Compendium of Jainism: XVIII ►Pathway To Liberation

"Being eternally free from contact with the Karmas and the consequent veils, the Supreme Soul resides at the highest stage, as if the sky, with full effulgence. With the highest sense of fulfilment in every respect, the soul which has attained perfection rests in supreme Bliss being the embodiment of Omniscience."^[1]

According to Jainism, the path of salvation or deliverance lies through the acceptance and practice of the three Jewels (ratnatraya) as a unit which helps the individual to destroy the Karmas as has been discussed in Chapter XII. The nature of the Karmas and the process of their destruction leading the soul to a gradual stage of spiritual evolution have been dealt with already.

In this world, there are four things of supreme value which it is difficult for a living being to obtain; and they are human birth, instruction in true religion, faith and full power (Puruṣārtha) in self-control.^[2] Those beings which follow the road of right knowledge, faith, Conduct and austerities will attain beatitude.^[3]

The soul is an embodiment of infinite comprehension, knowledge, bliss and power. These are covered by the veils of the Karmas and hence they are invisible to the naked eye. So self-realization consists in the removal or destruction of the veils and realizing the inherent qualities of the soul. The ancient Indian philosophers have laid down that it is by the practice of Yoga or meditation that one can attain self-realization. The different principles of Jaina philosophy considered so far would undoubtedly disclose that it is the faithful and scrupulous practice of ethical rules and virtues that is essential for achievement of self-discipline in life. Moral discipline is preparatory to spiritual discipline. The five vows, the ten virtues, the three guptis, the five samitis, the twelve kinds of reflections, Anuprēkṣās and endurance of various afflictions are intended to regulate the mind and body and purge the soul from the bondages of Karmas. The worldly existence is full of miseries and privations which are of our own making. The ethical exercises provide sincere and effective scope not only for suffering them with equanimity of thought and conduct, but also for bringing about subsidence of the Karmas that beset us during our journey through life. The ethical and psychological codes ought not to be rejected with a light-heart as tedious and speculative restrictions on our enjoyment of life. They must be accepted with full faith as embodying the experiences of great souls who passed through life happily marching in peace and happiness towards the destination of deliverance which all souls aspire to achieve.

Omniscience is attained on the destruction of the deluding Karmas, of perception and knowledge obscuring Karmas and of the obstructive Karmas.^[4] The deluding Karmas are destroyed gradually in proportion to the extent of self-control attained by individual. When the self-control is full and perfect, there emerges the purity of thought-activity which reduces the fruition and duration of the inauspicious Karmas. Purity of thought is necessary for pacification and gradual elimination of passions like anger, greed, pride and infatuation. The previous discussion about the march of the soul through fourteen spiritual stages

(Chap XI) points to the ways of its gradual ascent to spiritual heights. So long as the deluding Karmas persist, spiritual progress is impossible. The secret of spiritual progress lies in the destruction of the four destructive Karmas; the task is arduous but if pursued with faith and purity, the self can attain Omniscience. It has been previously pointed out that on the attainment of Omniscience, the soul can attain to Arhathood; when the four non-destructive Karmas are also destroyed, the pure soul becomes the Siddha and dwells in eternal bliss at the summit of the universe.

The external austerities help an individual to conquer the senses, attain firmness in self-control and purge the Karmic matter from the soul. The internal austerities are: expiation of sins (prāyaścitta), politeness (vinaya), serving the guru (vaiyāvṛtya), study of scriptures (svādhyāya), meditation (dhyāna), and abandoning attachment for the body (vyutsarga).^[5] These have been dealt with while discussing the ethics for the ascetics (Chap XVI). The object of these internal austerities is to train a spiritual aspirant for a life of contemplation and meditation. While the practice of external austerities leads to a life of detachment and purification of the soul, the internal austerities bring about total annihilation of the four destructive Karmas.

In the scheme of internal austerities. Dhyana occupies the highest place of importance. Jainism. like other systems of Indian thought, attaches supreme importance to Dhyana (concentration of mind) as a means of spiritual realisation. Along with its purification, the soul develops the capacity for self-concentration.

