Ethical Doctrines in Jainism

SR No.: 006955
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 322
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 8 MB

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ETHICAL DOCTRINES IN JAINISM
from the sensual objects and the mind from the senses, and to concentrate the mind on the forehead (lalāta). This process is called Pratyā. hāra. Ten places in the body have been enumerated for mental concentration, namely, the two eyes, the two ears, the foremost point of the nose, the forehead, the mouth, the navel, the head, the heart, the palate, the place between the two eye-brows. The Yogi should think over his original underived potency of the self, and compare his present state with the non-manifested nature of the self. He should regard ignorance and sensual indulgence as the causes of the fall. Then, he should be determined to end the obstructions to the manifestation of the transcendental self by dint of the sword of meditation. He should express his resolution by affirming that he is neither a hellish being, nor an animal, nor a man, nor a celestial being, but a transcendental being devoid of these mundane transformations, which result from the Karmic association. And again, being possessed of infinite power, knowledge, intuition and bliss, he must not go away from his original nature.* Having determined in this manner, the patient, enduring, steadfast, and crystal pure Yogi should meditate upon the material and non-material objects as possessing the triple nature of origination, destruction and continuance, as also upon the omniscient souls, embodied and disembodied. Having meditated upon the six kinds of Dravyas in their true nature, the Yogi should either acquire the spirit of non-attachment or enrapture his mind in the ocean of compassion." Afterwards he should begin to meditate upon the nature of Paramātman who is associated with the number of original and unique characteristics.? The Yogi gets engrossed with these characteristics, and endeavours to enlighten his own self with spiritual illumination. He gets immersed in the nature of Paramātman to such an extent that the consciousness of the distinctions of subject, object, and the process vanishes. This is the state of equality (samarasībhāva) and identification (ekīkarana) where the self submerges in the transcendental self, and becomes non-different from it. This sort of meditation is called Savīrya-dhyāna.10
There is another way of speaking about the process of Dhyāna. Of the three states of self, namely, the external, the internal and the transcendental, the Yogi should renounce the external self, and meditate upon
1 Jñānā. XXX. 3. 5 Ibid. XXXI. 17. 8 Ibid. XXXI. 37.
2 Ibid. XXX. 13. 3 Ibid. XXXI. 12. Ibid. XXXI. 13, 14. 6 Ibid. XXXI. 18, 19. 7 Ibid. XXXI. 20 to 34. Ibid. XXXI. 38. 10 Ibid. XXXI. 42.