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Penances
197
places, where disturbances may be caused by people of reprehensible profession, bad character, women, or animals, should be avoided. 1
On the other hand, a place which is sanctified by the association of great persons, and is lonely like sea-shore, forest, mountain, island, etc., should be chosen.3 The place for meditation should not have disturbance by noise, rain or wind.4
Postures for dharma dhyīna :
Every place and every posture is suitable for meditation for him, who is detached, steadfast, firm and pure.5 Yet postures have importance of their own. Subhacandra mentions seven pastures : 1. paryarkāsana, 2. ardhaparyankāsana, 3. vajrāsana, 4. vīrāsana, 5. sukhāsana, 6. kamalāsana, 7. kāyotsarga. The first and the last of these seven, are specially suitable for the modern age, when people lack energy.? The aspirant should face east or north, though there is no such fixed rule.9 One who has controlled his posture becomes immune from the clemencies of nature.10 Sitting cross-legged, one should place his left hand on the lap, 11 concentrating his sight on the tip of the nose, 1a and making his face as motionless as the lake with fish asleep.13 Other auxilaries of dhyāna :
In Pātañjala yoga, much import ince has heen attached to prāņāyāma. In Jainism also, Subhacandra considers control
1. Jñānārnava, 27.28-33. 2. Ibid., 28.1. 3. Ibid., 28.2-4. 4. Ibid., 28.5-7. 5. Ibid., 28.21. 6. Ibid., 28.10. 7. Ibid., 28.12. 8. Iibd., 28.23. 9. Ibid., 28.24. 10. Ibid., 28.32. 11. Ibid., 28.34. 12. Ibid., 28.35. 13. Ibid., 28.36.
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