Dhyana has been defined by Umāsvāmi as concentration of thought on one particular object.^[6] It is turning away the thought from several objects and fixing it on one: it is upto one antar-muhūrta or a period upto 48 minutes. In one sense it is negative in that it requires curbing of other thoughts. These are certain causes which retard concentration. Apprehensions of motive and public opinion retard one's own progress. Passions and desires, emotions and excitements to which the mind is long habituated to dwell upon, deprive the soul of its serenity and the body, of its restfulness. Ill health, habits of luxury and inability to bear hardships are the other causes of distraction.^[7] Control of diet and other activities of the mind and body play a significant role in curbing ail activities, both physical and mental, -and pave the way for development of a strong will which is a pre-requisite for concentration.

Ease of posture (asana) is also necessary for steadiness of Dhyana, since no one can remain in an uncomfortable position for a long time. The general rule with regard to posture is that one should stand or sit in such a way as to produce the smallest amount of tension in his system, taking care at the same time not to sacrifice the spirit of austerity for the love of bodily ease.The popular asanas are: Padmāsana, Virāsana and Sukhāsata.

As regards the place, the ^"Jñānārṇava^" supplies a long list of places which are to be avoided, and which are to be preferred for the practice of Dhyana. Places which are disturbing, captivating' unpleasant and noisy on account of crows, owls, asses, dogs and the like... or those which that might counteract meditational efforts should be rejected, Mountains caves and other solitary places should be chosen The Yogi should fix his seat on a wooden plank, śilā (stone), ground or sandy place.^[8]

Sound meditation requires, so far as the bodily preparations are concerned, that there should be restraint in food, comfortable position and moderate sleep.

Kundakunda Acarya has pointed out that after acquiring supreme equanimity of mind as a result of the observance of austerities, one should practise supreme concentration after abjuring from the activities of uttering words and pondering over the nature of the Paramātman Most of the Jaina Ācāryas have recognised that there are three kinds of Self: bahirātmā or the outer Self, antarātmā or the inner Self and parātmā or Supreme Self. The bahirātmā consists of the sense organs; the inner Self is the consciousness that the soul is distinct from the body. The emancipated Self is the Supreme Self; it is completely purged of the impurities of the various kinds of Karmas and is therefore the object of meditation.

Umāsvāmi mentions that there are four types of meditation: according to the mental state: ārta, raudra, dharmya and śukia.^[9] The first two are inauspicious.

Arta-dhyāna is contemplation in which the concentration is disturbed by thoughts of painful, sorrowful or disagreeable objects. Disagreeable objects are such as poison, prickly thorns, enemies and weapons. They cause pain and the individual's attention is disturbed by the thoughts of suffering and of the ways of getting rid of them. It is of four kinds: contemplation of the presence of an unpleasant object and the anxiety to get rid of it; contemplation of the loss of a pleasant object and the anxiety to regain it; constant thought of pain and disease and the desire to remove it; and the anxiety to enjoy unattained objects of pleasure. Everyone has many experiences through his senses and they are pleasant or unpleasant; if they are unpleasant, the desire is to get rid of them; if they are pleasant, the desire is for their continued enjoyment. The concern to be free troubles the mind and disturbs the tranquillity. The individual becomes distracted and continues to worry about the present as also the future. The individual may well suffer from the pains of various kinds like the headache, cold etc. He would be eager to get rid of them and anxious to find out remedies giving effective relief. One may have attachments to many things in life; there would be a strong desire to continue the association and anxiety not to be separated from them. It is average human nature to continue one's association with pleasant objects and experiences and he would be loath to part from them. There is also desire to obtain blessings and gifts from kings and gods by prayers with advantages here and hereafter. The individual hankers after many positions and amenities which he hopes to obtain by the grace of Indra and the lords of the earth. These four kinds of thoughts which disturb the mind arc the consequences of passions, hatred and ignorance which are sure to increase attachment to the world rather than awaken his sense of other-worldliness.

