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Sūtras 20-21) Path of Emancipation
115 २०. पुनःपुनरासेवनमभ्यासो वा भावना। 20. punahpunar äsevanam abhyāso vã bhāvana.
(Aph.) Or, Anuprekṣā is meditation (bhāvanā), that is, repeated exercise meaning practice. (XX) 78. 1979-891707-79-04ca-377969-3787a-3778a-saz-faiTT-ETH
लोक-बोधिदुर्लभताश्च । 21. anitya- ašaraņa- bhava- ekatva. anyatva- aśauca- asrava- samvara -
nirjarā-dharma-loka-bodhidurlabhatās ca.
(Aph.) (Moreover, the objects of contemplation are)-impermanence, helplessness, transmigration, loneliness, distinctness (of soul from body), impurity (of the body), influx (of karmans), inhibition (of karmans), shedding (of karmans), righteousness, (the metaphysical nature of) cosmos (as consisting of five astikāyas), and the difficulty of the attainment of enlightenment. (XXI) .
(Note) These contemplations and meditations are meant for the purity of the soul, and protection from the evils of worldly life.
(1) Thus, the contemplation on the "transitoriness of things" is conducive to the renunciation of the worldly ties and consequential release from sufferings caused by those ties. A worldly tie, however slender or weak, is detrimental to the attainment of emancipation. Says St. John of the Cross : "The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union, For whether it be a strong wire rope or a slender and delicate thread that holds the bird, it matters not, if it really holds it fast; for until the cord be broken, the bird cannot fly. So the soul, held by the bonds of human affection, however slight they may be, cannot, while they last, make its way to God."1
(2) For further strengthening the spirit of detachment, contemplation on "utter helplessness" is the second step. "nālam te tava tänäe vā saraņāe vä, tumampi tesim nalar tāņāe và saraņāe vá." "Neither are they competent to protect you, nor are you to do so", says the Ayāro.
(3) At the third stage of contemplation, the practiser realises the nature of endless transmigrations and reflects upon the world as nothing but a place of suffering, where he finds himself puzzled and lost. As a result of this contemplation, a strong sense of detachment arises in him which compels him to get rid of the world.
(4). The aspirant next contemplates on himself as a solitary pilgrim, and reflects"Alone am I, without any fellow traveller, nor am I a fellow of another." Thus does he realise himself as deserted and lonely.
As a result of this contemplation, he is freed from attachment to his own people and hatred against others. Thus, being free from attachment and hatred, he en1 Quoted from The Principal Upanişads (By Dr. S. Radhakrishnan), p. 106 a. 2 II. 20.
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