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Meditation:
HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
Meditation also had an important part to play in the life of a monk. Even though the fundamental forms of good and bad 'dhyana' remained the same,300 some of its forms resembled the 'prāṇāyāma' practice. For instance, in the 'kayotsarga' the monk's position was like the following:
Jinendramudrayā gāthāṁ dhyāyet pritivikasvare/ Hrtpankaje pravesyäntarniruddhya manasänilam//
Prthag dvidvyekagāthāṁśacintante recayecchanaiḥ/ Navakṛtvah prayoktaivam dahatyamhaḥ sudhirmatäm//
Thus he stood taking in the breath slowly, holding, it in for some time and then slowly letting it out, at the same time uttering the 'namaskara' formula slowly.301
Worship:
Worship of the Jinas, as we have already seen, formed an important item. The monks went to the Jinalayas and performed the 'bhävapūjā' in such places.
461
The Anagaradharmamṛta gives details about the 'jinamudrasthāpanā (installation of the Jina image). It was said that only the Brahmins, Ksatriyas and the Vaisyas, who born of a good family, caste, country and endowed with a good body, were allowed to do so.392
DEATH AND FUNERAL RITES:
The basic types of death accepted as proper ones were the 'bhaktapratyakhyāna, ingini' and 'prayopagamana. Other forms of death like entering fire, eating poison and hanging etc. were not deemed proper.
Even though Digambara literature refers frequently to death by fasting (samlehana), the treatment of the subject can be had on a historical basis only when we get corroborating evidence of the epigraphs of various periods. Moreover, the personalities referred to are more or less legendary figures which make it difficult to verify their historicity.
The funeral rites of the Digambara monks, as given in the Bhagavati Aradhana-looking to the proper time and muhurta for taking out the dead,34 superstitions about the dead body,385 the rules about the 'thandila' (funeral
390. Ibid. 7, 103. 391. Ibid. 9, 22-23.
392. Ibid. 9, 88.
393. Ibid. 7, 98. 394. Bhag. Arä. V, 1988.
395. Ibid. 1982; 1996.
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