Raudra-dhyāna or cruel and violent contemplation is also of four kinds as the mind becomes occupied with violence, falsehood, stealing and protection of one's possessions. Cruel thoughts may occur in individuals who have adopted vows partially or may not have taken any vows at all. Entertaining such thoughts frequently will create excitement and effect the efficacy of right belief. Due to excessive anger or want of compassion, one may think of killing, striking, cutting, binding, burning or branding which are the various forms of violence or injury. There may be thoughts of cheating, slandering, using vulgar language and incite­ment to harmful actions and thus taking delight in false speech Similarly the intention to steal or rob others may be the result of intense greed which will cause injury to others. Desire to enjoy wealth add acquire what is not one's own will certainly lead to a mental condition of lure and oppression. Such thoughts disturbing the meditation create aversion, attachment and infatuation of worldly life.^[10]

It would thus be clear that the two kinds of contemplations which are disturbed by unhealthy thoughts will retard the progress of the soul and generate new Karmas of inauspicious type. That is why they are called apraśasta or inauspious. They bar the path of liberation and involve the individual into the cycle of births and deaths.

Dharmya-dhyāna or virtuous meditation consists in the contemplation of the objects of revelation, misfortune or calamity, fruition of Karmas and the structure of the universe. This kind of meditation is free from passions and other causes of defilement of the soul. This is possible only in the seventh stage of spiritual advancement. This kind of meditation consists in thinking over "the nature of things, tenfold virtues like Kṣamā etc., the three jewels and protection of living beings. Attachment and aversion, sense pleasures and extraneous distractions etc. are avoided and the mind is concentrated on the nature of the Atman; and one goes on meditation with joy and peace."^[11] R. Williams has translated dharmya as 'Moral'. It consists in a) discerning the command of Jina (ājnā-vicaya); b) discerning the nature of what is calamitous (apāya-vicaya); c) discerning the consequences of Karma (vipāka-vicaya) and d) discerning the structure of the universe (saṁsthāna-vicaya)^[12], Svādhyāya or self-study is part of the meditation of this kind.

The concentration of thought on account of the meditation (vicaya) on these objects is called Dharmadhyāna. The characte­ristic sign of a soul capable of this type of concentration is its natural love for and faith in the path it has selected to tread upon and the system of thought which it has been initiated in. Exposition (vācanā), critical enquiry (pratipṛcehanā) and reflection (anuprekṣā) are the conditions that lead to such concentration of mind.^[13] It would be clear that this kind of meditation presupposes the acquisition of the three jewels and non-attachment. Śubhacandra has stated that for this kind of meditation, the person must possess love (maitri) for all living creatures, respect towards the learned (pramoda), compassion towards those in difficulties (karuṇā) and indifference towards the perverted (mādhyastha-bhava). With these virtues, one is sure to rise high in spiritual status driving away all delusions and misconceptions about worldly existence.

Owing to the complicated nature of reality and absence of proper instruction on its various aspects it is not possible for every individual to know the realities of the universe. Wrong faith and wrong knowledge are so popular that one easily gets lost in the meshes of ignorance and marches further away from truth. So in this Dhyana one deliberates upon the problems of worldly existence and the reasons which entangle the living beings in the cycles of births and deaths. In thinking about the fortunes and misfortunes in life, one has to contemplate upon the play of the various kinds of Karmas and the possible causes of the same. The daśa-dharma or the ten virtues have to be observed in daily life so that concentration on the virtues becomes a matter of habitual thought and action.

According to Jinabhadra, this kind of meditation is a stepping stone to Śukla-dhyāna, as the meditator would be familiar in practice with the twelve kinds of reflections (anuprekṣās), colou­rations (lēśyās) and the fruits of the various kinds of Karmas. Constant awareness of the nature of the soul and its relationship with the body is of vital importance in keeping him on the true path. The contemplation should be deeply rooted in the clear understanding of the ratna-trayas and the same should be fortified by regular study of the scriptures. Such moral and spiritual discipline will help him not only to purge the Karmas already entangling the soul but also prevent influx of the new Karmas. Regular self-study (svādhyāya) will keep the mind pure and active. The mind will be free from distractions and distractions of evil activities. Freed from infatuation and indecision, the mind becomes calm, collected and firmly rooted in the efficacy of the path shown by the Tīrthankaras. He becomes free from attach­ments to the world as he knows its real nature. He loses all interest in worldly enjoyment and becomes steadfast in meditation. He gains such calm and concentration that it matters little to him whether he remains in the midst of a crowd or a lonely forest, forest. There is no restriction on place, time and posture. The essentials of this meditation are scriptural self-study, the twelve reflections, the practice of the ten virtues and desisting from harmful activities of the body, mind and speech. Whatever may be the natural weaknesses of the body and intellect one should think to the best of one's understanding, study and follow the instruction from the saints about the teachings of the Tirthankaras and meditate on the nature of the soul free from the pollutions of attachment, aversion and passions.^[14]

