Book Title: Jaina Culture
Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Previous | Next

Page 96
________________ KARMA AND LIBERATION 87 various functions of karma. The fourth type is in the shape of the meditation on the structure of the universe. One who intends to practise virtuous meditation should possess the following four virtues : 'friendship with all creatures, cordial appreciation of the merits of others, compassion for sufferers and indifference for the unruly. He should also fulfil some other conditions such as regular study for the steadiness of mind, purification of belief and attitude for the removal of delusion, right conduct for the cessation of the inflow of new karmic matter and annihilation of the accumulated one and so on. He is also required to select a lonely and peaceful place for the practice of concentration. As regards the selection of posture, he can select any is true according to his The same own convenience. regarding the selection of time. The necessity of breathcontrol is also realised by the Jaina thinkers. Pure meditation is the highest stage of concentration. Forbearance, humility, straightforwardness etc. are its prerequisites. It is also of four types. The first two types are mental in character, whereas the last two are extra-mental. The first type consists in the contemplation of various characteristics of the worldly phenomenon such as origination, decay and permanence of a particular object from different viewpoints. At this stage of meditation, the mental activity of a meditator is not confined to a particular characteristic or aspect of the object. The thought moves from one aspect to another. This is in regard to mental activity. Regarding the activities of his body and speech, there is, however, a slight movement. This movement consists in a definite change from one verbal symbol to another, from The second type one kind of physical activity to another. of pure meditation is opposed to the first cular sense. There is no movement in it. any change of activity. Besides, the thought concentrates upon a single aspect of an object. Unlike the first type, it one in this parti It is free from

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162