________________ xxiv Jaina Meditation system of Patanjali in order to attain a viable character. 1. Introductory In the Brahmanical religions, meditation found a full representation in the Yogadarsana of Patanjali, where it has been assigned its proper place in the eight yogic limbs, viz, yama (principal moral vows), niyama (auxiliary vows), asana (yogic postures), pranayama (control of respiration), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses from sensual objects), dharana (retention of the mind on a particular object), dhyana (concentrated flow of the mind), and samadhi (ecstasy). The purpose of the yoga is the illumination of the object in its true character and emaciation of the klesas (afflictions) and their ultimate elimination. The cultivation of the virtues of maitri (sympathy and friendliness), karuna (compassion), mudita, (sympathetic joy) and upeksa (equanimity and calmness), and vairagya (complete freedom from all kinds of cravings and attachment to the things of the world) constitute the path to salvation. Egotism and the sense of mineness are considered the deadly sins of spiritual life, that stand in the way of the realization of the truth of absolute separation between the purusa (the principle of consciousness) and prakrti (primordial matter). A full course of meditation is prescribed for getting rid of the enemies by means of the cultivation of vairagya. Similarly, in Buddhism which propounds the theory of universal flux, dhyana enjoys an important place in the trio of sila (morality), samadhi (meditation and ecstasy) and prajna (wisdom, insight), where samadhi stands for dhyana. Sila is the base for the samadhi and prajna is the principle that adorns the structure of spirituality. There is of course no samadhi without prajna, even as there is no prajna without samadhi. One helps the other. In fact, prajna lies at the root of both sila and samadhi inasmuch as the latter two, in order to be right, must derive their inspiration from prajna. Every living being has the spark of prajna in him, which in due course establishes its superiority in the human mind. Samadhi or dhyana plays an intermediate role which nevertheless is an essential ingredient of the path of nirvana. Dhyana is twofold, viz. samatha and vipassana, the former being the tranquillization of passions and the latter standing for penetration into the truth. In the same way, in Jainism, dhyana is regarded as a form of tapas (penance) which is one of the trio of ahimsa (non-violence), samyama (self-restraint) and tapas (penance) that constitute the quintessence of dhamma (dhammo mangalam ukkittham ahimsa samjamo tavo). In the Ayaro, as we have seen, the earliest features of Jaina meditation are available and they bear a close resemblance to vipassana-bkavana of the
