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17- JAIN YOGA
ultimate realization of truth. In the initial stage, one requires the guidance of a true teacher or scriptures to practice Jnän yoga. Both Jainism and Buddhism primarily use this path.
Path of Action (Karma yoga):
The path of action aims at the dedication of every human activity to the supreme Will. It is the yoga of action and selfless service for the benefit of humanity and all living beings at large. This includes social work, ecology, environmental protection, education, animal protection and the like. It can be practiced anywhere at any time. Ultimately, the person dedicates all Works and Services as an offering to God, without the expectation of any type of results. This dissolves one's ego or "I"- ness. This is an excellent form of yoga for action oriented people.
Path of Self-Control and Meditation (Ashtänga-yoga):
Ashtanga yoga aims at the liberation and perfection not only of the body, but also of the mental being, the control of the emotional and sensational life, the mastery of the whole apparatus of thought and consciousness.
It is the science of physical and mental control. A great sage, Shri Patanjali (3rd or 4th BC), pioneered it. It is also known as Ashtänga yoga, or the yoga of eight steps. All eight steps are important and are to be followed sequentially, leading to the ultimate realization of Truth or God.
Sage Patanjali in his immortal treatise, the Yoga Sutra, has defined that the aim of yoga is to control the thought processes (Chitta Vritti) to attain the highest union or yoga.
Even though sage Patanjali may not belong to Jain tradition, Jain Ächärya Shri Haribhadra Suri (7th AD) have sanctioned his Ashtanga Yoga as a spiritual practice, which leads to the path of liberation.
The eight-fold stages of Yoga and meditation of Shri HaribhadraSuri respectfully acknowledges the great sage Patanjali and his 'The Yoga Sutra'. He wrote four works on yoga (1) Yoga-Vinshikä in Präkrit (2) Yoga-Shatak in Präkrit (3) Yoga-Bindu in Sanskrit and (4) Yogadrashti Samuchchaya in Sanskrit. Both Shri Patanjali and Shri
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