The fourth but the best kind of meditation is called the Śukla-dhyāna (or the white or pure meditation). It is the highest kind of meditation. This kind of meditation is possible only for the omniscient. It is of four kinds. The first two can be attained by those who have attained the full knowledge of the scriptures and thereby realised virtuous concentration.

These two kinds occur before the self has ascended the ladder of spiritual progress. These are worthy to be meditated upon by the ascetic, who has practised several observances such as control and so on to purify the mind in order to free himself from trans­migration. The ascetic meditates on the material (objective atom) or thought (subjective atom) and with his knowledge of the scripture shifts to objects or verbal symbols or to activities of the body or the speech organ. He shifts i. e. oscillates his thoughts severally from one to the other. And just as a person of poor strength and enthusiasm cuts a tree for a long time with an unsteady hand and a dull axe, so also the ascetic tries to suppress or destroy the deluding Karmas₉ and he embraces the first type of pure concentration, namely the separate, scriptural, shifting concentration.^[15]

An ascetic who intends to destroy the deluding Karmas, engages his mind in pure activity which not only obstructs the influx of new Karmas but also assists in the destruction of the knowledge-deluding Karmas. He is assisted by his scriptural knowledge and he is free from wavering. He is passionless and is stainless like the pure crystal. There is no recession in his conce­ntration and he destroys the four Karmas by the unique scriptural concentration with all its purity.

The four types of "White" (Śukla) meditation have been also described by Jinabhadra:

1. meditation characterised by conce­ptual thinking on, and investigation of, the aspect of difference of objects,
2. meditation characterised by conceptual thinking on the single mode of an entity, without the involvement of investi­gation,
3. meditation accompanied with subtle physical movement and infallible and irreversible,
4. and meditation where these subtle activities are stopped.^[16]

The first two types collect and concentrate the mind on the minutest possible entity and prepare the ground for stopping the activities of mind, speech and body which is achieved by the third and fourth types. Those who are engaged in the first two types of meditation are well-versed in the fourteen ancient scriptures (Śruta-jnana).^[17] It appears that conceptual thinking based on scriptural knowledge forms the basis of the first two types of Śukla-dhyāna. In the first type, there is concentration upon an aspect of a particular entity from a number of stand points and the concentration might move or shift from one entity to another. In the second type, the mind concentrates upon a single entity and there is no shift from one aspect to another. The first one therefore is known as pṛthaktva-vistāra-savicāra while the second is known as ekatva-vitarka vicāra.^[18]

The third type of Śukla-dhyāna is known as sūkṣma-kriyā-nivartin as accompanied with subtle physical movement and is resorted to a few minutes before the final emancipation. All activities of the speech and mind are completely stopped. The gross functions of the body are stopped, though the breathing process continues. The soul rests only on the subtle activities of the body; there is no reversion in this stagehand the soul automatically progresses to the next.

In the last type of Śukla-dhyāna, the soul becomes motionless; all the activities of the body, mind and speech cease and the soul attains the final emancipation. Even the subtle activities cease before emancipation.

