guṇasthānaka), though one may continue in this mistake, one is not doing it so unhesitatingly as to be obvious to others. Just as taking an intoxicating drug prevents one’s distinguishing white from yellow, so a soul on this step makes mistakes. A Jaina śloka says:
‘As a man blind from birth is not able to say what is ugly and what is beautiful, a man on the Mithyātva guṇasthānaka cannot determine what is real and what is false.’
ii. Sāśvāsadana guṇasthānaka.The soul, whirled round and round in the cycle of rebirth, loses some of its crudeness and ignorance, and attains to the state (called Granthibheda) when it begins to distinguish a little between what is false and what is true; unfortunately, it next moves into the state (named Upaśama saṅkita) when, though it knows there is a distinction, it forgets it, and so is not able to put it into practice; but when some faint remembrance comes back, it has arrived at the second step {Sāśvāsadana[1] guṇasthānaka) of the stairs to mokṣa. The Jaina say that Upaśama saṅkita resembles fire hidden under ashes, for though a man’s bad qualities may be hidden and under control for a long time, they are bound to blaze out at last,
iii. Miśra guṇasthānaka.A soul mounts to the third step (Miśra guṇasthānaka) is in an uncertain condition, one moment knowing the truth and the next doubting it. It is like the mixture formed by stirring together curds and sugar to make the sweetmeat called śrīkhaṇḍa, which is half sour and half sweet. No one will die in this mixed condition, but will either slip back to the second step or proceed onward to the fourth.
iv. Aviratisamyagdṛiṣṭi guṇasthānaka.The man at the fourth stage, Aviratisamyagdṛiṣṭi guṇasthānaka, has either through the influence of his past good karma, or by the teaching of his guru, obtained true faith. A famous śloka runs :
‘Liking for principles preached by Jina is called true faith, it is derived either from nature or from knowledge given by the guru.’
- ↑ Or Sāsvādana.
