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Epistemology of Jainas
(2) Apāyavicaya- to contemplate over the pature of vices
and the way to get rid of them. (3) Vipākavicaya- to contemplate over the fruits of good
and bad deeds. (4) Samstbāpavicaya to contemplate over the form of the
universe.
According to the Svetāmbara tradition dharmadhyāna is found upto the twelfth guṇastbāna, beginning with the sixtb. The Digambaras hold that it is possible in four gunasthānas only i. e. from fourth to the seventh.
The Sukladhyāna has the following four stages
(1) Pșthaktva vitarka savicāra-Analytic contemplation focussed on different objects; it changes from object to object, word to word, object to word and word to object. This stage can be compared with the savitarka and savicāra stages of samādbi held by the yoga.
(2) Ekatva vitarka-avicāra-synthetic deliberation, where the person sticks to one object. It is comparable with nirvitarka and nirvicāra of yoga.
(3) Sūkşamakriya-apratipātin–This stage is attained in the fourteenth gunastbāna, when the activities of mind and speech are stopped through the control over physical activity. The activities thus stopped do not revive again. This is why it is called apratipātin.
(4) Samucchinnakriya-nivștti-In this stage the activities of mind, speech and body are completely stopped. Even the mildest movements of respiration etc. do not occur. This stage lasts for a few moments only, comparable with the pronunciation of five short vowels.
The first two stages of sukladhyāna are found in the eleventh and twelfth guṇasthānas, provided the aspirant possesses the knowledge of pūrvas. The person with less knowledge gets dharmadhyāna only. The remaining two stages occur in the thirteenth and fourteenth guṇasthānas only.
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