Thus the purpose of meditation is complete release from all Karmas. The observance of external and internal austerities, renunciation and meditation preceded by self-study of the scriptures form the basis for this process. Just as the mass of dense clouds are wafted away by the winds, the mass of Karmas are destroyed by the strong gale of meditation. Passions, envy, grief and dejection which are conditions of a normal mind do not touch the mind which is purged of its Karmas. Meditation is the basis of all spiritual development and hence it should be practised by all those who want to attain real happiness. Omniscience is attained on the destruction of the deluding Karmas, the knowledge- obscuring Karmas, perception-obscuring Karmas as also the obstructive Karmas. The self-attaining Omniscience becomes an arhat and after the destruction of even the Aghāti Karmas, it becomes the Siddha. There may be a longer or shorter interval between the attainment of these two stages, varying from soul to soul depending upon the total disappearance of the age-Karma. Liberation is attained when all Karmas are destroyed or anni­hilated. When the soul is released from all Karmas, it becomes the Paramātman or Siddha and darts up to the summit of the universe. It may be recalled that one of the inherent characteristics of pure soul is upward motion. As soon as it is free from ties or attachment, it regains its own nature of darting up. For example, the flame of a candle moves up of its own accord: it is in its nature to do so. It is only when the wild wind moves that the flame wavers to different sides. In the absence of any wind, it moves up. The soul which has attained the status of Paramātman goes up to the end of the universe and stays there as there is no medium of motion in the non-universe to aid motion. When once the pure soul or the Siddha has reached the top-most end of the universe, it stays there eternally, never to return again to the terrestrial world from the abode of eteranal bliss.^[19]

The real meditation is meditation on the soul itself. At that ' stage, the external possessions like land, houses, gold, wealth etc. and the internal hindrances like delusion, aversion, sorrow, fear, hatred etc. which disturb the equilibrium of the mind have disappeared totally from the mental horizon. All faculties beomes devoid of their external activities and the soul is able to concentrate on itself.The contemplation of the self is the supreme object of Dhyāna and the devotee should reflect within himself that he knows the truth and devotedly believes in the scriptures, and will renounce all external activity and merge the self in the higher Self. As explained in the 'Jñānārṇava' 40. 19, the person engaged in meditation should unite the Self with the higher self, inspired solely by the nature thereof and impregnating the self with the qualities of the higher Self.^[20]

This idea of the realization of the higher Self through the self has been adumbrated by almost all the Jaina thinkers. Somadeva also refers to four types of Śukla-dhyāna and designates the fourth as niṣkriyā yoga wherein vibration of any kind is totally absent. This is how Handiqui explains the author's view: ''Trans-cending the body, the Yogi now loses all connection with the mind and his vital breaths come to an end while he attains the supreme goal and perfect knowledge. This is the stage in which the self becomes the higher Self, and this is the mōkṣa or liberation characterized by the destruction of both 'destructive and unrestrictive' Karmas, and free from all the limitations of birth, a condition in which the self attains its own qualities."^[21]

Kundakunda Acarya has stated that he who is possessed of right faith and knowledge and meditates upon his self with concentration becomes free from the Karmas and attains the higher Self.^[22] Yogīndudeva says that the Karmas of the ascetics who dive deep into the ocean of the highest meditation get washed away and the soul attains purity. The self which attains Omniscience and understands the Loka and Aloka will surely become an Arhat full of bliss.^[23] Being in the Self, the self should contemplate the Self with full concentration after having subdued all activities of the senses.^[24]

Somadeva has expressed the same views. According to him, one who practises meditation should also contemplate the path of three jewels, the rules of conduct, the Anuprekṣās, and the seven fundamental principles of Jainism, and the personality of Lord Jina. But the contemplation of the self is the supreme object of Dhyana and the devotee should reflect within himself that he knows the truth and devotedly believes in the scriptures, and will / renounce all external activity and merge the self in the higher Self.^[25]

Dhyana or meditation is common to almost all religions. The ancient Hindu philosophers developed a theory called Yoga which is the science of self-realizations. The Yoga prescribed by Patanjali regards moral and physical discipline to be indispensable prelimi­naries to the spiritual progress. The Jainas are in agreement with the fundamental principles and practice of this system... The Jñānārṇava' of Śubhacandra and the ^'Yogaśastra' of Hemacandra are valuable contributions to the study of Yoga as a science of spiritual progress.. In Jaina literature Haribhadra defines Yoga as that which leads one to emancipation and terms the Dhyana and Samadhi were more in vogue than Yoga.

