Gunasthana

Gunasthanas

Fourteen stages

Gunasthana is a concept in Jainism that refers to the various stages of spiritual development that a soul undergoes on its path to liberation (moksha). The term is derived from the Sanskrit words "guna" (quality) and "sthana" (place or stage). There are fourteen Gunasthanas, each representing a specific level of spiritual purity and ethical conduct.

The Fourteen Gunasthanas

The fourteen Gunasthanas are:

1. Mithyatva Gunasthana - The stage of wrong belief.
2. Sasvadana Gunasthana - The stage of slight taste of right belief.
3. Mishra Gunasthana - The stage of mixed belief.
4. Avirata Samyagdrishti Gunasthana - The stage of right belief but without self-discipline.
5. Desavirata Gunasthana - The stage of partial self-discipline.
6. Pramatta Virata Gunasthana - The stage of complete self-discipline but with slight negligence.
7. Apramatta Virata Gunasthana - The stage of complete self-discipline without negligence.
8. Apurva Karana Gunasthana - The stage of new thought-activity.
9. Anivritti Karana Gunasthana - The stage of advanced thought-activity.
10. Sukshma Samparaya Gunasthana - The stage of subtle greed.
11. Upashanta Moha Gunasthana - The stage of subsided delusion.
12. Kshina Moha Gunasthana - The stage of destroyed delusion.
13. Sayogi Kevali Gunasthana - The stage of omniscience with activity.
14. Ayogi Kevali Gunasthana - The stage of omniscience without activity.

Significance

The Gunasthanas are crucial in Jain philosophy as they provide a framework for understanding the soul's journey towards liberation. Each stage represents a higher level of spiritual purity and ethical conduct, culminating in the attainment of Kevala Jnana (omniscience) and ultimately, moksha.

Related Concepts

• Karma in Jainism
• Moksha
• Kevala Jnana
• Jain ethics
• Jain cosmology

See Also

• Jainism
• Tirthankara
• Jain philosophy
• Jain cosmology
• Jain ethics