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Jaina View of Life
But Haribhadra is aware of some difficulties in the practice of Yoga and the attainment of supernormal experience. He says that we have to overcome some physical and mental inhibition before practising the Yoga exercises. The mind of the common man (psthagjanacitta) is vitiated by many defects. Eight defects have been mentioned : i) inertia (kheda), ii) anxiety (udvega). iii) unsteadiness (kşepa). iv) distraction (utthāna). v) loss of memory (bhrānti), vi). attraction for what is not desirable (anyamud), vii) mental disturbance (ruk) and viii) attachment (samga).
In the practice of Yoga one is likely to acquire some physical and mental powers which are beyond the common man. But these are distractions, and would lead us away from the final goal. The Jainas were primarily concerned with the purification of the soul and the development of datchment from the things of the world. They were against the use of paranormal powers and miracles. This was the general view of other Indian philosophers as well. Patañjali mentions the acquisition of such powers by the Yogi and warns him against temptations associated with these powers. The Yoga believes that the citta of man is like a millstone. If we put wheat under it, it grinds it into flour; if we put nothing under it, it grinds on until it grinds itself away.a?
In the highest stage omniscience (kevala) is attained. This is not merely a negative state of knowledge. In this, one gets experience of everything, past, present and future, as if in a moment. In the highest form of samadhi, according to Patanjali, all possibility of confusion between the self and the activity of the citta ceases.
Concentration of mind (dhyāna) is an essential factor as a means to spiritual realization. The lower self sometimes gets
25. Sodas aka Prakarana of Haribhudra, XIV. 2, 3. 26. Yogasūtra of Patañjali, Ch. III. 15, 46 and 51. tad vairāg yādapi
doşabij uk şapa kaivalyam. 27. Radhakrishnan (S), Indian Philosophy, Vol. II, p. 362.
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