Book Title: $JES 901 Jainism and Spiritual Awakening E9
Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

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Page 106
________________ 17 - JAIN YOGA 5) Pratihärya - Detachment of Mind In the fifth stage, a person should practice detachment or divorcing of mind from the five senses; touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound, which provide pleasant or unpleasant feelings. This mental exercise gradually slows the rush of thoughts from within to the surface of the mind. Now the mind has become ready for concentration on one object, or on one idea. 6 - Dharana 7 - Dhyana 8 - Samadhi 6) Dharana - Removal of Thoughts In the sixth stage, a person should concentrate the mind either on one external object or one internal idea upon which to meditate. One finds that, in spite of the best of efforts, the mind does not remain glued to the chosen object. The object appears too hazy and there are breaks in concentration. One has to make repeated attempts during Dharana which ultimately lead to emptying all other thoughts. 7) Dhyana - Meditation The thought removal process (Dharana) leads naturally to meditation (Dhyana) in the seventh stage. Meditation is an unbroken flow of thought towards an external object or an internal idea. 8) Samadhi - Super Conscious State Through intense practice, meditation turns into Samadhi. In Samadhi, a person is unconscious of everything about oneself. Even the object of meditation melts away but the vision of the object JAINISM AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING 105

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