Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
The seeker strives to experience the self-nature. Acharya Hemchandra, 48 Yogiindudev 49 Amitagati, 50 Acharya Haribhadra 51 Upadhyaya Yathovijaya etc. have described four objectives of Dharma Dhyana. They are: - (1) Pindastha (2) Padastha (3) Roopastha and (4) Roopateet. Pindastha Dhyana means to focus the mind on different parts of the body. Through the five Dharanas of Parthivee, Agneeyi, Maruti, Varuni and Tattvavati, the seeker gradually becomes absorbed in the center of the self. Practicing Pindastha Dhyana with four types of Dharanas stabilizes the mind. This helps to see the relationship between the body and karma differently. It involves contemplating the pure self-nature by destroying karma. The second, Padastha Dhyana, is the meditation done by taking recourse to mantras and letters according to one's liking. This meditation mainly involves sound as an object. Acharya Shubhachandra 52 has also called it Varnamaatrika Dhyana due to focusing on letters. In this meditation, the beautiful imagination of the navel lotus, heart lotus and mouth lotus is done. In the navel lotus, sixteen vowels are meditated upon on a lotus with sixteen petals. In the heart lotus, a lotus with twenty-four petals, including the stigma and petals, is imagined and the twenty-five classes of letters, starting with 'ka', 'kha', etc., are meditated upon. Similarly, eight letters are meditated upon on the mouth lotus. The best meditation among mantras and letters is considered to be 'Arhan', which is the king of mantras, containing the letter 'reph', the 'kala' and the 'bindu', along with the Anahata. 13 This king of mantras is meditated upon. Apart from these, many methods are described in detail in the texts like Yogashastra and Gyanarnava. In this meditation, the seeker tries to free himself from the lust of the senses and make the mind more pure and focused. The third meditation is "Roopastha". In this, the meditation is done on the omniscient Tirthankara Prabhu, who is free from the vices like attachment and aversion, and is endowed with all virtues. In this meditation, the practice of meditation is done by taking recourse to the nature of 'Ahanta'. 55 The fourth type of meditation is "Roopateet" Dhyana. Roopateet Dhyana means to remember the knowledge-filled, blissful form, which is beyond form and color, unstained and formless. 55 In this meditation, there is no difference between the meditator and the object of meditation. Therefore, Acharya Hemchandra has called this particular state 'Samarsi Bhaav'. 56 In these four types of Dharma Dhyana, the contemplation of the body, letters, omniscient and unstained Siddha is done respectively. It progresses from gross to subtle. Not all beings can do this meditation. Only the seeker is entitled to this meditation. When the mind becomes stable and pure through Dharma Dhyana, that seeker can become entitled to Shukla Dhyana in the future.
The fourth type of meditation is "Shukla" Dhyana. This is the most pure state of the soul. Based on the Shruta, the ultimate stability of the mind and the cessation of yoga is Shukla Dhyana. This meditation happens when the passions are pacified. Only that seeker can do this meditation who is absorbed in equanimity 57 and who is like Vajra-Rishabhanaraacha-Samhanan. 58
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
Yogashastra 7/8
Yogasara- 98
Yogasara Prabhrit
Yogashataka
Gyanarnava - 35-1,2
Gyanarnava-35/7-8
Ahanto Roopamalamvya Dhyanam Roopasthamuchyate Yogashastra 9/7
a- Gyanarnava 37 16
b- Yogashastra 10/1
Yogashastra 10/3, 4 Yogashataka 90
Yogashastra 11/2
[28]