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CONCLUSION AND RECAPITULATION
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KINDS OF MEDITATION
Meditation is classified into four varieties: mournful concentration (ärta-dhyāna), cruel concentration (raudra-dhyāna), inquisitive concentration (dharma-dhyāna), and metaphysical concentration (sukla-dhyāna). Each of them is again of four types. Mournful concentration and cruel concentration are of sinful nature, hence, a person of self-control should avoid their practice. The rest two varieties are to be practised. At the last stage of metaphysical concentration, first of all, the mental activities of the meditator are completely stopped, then his vocal activities are arrested, and lastly, all his physical activities are stopped. This is the completion of the control of activities. Now, the self exists in its pristine nature. This state is free from all fear, all delusion, all attachment, all aversion, all physical, vocal, and mental activities. There is no inflow of new karmic matter, no accumulation of previous karmas.
EIGHT STAGES OF SELF-REALISATION
Exactly like the eight-fold path of self-discipline in Yoga, Haribhadra has given a lucid description of self-realisation according to Jainism. He has given a list of eight stages of self-discipline leading to the complete cessation of all our activities. These stages are styled as mitrā, tārā, balā, diprā, sthirā, kāntā, prabhā, and parā. Of these, the first four are fallible and unsteady, while the last four are not so. At the first stage one has very faint spiritual light. At the second stage the enlightenment is a bit distinct. One possessing it is in a position to practise self-restraint. The third stage is possessed of more distinct enlightenment. One possessing it is capable of the control of various postures. At the fourth stage one gets control over breath. For him, spiritual realisation is more valuable than life. At the fifth stage one is capable of deep thinking and good conduct. He withdraws his senses from external objects. The sixth stage is in the form of
al concentration. At the seventh stage the individual develops self-meditation. His power of right discrimination is fully developed. The eighth stage is the consummation of the previous stages. The individual now attains ecstasy. He gradually destroys all his obscuring (ghātin) karmas and achieves omniscience. in course of time the non-obscuring (aghātin) karmas are also annihilated. Thus,
