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Jaina Ethics
ing over the nature and form of the universe with a view of attaining detachment. It includes reflection over the shape of the universe,2 the seven hells and their miseries,3 the middle region, the sixteen heavens and their pleasures, and the Siddha sila or the place where liberated souls reside."
Samsthana vicaya dharma dhyana is again of four types: (A) pindastha; (B) padastha; (C) rupastha; and (D) rüpātīta."
(A) Pindastha dhyāna :
Pindastha dhyana means concentration based on the body. It is possible in the following five ways
.8
(i) Pārthivi dhāraṇā: In this state one has to imagine a peaceful, noiseless and all-white ocean. In the ocean, he imagines a hundred petalled lotus, as wide as Jambudvipa, and of golden colour. The lotus has the pollen of attachment and attracts the bee of mind. It has the pericarp of yellow colour, on which is made a royal seat. One should imagine himself seated on that seat and should believe that he is capable of destroying all karmans."
(ii) Agneyi dharaṇā: After pārthivī dhāraṇā, the aspirant should think of a beautiful sixteen petalled lotus in his navel, each petal having one of the sixteen vowels from 'a' to 'ah' (to :). He should imagine the pericarp of the lotus with an illuminating 'rham' () inscribed on it. He should think of a line of smoke arising from the stroke of 'r' () above the 'ha' (). The fire, then, should be imagined as burning an eight-petalled lotus in the region of heart. This lotus, representing the eight karmans, is reduced to ashes. This fire reduces everything, including the body, to ashes and then extinguishes itself.10
1. Pujyapada on Tattvärthasutra 9.36.
2. Jñānāṛṇava, 36.1-9.
3. Ibid., 36.10-81.
4. Ibid., 36.82-87.
5. Ibid., 36.88-181.
6. Ibid., 36.182-185.
7. Ibid., 37.1.
8. Ibid., 37.2.
9. Ibid., 37.4-9.
10. Ibid., 37.10-19.
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