ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 431

stress the need for right understanding and right knowledge for the right practice of Yoga. The attitude is of prime importance for it is the right attitude that makes the Yoga right and leads to realizing the ayoga state. For a thorough study of Jain Yoga it is recommended to acquire a thorough knowledge of the fundamentals of Jainism, which include Jaina metaphysics, ethics, Karma theory, gu asth na etc.
The entire study of Yoga in the words of Sankar c rya can be summed up as follows:
Satsangatve NihsA gatvam, Nihsa gatve Nirmohatvam,
Nirmohatve Ni calitatvam, Ni calitatve J vanmuktih
(through steady devotion of the supreme consciousness, complete detachment is possible, through detachment delusion is dissolved, and then complete stability in the supreme consciousness can be attained, which eventually leads to emancipation).S. M. Desai lays down the parallels and benefits of Yoga in his book 'Haribhadra's works and psycho-synthesis'. His broad conclusions are noteworthy:
1. Yoga renders a great service both to philosophy and psychology and is a psycho
philosophic system and has a dynamics of its own. 2. It provides a technique for the search of reality by all psychic means. 3. It is an exercise of consciousness on consciousness itself and attempts to find keys to peep
into the recesses of the consciousness too. Yoga heightens consciousness and tries to get
rid of Avidy (ignorance). 4. Yoga unfolds human psyche, enlivens it, expands it, strengthens it, makes it dynamic and
thereby transforms it completely by means of meditation, spiritual ethics and special inner
processes. 5. It provides the highest goal of life and prepares the s dhaka for its quickest achievement.
Yoga is not satisfied with a smaller goal nor is it content with higher siddhi in the form of spiritual powers. It rests content only with the achievement of the highest of the high, the
supreme goal of self-realisation or God-Realisation. 6. Yoga provides the shortest cut to reach this goal but this is possible only for the s dhaka
with very intense efforts. But even a s dhaka with mild efforts uplifts his life. Every effort in
yoga is comparatively speedier in enabling the upliftment of the s dhaka's life. 7. Such potency of Yoga is due to its empirical and operational character. Its operation is
more psychic than physical. 8. Yoga is an art as well as a science. It is an art because it teaches the art of living on higher
levels of consciousness. It is a science as it teaches ways to research the truths of life and
how consciously practice by experiencing them. 9. Yoga is a spiritual science of human psyche and human life and reality itself. 10. Yoga-works and processes need a constant approach of synthesis, as general human
tendency is to fragment everything. Yoga requires a holistic approach as needed in the present times (31)
References:
[1] Haribhadra's Yoga works and Psychosynthesis [2] Ibid Pg. 12. [3] Ibid Pg.12. [4] Yogadarsana 1.2. [5] Tattv rtha Sutra. [6] Sth nA ga Sutra. [7] Yogavim ik
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0