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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
Śukla-dhyāna (Pure Concentration)
Śukla-dhyāna is a very subtle auspicious mental concentration. It is attained at a very high spiritual stage, where the deluding karmas are completely subsided or are subjected to continuous process of destruction. It is so subtle that it is very difficult to understand it merely by reading books or hearing about it from the mouth of the preceptor.1
Like the other types of dhyana, śukla-dhyāna too is divided into four subtypes. The four are designated as follows:
(1) Pṛthaktvavitarkasavicāra (Constant conceptual thinking applied to various aspects of a substance).
(2) Ekatvavitarkanirvicāra (Constant conceptual thinking applied to one aspect only of a substance).
(3) Sukṣmakriya 'pratipātin (Concentration accompanied with subtle physical (bodily) movement and infallible).
(4) Samucchinnakriya'nivṛtti (Concentration accompanied with complete cessation of all activities and infallible).
(1) Prthaktvavitarkasavicāra (Constant conceptual thinking applied to various aspects of a substance): When a performer of dhyana takes up for consideration an inanimate entity like atom, etc., or a conscious entity like soul and undertakes in relation to its numerous modes like permanence, destruction, tangibility, non-tangibility, etc., and with the help of the various standpoints a reflection dominated by difference-at the same time in the interest of reflection switches over from one mode to another, from
1. Regarding sukla-dhyāna, Acarya Hemacandra in his Yogaśästra (XI.3 Vṛtti) raises a question: If only those persons who possess the supremely strong bone-structure called vajra-rṣabha-nārāca are authorised to perform śukla-dhyana, then why do you preach it before the people of this age, who possess only weak bone-structure called
sevärta?
In answer to this question he says that though the people of this age are not authorised to perform sukla-dhyana, yet the learned Jaina theoreticians continuously preach and teach it with a view that the tradition of its knowledge may not be broken and it may not fall into oblivion.
While ending his Yogaśāstra, Acarya Hemacandra writes:
mokṣo'stu mā'stu yadi va paramanandas tu vedyate sa khalu /
yasmin nikhilasukhāni pratibhāsante na kiñcid iva //XII.51//
There may be or may not be liberation. But it is certain that in the unagitated state of mind we do experience the highest bliss compared to which all the pleasures taken together appear to us trifling and essenceless.
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