a samyagdrishti (true believer). The doubts may have been removed by meditation or the instruction of a spiritual teacher.

Deśa means partial and virata means vow i.e. observance of the partial vows in pursuit of Right conduct.

First step of life as a Jain muni (monk). The stage of complete self-discipline, although sometimes brought into wavering through negligence.

The stage of one in whom the passions are still occurring in a gross form.

The stage of one who practices the process called annivrtti karaņa and in whom however the passions are still occurring.

The stage of one in whom the passions occur in a subtle form.

The stage of one who has suppressed every passion but still does not possess omniscience.

The stage of who has annihilated every passion but does not yet possess omniscience. According to the Jain text, Gommatsāra Jīvakanda:

That possessionless saint (Nirgrantha), all of whose deluding, passions (Moha Kashaya) are destroyed, and whose thought is clear like the water kept in a pure vessel of crystal Jewel is said by the non-attached (Conquerors) (to be in the 12th stage of) destroyed-delusion, or delusionless (Kshina Kashaya).

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