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COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM
concentration upon an aspect of a particular entity from a number of stand points and the concentration might move or shift from one entity to another. In the second type, the mind concentrates upon a single entity and there is no shift from one aspect to another. The first one therefore is known as pşthakatva-vitarkasavicāra while the second is known as ekatva-vitarka vicāra.23
The third type of Sukla-dhyāna is known as sūkşma-kriyanivartin as accompanied with subtle physical movement and is resorted to a few minutes before the final emancipation. All activities of the speech and mind are completely stopped. The gross functions of the body are stopped, though the breathing process continues. The soul rests only on the subtle activities of the body; there is no reversion in this stage and the soul automatically progresses to the next.
: In the last type of Sukla-dhyāna, the soul becomes motionless; all the activities of the body, mind and speech cease and the soul attains the final emancipation. Even the subtle activities cease before emancipation.
Thus the purpose of meditation is complete release from all Karmas. The observance of external and internal austerities, renunciation and meditation preceded by self-study of the scriptures form the basis for this process. Just as the mass of dense clouds are wafted away by the winds, the mass of Karmas are destroyed by the strong gale of meditation. Passions, envy, grief and dejection which are conditions of a normal mind do not touch the mind which is purged of its Karmas. Meditation is the basis of all spiritual development and hence it should be practised by all those who want to attain real happiness. Omniscience is attained on the destruction of the deluding Karmas, the knowledgeobscuring Karmas, perception-obscuring Karmas as also the obstructive Karmas. The self attaining Omniscience becomes an arhat and after the destruction of even the Aghāti Karmas, it becomes the Siddha. There may be a longer or shorter interval between the attainment of these two stages, varying from soul to
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