Atmik Utkranti Ke Sopan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Atmik Utkranti ke Sopan" (Steps of Spiritual Evolution) by Saubhagyamal Maharaj, based on the provided pages:

The book, "Atmik Utkranti ke Sopan," authored by Saubhagyamal Maharaj, is part of the "Pujya Gurudev Kavi Pt. Nanchandji Maharaj Janmashatabdi Smrutigranth." It delves into the journey of spiritual evolution, with a particular focus on the Jain philosophical understanding of the soul and its path to liberation.

The Core Concept: The Importance of Right Faith (Samyak Darshan)

The text begins by emphasizing the profound significance of Samyak Darshan, or pure faith, in one's life. Just as the sun's rising dispels darkness and brings new life, the dawn of Samyak Darshan illuminates the soul, removing inertia and bestowing a new vibrancy. This pure faith has a transformative effect on both one's thoughts and actions. While it doesn't immediately necessitate vows, it fundamentally shifts one's life perspective from being engrossed in worldly pleasures (bhog-unmukh) to being oriented towards the self (atma-unmukh). This shift allows individuals to transcend attachment, possessiveness, and passion, leading to the realization of the ultimate truth.

The Human Quest for Understanding

The text traces the origins of human inquiry back to the ancient past when humans, observing the wonders of nature, began to question their existence. They pondered: What is this universe? Why does it exist? Is there an origin and cause, or is it merely a play of nature? These questions led to further introspection about the self: "What am I? Am I merely a collection of material elements, or am I a distinct conscious entity?" This continuous stream of thought and questioning has been a defining aspect of human intellectual history, with great thinkers offering various answers.

Two Major Philosophical Streams: Theistic and Atheistic

The text categorizes the diverse philosophical responses to these fundamental questions into two main streams:

Atheistic (Nastik) Ideology: This perspective posits that the visible world is all there is. There is no soul, no God, no heaven or hell. The body is the fundamental reality, and consciousness is a mere attribute of the body, ceasing to exist upon the body's demise. There is no transmigration or afterlife. This is described as a materialistic and materialistic viewpoint.
Theistic (Astik) Ideology: In contrast, this view is held by perceptive thinkers who see beyond the gross physical world to a vast, unseen reality. They believe the visible world is but a drop in an infinite ocean of the unseen. They assert the existence of a spiritual realm beyond our limited senses. While our senses can only grasp the material, the subtle elements are the fundamental constituents of reality. The body is the center of the material world, while the soul, filled with eternal bliss and consciousness, is the center of the subtle, inner world. This ideology, which accepts the eternal truths of the soul and the supreme soul, is termed theistic.

The Dominance of Theistic Thought in India

The text highlights that theistic thought has held a dominant position in India since time immemorial. Materialistic atheistic ideologies have not received significant respect. Instead, theistic philosophies, including Jainism, Buddhism, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, and Sankhya, have been upheld. These schools of thought have refuted atheistic views with their reasoned arguments and established the supremacy of theistic principles, thereby establishing spiritual values in Indian culture.

Jain Philosophy's Detailed Exploration of the Soul

While all theistic philosophies have discussed the soul and the divine, the text argues that Jainism offers a particularly subtle and profound analysis of the soul. Jain scriptures meticulously detail the soul's fundamental nature, the impurities introduced by karma, the intricacies of karma, the causes of karmic bondage, methods for breaking free from it, and the ultimate attainment of the soul's pure, original state. Jain literature is replete with discussions on the soul and karma. Even the first section of the Acaranga Sutra, one of the foundational Jain texts, begins with an exploration of the soul.

A quote from the Acaranga Sutra is provided, illustrating the fundamental ignorance of many beings regarding their origins, their soul's transmigratory nature, and their future lives. This underscores the Jain emphasis on the soul as the bedrock of its philosophy, stating, "He who knows one, knows all," signifying the paramount importance of understanding the soul. The ultimate goal is for the soul to become the Supreme Soul (atma so paramatma), realizing its inherent divinity.

The Stages of Spiritual Evolution: Gunasthanas

To understand how the soul evolves spiritually and the stages it experiences, Jain scriptures have outlined Gunasthanas (stages of spiritual progress). These are described as steps leading to the mansion of liberation, offering intermediate resting places on the journey from an undeveloped to a fully developed state of the soul.

The Soul's True Nature and Karmic Obscuration

The inherent nature of the soul, according to Jainism, is pure consciousness, characterized by infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite bliss, and infinite power. Just as the sun is naturally radiant, the soul is an inexhaustible reservoir of knowledge and happiness. However, like sunlight obscured by dense clouds, the soul's true nature is hidden by karmic coverings. As these coverings gradually dissipate, the soul's true form begins to reveal itself, ultimately leading to a pure, liberated state when all coverings are removed.

