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Vaiyavruttya - rendering service to the worthy ones is like serving a Tirthankar. That enhances the unity of the Sangha, strengthens the religious order, helps the needy and stabilizes the aspirant on the right path. It also creates an atmosphere of mutual help. In the present day context one can use judgment in giving charity to the most deserving. Vinay and Vaiyavruttya differ from one another in that the former is a mental act and the latter a bodily one. Swadhyay (Self-Study): To undertake various practices with a view to acquiring the right knowledge is called Swadhyay or study of the self. The spiritual meaning of Swadhyay is to remain in equanimity. Swadhyay is a potent instrument for shedding Karma. Swadhyay also keeps the right knowledge alive for the next generation and generations to come. Per Jain canonical books, Jain ascetics are required to do Swadhyay for about nine hours a day. If the Jain ascetic is irregular about doing his Swadhyay, then he is not truly a Jain Sädhu. He will drift into gossiping and eventually will end up doing non-virtuous activities. It is essential that Jain ascetics should keep their interest alive, and continue their Swadhyay per Jain canonical books. To acquire knowledge, to render it free from doubt, to be lucid and ripe and to seek to propagate it - all these can be covered in Swadhyay. It has been divided into five subtypes corresponding to the order followed in a course of study. They are as follows:
Vächanä (to read): To take lessons in the wording or the meaning of a text • Pruchchhanä (to ask questions): To make inquiries to remove doubts or to confirm
understanding. • Parävartanä (to repeat correctly): To repeat correctly the wording of a text that has been learnt.
Anuprekshä (to reflect): To ponder mentally over the wording or the meaning of a text Dharmopadesha (to teach): To grasp the essence of a text that has been learnt and to preach
things religiously. Dhyana (Meditation or Thought Process): To stop the wandering (distractions) of the conscious mind (Chitta) and to concentrate it on one thing is called meditation. The concentration arising from intense attachment, lust, or animosity is non-virtuous meditation and is to be avoided. While concentration arising from the search for the truth and detachment from worldly affairs is virtuous meditation and is desirable. Virtuous Dhyana is the practice to retire the soul from unnatural activities and to get absorbed into the self. All Tirthankars meditated prior to achieving perfect knowledge (Keval-jnän). No one has achieved Moksha without mediation. Dhyana is divided into four categories:
Ärta Dhyana Raudra Dhyana Dharma Dhyana
Shukla Dhyana. A person possessing a superior type of bone structure such as Vajra-rishabha-närächa, Rishabhanärächa, Närächa and Ardha-närächa Samghayana is capable of practicing the true Dhyana. To have sufficient mental power to perform Dhyana, one has to have sufficient physical power that comes only from these four types of bone structures. If body power is weak, one will have weaker mental power and therefore weaker concentration. This does not mean that others should not meditate. The degree of success will be less for the people with inferior bone structure, but the progress will be spiritual and in the right direction. An endeavor to put a stop to the gross bodily and mental operations is also a Dhyana. Arta and Raudra Dhyana, the causes of worldly transmigration, are evil Dhyana and, therefore are to be avoided. On the other hand, Dharma Dhyana and Shukla Dhyana are noble Dhyana and are worth resorting to though Shukla Dhyana is achieved after higher level of spiritual upliftment.
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