Surrender to God and emergence of the Self in the Supreme Self or the Brahman is emancipation according to the Hindu philosophers. Since Jainism deos not recognise any such God, there is no room for the idea of merger. But the process of self- realization seems to be identical in character, except that it is called God realization. R. D. Ranade has pointed out that metaphysics, morality and mysticism are inseparable in the highest spiritual development of man. According to mystics, however, intuition is a faculty of super sensuous experience which is aroused in us by proper spiritual initiation and practice.. And physiologically, we might say that the faculty of intuition is concerned with what might be called central instead of peripheral initiation. It is not the outside sense-experience that counts; it is the experience that is generated inside us in our intuitional process, that is, in the process of following the path of God, that matters……. So, INTUITION, super sensuous experience and central initiation are involved in the evolution of mystical experience.Ranade has referred to three factors as incentives to spiritual life;

1. Great is the birth and great is the human life and so the betterment of our life is to achieve the ideal.
2. We look back upon our past life and that supplies us with a sublime conception of immortal life serving us as a sort of aspiration towards the spiritual life.
3. Man's knowledge of his senses which often deceive him and even destroy him provides an aspiration to rise above the senses and utilize them for a higher and proper purpose.

According to him, Nirvana is not extinction but blissfulness, involving the wiping out of all our passions, desires and impulses merging ourselves into the Absolute.^[26]

This is the Hindu conception of mysticism which "denotes an attitude of mind which involves a direct, immediate, first-hand, intuitive apprehension of God." It is the direct experience of the mutual response between the human and the divine indicating the identity of the human souls and the ultimate reality.. In the mystical experience the individual is 'liberated and exalted with a sense of having found what it has always sought and flooded with joy.' So far as Jainism is concerned, some of the earliest author- saints like Kundakunda and Pūjyapāda have described transcendental experiences and mystic visions.^[27]

Jaina mysticism turns round two concepts: Atman and Paramātman... Paramātman stands for God, though never a creator, etc. The creative aspect of divinity, I think, is not the sine qua non of mysticism. Atman and Paramātman are essentially the same, but in Samsara, the Atman is under Karmic limitations, and therefore he is not as yet evolved into a Paramātman. It is for the mystic to realise this identity or unity by destroying the Karmic encrustation of the spirit. In Jainism the conception of Paramātman is somewhat nearer that of a personal absolute. The Atman himself becomes the Paramātman, and not that he is submerged in the universal as in the Vedanta. In Jainism spiritual experience does not stand for a divided self-achieving an absolute unification, but the bound individual expresses and exhibits his potential divinity... The soul following the religious path, goes higher and higher on the rungs of the spiritual ladder called Guṇasthānas and from stage to stage till the various Karmas are destroyed... Some of the Guṇasthānas are merely meditational stages and the subject of meditation is the potential attributes of the pure Atman.., The aspirant is warned not to be misled by certain Siddhis, i. e. miraculous attainments, but go on pursuing the ideal till the Atman is realised.^[28]

We have seen in Chapter VI that in Jaina theory of knowledge, there are three kinds of direct knowledge: the Avadhi Jnana, the Manaḥparyāya Jnana and the Kevala Jnana. It is only by the attain ment of Kevala Jnana that the soul can know and see everything regardless of time and space. The Tīrthankara is an ideal teacher who has attained the highest spiritual experience. He words are of highest authority. Jainism contains all the essentials of mysticism. To evaluate mystical visions rationally is not to value them at all. These visions carry a guarantee of truth undoubtedly with him who has experienced them; and their universality proves that they are facts of experience. The glimpses of the vision as recorded by Yogīndu, are of the nature of light or of white brilliance... It may be noted in conclusion that the excessive rigidity of the code of morality prescribed for a Jaina saint gives no scope for Jaina mysticism to stoop to low levels of degraded Tantricism... The routine of life prescribed for a Jaina monk does not allow him to profess and practise miracles and magical feats for the benefit of house-holders with whom he is asked to keep very little company.^[29]

