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222
Tattvarthasutra
[9. 27-28
Meditation is the concentration of the mind through the restraint of thoughts in a single subject towards the excellent samhanana. 27.
For a moment. 28. The meditation that establishes the disposition of the inner consciousness in one subject of the excellent samhanana lasts until that moment, that is, until the internal moment.
Here, three aspects related to meditation are described: authority, nature, and time.
1. Authority - Among the six types of samhanas (physical configurations), the vajra-rishabha-naracha, ardha-vajra-rishabha-naracha, and naracha are considered the three excellent ones. Only those with excellent samhanana are qualified for meditation, as the necessary mental strength for meditation is feasible only within these three configurations. The remaining three configurations do not provide this. The body is a principal basis for mental strength, and bodily strength depends on physical configuration; therefore, apart from those with excellent samhanana, no one else is qualified for meditation. The less physical configuration there is, the lesser the mental strength, and the lesser the mental strength, the lesser the stability of the mind. Thus, a weak physical configuration or a non-excellent samhanana can achieve concentration in any commendable subject, but this concentration is so minimal that it cannot even be counted in meditation.
1. According to the commentary, two types of meditation are mentioned in this context: 1. Concentrated thought and 2. Restraint. However, it seems that this point was not addressed by any other commentator. Therefore, we have followed the old commentators here as well. In fact, these are the only two types specified by the author here. See: Prakrit Text Society published Dashavaikalkika by Augustya Singh, pp. 16 and 50, Dalsukh Malavania's article, published in the Gujarat University journal Vidya, Vol. 15, No. 2, August 1672, p. 61.
2. In the Digambara texts, only the three excellent samhanas are considered qualified for meditation, but in the commentary and its extension, the first two samhanas are regarded as qualified for meditation.
3. For further information, see A.08, S. 12.