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V. ACARA OF THE MUNI
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of meditating on the divine qualities imagines his own self as the transcendental self and believes that "I am that omniscient soul and not anything else."1 The Rūpātīta-dhyāna implies the meditation on the attributes of Siddhātman. In other words, the Rupātīta-dhyāna is that wherein the Yogi meditates upon the self as blissful consciousness, pure and formless.
We have thus dwelt upon the various processes of Dhyāna. These different processes, which may be brought under Prasasta-dhyāna, are capable of leading us to the supreme state of transcendental existence. All this was a digression from the traditional enumeration which recognises four kinds of Dharma-dhyāna and four kinds of Sukla-dhyāna: We shall now deal with these kinds of Dhyāna.
DHARMA-DHYANA: The word 'Dharma' implies the veritable nature of things, the ten kinds of Dharma, the triple jewels and the protection of living beings. Four types of Dharma-dhyāna have been recognised namely, 1) Ajñā-vicaya, 2) Apāya-vicaya, 3) Vipāka-vicaya, and lastly 4) Samsthāna-vicaya. 1) When the aspirant finds no one to preach, lacks subtle wit, is obstructed by the rise of Karmas, is encountered with the subtleness of objects and experiences the deficiency of evidence and illustration in upholding and vindicating any doctrine, he adheres to the exposition of the Arahanta after believing that the Arahanta does not misrepresent things. The aspirant is said to have performed Ājñā-vicaya Dharma-dhyāna. Or he who has understood the nature of objects and who therefore makes use of Naya and Pramāņa for justifying certain doctrines is believed to have performed Ajñā-vicaya Dharma-dhyāna. We may here say that the purpose of this Dhyāna is to maintain intellectual clarity regarding the metaphysical nature of objects propounded by the Arahanta. 2) To ponder over the adequate ways and means of emancipating the souls from the worldly suffering caused by the perverted belief, knowledge and conduct,' and to meditate on the means of ascending the ladder of spiritual welfare,& are designated as Apāya-vicaya Dharmadhyāna. Besides, the aspirant should give himself to serious contemplation: 'who am I? Why there are inflow and bondage of Karmas? How
1 Jņānā. XXXIX. 42, 43. 2 Ibid. XL. 16. 3 Kartti. 476. 4 Ta.su. IX. 36.
Sarvartha. IX. 36. Sarvartha. IX. 36. 7. Sarvartha. IX. 36. 8 Mülā. 400.
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