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 325

288
JAINA YOGA
[CH.
transcendental self by means of the interior self. One can achieve the concentration on the transcendental self by the constant practice in the awareness of the truth of one's identity with it.? Such practices are, according to Subhacandra, common to both the dharma and the śukla-dhyāna, there being difference only in the measure of their perfection. The concentration of thought on the revelation (äjñā), suffering (apāya), karmic fruition (vipäka), and the structure (samsthāna) of the universe is also accepted as dharma-dhyāna.
Subhacandra records furthermore the four types of dhyāna viz. pindastha, padastha, rūpastha and rūpātita," which it has not been possible for me to trace anywhere in the Jaina works earlier than the Jñānārnava. Of course, we find these types elaborately treated in the Yogaśāstra of Hemacandra. But scholars think that the Yogaśāstra has borrowed these ideas from the Jñanarnava which is held to be decidedly an earlier work. In the pindastha, one is required to concentrate upon five imaginary objects in the following way. (1) One should imagine a vast ocean as big as the world inhabited by animal life (tiryagloka) with a thousand-petalled golden lotus as big as the Jambūdvipa. He should then imagine himself comfortably seated on a white throne situated on the lotus. Then he should imagine himself as getting ready to destroy all the karmans. This is called pārthivi dhāraṇā,6 (2) Then follows the āgneyi dhāraņā wherein he is required to imagine fire rising up from the mantric syllables in a lotus situated in the navel and burning the eight-petalled lotus situated in the heart, representing the eight karmans. Then he should imagine fire situated outside and burning the external body as well as the lotus situated in the navel. When all these are burnt to ashes the fire is automatically extinguished. (3) After this has taken place one is to imagine a devastating whirlwind which carries away all the ashes left by the fire. This is svasana dhārană. (4) Then follows the vārunī dhāranā wherein one is to imagine heavy rainfall which is to wash away all the remaining ashes of the consumed body. (5) Then follows the fifth dhāranā called tattvarūpavati wherein the yogin imagines himself as devoid
i Cf. apasya bahirātmānam susthireņā 'ntarātmanā dhyāyed visuddham atyantam paramātmānam avyayam.
-Ibid., XXXII. 10, 2 Cf. sa evā 'ham sa evā 'ham ity abhyasyann anāratam vāsanām dradhayann eva prāpnoty ätmany avasthitim.
-Ibid., XXXII. 42. 3 Cf. iti sâdhāraṇam dhyeyam dhyanayor dharma-suklayoḥ
visuddhi-svāmi-bhedena bhedah sūtre nirūpitaḥ.-Ibid., XXXII. 104. 4. Ibid., XXXIII- XXXVI. 5 Ibid., XXXVII-XL.
6 We give only a rough sketch in order to give some idea of these conceptions.