Jaina mysticism is undoubtedly different from that of the Vedanta. To take a practical view the Jaina Tīrthankaras like Ṛṣabhadeva, Neminātha, Pārsvanātha, Mahavira etc. have been some of the mystics of the world: and rightly indeed Professor Ranade designates Ṛṣabhadeva, the first Tirthankara of the Jainas, as 'yet a mystic of different kind, whose utter carelessness of his body is the supreme mark of his God-realization' and gives details of his mystical life. It would be interesting to note that the details about Ṛṣabhadeva given in the Bhāgavata practically and fundamentally agree with those recorded by Jaina tradition.^[30]

According to Jaina theory, the Ātman attaining omniscience shines like the effulgence of the sun and experiences unalloyed bliss for which there is no parallel elsewhere. The great light flashes forth the moment self-realization is attained by the Ātman who simultaneously becomes blissful with the limitless knowledge of the universe.

The Jaina thinkers have indicated the practical steps to be followed in the attainment of insight into the real nature of the self and the knowledge of the various substances in the universe. The journey begins with the development of spiritual attitude. An aspirant has to consider the need of renouncing all identification with the animate objects like wife, children etc. and develop such profound wisdom as will change his attitude towards the world around him. The inner self has to be disciplined by vows and austerities, devotion to the three Jewels and to Jina as their embodiment so that he can attain purity in mind and body so as to be able to destroy the Karmas. How the soul can rise higher and higher from the lowest state of spiritual experience to the highest state of spiritual evolution has been discussed in full detail while dealing with to doctrine of fourteen Guṇasthānas. (Chap XI)

Sogani has discussed in detail the mystical significance of Jaina ethics and pointed out how the human self-emerging from the cave of passions rests in the abode of consciousness. The Bahirātman accepts everything as his own, the Antarātman negates all but the Paramātman... transcends these qualities of acceptance and nation. The self-rises from the state of ignorance to one of spiritual evolution to achieve Siddhatva raising above all to a state of complete liberation.^[31] It is not possible to give, as Radhakrishnan says, a positive description of the liberated soul, it is a state of freedom from action and desire, a state of utter and absolute quiescence. Zimmer shows that, in that state, the individuality, the masks, the formal personal features, are distilled away like the drops of rain that descend from the clear sky, tasteless and emasculate.^[32]

Ācārya Kundakunda has indicated with sufficient clarity the nature of the fully liberated soul. Such soul resides in the Siddha- śilā at the topmost of the universe free from birth and death. It is pure, supreme and devoid of the eight. Karmas. It is all- knowing, all-conating, all-blissful and all-powerful; it is indivisible, indestructible and inexhaustible, In this state of Nirvana ate found, perfect knowledge, perfect bliss, perfect power, perfect perception, immateriality, astitva, spatiality and formlessness. There is no medium of motion. There is neither pain nor pleasure, nor annoyance nor obstruction. There is neither delusion nor astonishment.^[33]

This is the goal of all human endeavour. All religions prescribe liberation as the final objective to be achieved and attained rot only by understanding the self but also by getting rid of all passions and other infirmities of the mind and body that hinder spiritual progress.

According to Jainism, the march of the soul towards a spiritual life starts with the attainment of Samyaktva. With the right insight, the individual exerts to acquire the knowledge of the world he lives in, the nature of the principle substances Jiva and Ajīva, the causes of bondage of various kinds of Karmas, and the vows and practices by which he can get release from the Karmas. The moral and spiritual principles which are aimed at internal purity and release from attachments pave the way for evolution leading to purification of the soul. Dhyana or meditation is of supreme importance for achieving concentration of the mind and liberation of the soul.

The difficulties of attaining pure and unsullied concentration have been emphasised with cogent reasons. The wavering mind is often disturbed by popular thoughts of likes and dislikes, of hatred and anger, of selfishness and greed. All such impurities of thought which disturb concentration have to be overcome by the practice of virtues and vows, austerities and suffering and, introspection and repentance, if progress is kept up, the virtuous (dharma) meditation and the white (śukla) meditation enable the aspirant to achieve the much-coveted victory over entanglements of the soul until he destroys them fully in the manner discussed above.