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).

Here the word virtue does not mean an ordinary moral quality, but it stands for the nature of soul—knowledge, belief and conduct.

According to the Sarvārthasiddhi, a commentary by Pūjyapāda Devanandi which provides an exegesis of the Tattvartha Sutra (chapter 9), the 14 Guṇasthānas (also known as the Doctrine of the 14 Stages of Spiritual Development) are:[2]: 213–214, 279–285 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.

About the 12th stage it is mentioned in 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).The whole scheme of gunasthana in Jain philosophy is devised in a logical order according to the principle of decreasing sinfulness and increasing purity.

At the first stage, all the five causes of bondage—Irrational beliefs (mithyatva), non-restraint (avirati), carelessness (pramada), passions (kashaya) and activities of mind, speech and body (yoga)—are in full operation.