Studies in Jaina Philosophy

SR No.: 001616
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1951
Total Pages: 366
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Knowledge, Yoga, & Epistemology
File Size: 9 MB

Page 324

v. II]
DOCTRINE OF DHYANA: DHARMADHYANA
287
tion.1 He also prescribes the withdrawal (pratyähära) of the mind along with the sense-organs from the external objects, and its concentration (dharaṇā) on some place of the body, for instance, the forehead (lalata). Such process is held to be more useful than the regulation of breath which sometimes leads to unnecessary pain and uneasiness. Moreover the processes of breath-control lead to the acquisition of various supernormal powers which are detrimental to the spiritual well-being." The most important factor that inspires one for self-concentration and self-realization is the consciousness that the difference between the empirical self and the transcendental self is only one of non-manifestation and manifestation, both being intrinsically possessed of the same attributes which are unmanifest or less manifest in the empirical self, and fully manifest in the transcendental spirit. One must be conscious of one's latent powers before one can develop them. And when one has been sufficiently conscious of them one must be determined to realize them and exert to the utmost of one's capacity. When one becomes conscious of the eternal nescience that has stifled one's soul one must exert to overcome it and attain enlightenment, now and here. Only those who have such determination can practise the dharma-dhyana. Matter and spirit with the threefold nature consisting in continuity, origination and disappearance as well as the pure and perfect emancipated spirit, both embodied and disembodied, are held to be objects of this dhyana. The consummation is reached when the formless self, pure and perfect, is concentrated upon. yogin loses his identity and becomes one with the pure self when such concentration is achieved. This is the state of equality (samarasibhāva) and unification (ekikarana) where the self merges into the transcendental self and becomes non-different from it." Subhacandra distinguishes three states of the soul viz. the exterior self, the interior self, and the transcendental self in the same way as we have already noticed. One should run away from the exterior self and concentrate upon the
The
1 Ibid., XXIX (whole).
2 Subhacandra has enumerated ten such places.-Ibid., XXX. 13.
3 Cf. vayoḥ sañcara-caturyam animadyangasādhanam
prayaḥ pratyūhabījam syan muner muktim abhipsataḥ. -Ibid., XXX. 6.
4 Cf. mama saktyä guṇagramo vyaktyā ca parameşthinaḥ etävän avayor bhedaḥ śakti-vyakti-svabhavataḥ.
-Ibid., XXXI. 10.
5Cf. maya 'dyai 'va viniśceyam svasvarupaṁ hi vastutaḥ chitva 'py anãdi-sambhūtām avidya-vairi-vaguram.-Ibid., XXXI. 15.
6 Cf. so 'yam samarasībhāvas tadekikaranaṁ smṛtam
apṛthaktvena yatra 'tmä liyate paramatmani.-Ibid., XXXI, 38.