The Primary Obstacle: Moh (Delusion/Attachment)

The text identifies Moh (delusion, attachment, infatuation) as the soul's most formidable enemy and the primary veil obscuring its spiritual powers. As long as Moh remains strong, other karmic coverings also persist. When Moh weakens, the other obstacles also diminish. Therefore, the strength of Moh is the main impediment to the soul's progress, and its weakening is the primary facilitator. The Gunasthanas are structured around the intensity, weakness, and absence of Moh.

The Dual Power of Moh

Moh attacks the soul with a dual power:

Darshan Moh (Delusion of Right Faith): This power dulls the soul's ability to perceive reality correctly, akin to how intoxication makes a person unaware. The soul, under the influence of Moh, forgets its true nature, identifies with the non-self, and craves material possessions, becoming externally focused rather than internally observant. This misperception prevents the soul from distinguishing between itself and the external, or between the conscious and the material.
Charitra Moh (Delusion of Conduct): Even when the soul gains right perception, this power prevents it from acting according to that knowledge and from dwelling in its true self. Instead, it impels the soul towards worldly activities.

The first power of Darshan Moh is considered more potent. Once Darshan Moh weakens, Charitra Moh also begins to weaken, opening the path to self-realization.

The Gunasthanas (Stages of Spiritual Progress) Detailed:

The text then elaborates on the fourteen Gunasthanas, providing a detailed, albeit summarized, description of each:

Mithyatva (Delusion): The lowest stage, characterized by complete adherence to false beliefs and intense Moh. The soul's actions are contrary to its true well-being.
Sasvadana (Taste of Equanimity/Mixed Faith): A transitional stage where the soul, while falling from right faith, experiences a mixed state, neither fully deluded nor fully enlightened.
Mishra (Mixed): A stage where the soul is neither wholly right nor wholly wrong in its perception, often unable to differentiate between true principles and falsehood.
Avirata Samyagdrushti (Unrestrained Right Faith): The soul attains right faith, its perspective shifts from external to internal, and it begins to experience spiritual peace, though it hasn't yet taken vows.
Deshavirati (Partial Restraint): The soul begins to practice partial vows and restraints, leading to greater peace than the previous stage.
Sarva Virati (Complete Restraint): The soul takes full vows and abandons all worldly activities, experiencing greater peace. This stage is also called Pramatta Samyata (heedful restraint) as some negligence may still be present.
Apramatta Samyata (Non-heedful Restraint): The soul strives for complete freedom from negligence, dedicating itself to contemplation of its true nature. There's a constant interplay between negligence and non-negligence.
Apurva Karana (Unprecedented Action): The soul makes intense efforts to destroy remaining Moh, leading to increasingly pure and unprecedented internal states.
Anivrutti Badara (Incessant Gross Progress): The soul achieves further purification and accumulates spiritual power. The karmic bonds weaken, and the soul progresses towards eradicating Moh.
Sukshma Samparaya (Subtle Delusion): The soul experiences a very subtle form of greed or Moh, which is gradually attenuated.
Upaśānta Moh Vītarāga Chaddmastha (Pacified Delusion, Passionless, Concealed Soul): Moh is temporarily pacified, leading to a state of passionlessness and purity. However, this state is temporary, and the soul may fall back.
Kshīṇa Moh Vītarāga Chaddmastha (Destroyed Delusion, Passionless, Concealed Soul): Moh is completely destroyed, and the soul eradicates the four destructive karmas, leading to omniscience.
Sāyogi Kevalī (Soul with Associates, Omniscient): The soul becomes omniscient and omniscient, experiencing complete spiritual sovereignty and bliss.
Ayogi Kevalī (Soul without Associates, Omniscient): All remaining karmas are destroyed, and the soul achieves eternal liberation, reaching the ultimate abode of the Siddhas.

Three States of the Soul:

The fourteen Gunasthanas can be broadly classified into three states:

Bahirātmā (External Soul): Characterized by ignorance and focus on material objects. The first three Gunasthanas represent this state.
Antarātmā (Internal Soul): The soul turns inward, seeking its true nature. Gunasthanas four through twelve depict this phase.
Paramātmā (Supreme Soul): The soul realizes its true, pure form, free from all coverings. Gunasthanas thirteen and fourteen represent this state.

The book concludes with the aspiration that all beings strive to ascend these steps of spiritual evolution, moving from Bahirātmā to Paramātmā, to ultimately experience infinite bliss in the abode of liberation.