Jainism Eternal and Universal Path for Enlightenment

Author(s): Narendra Bhandari
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

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Jainism : The Eternal and Universal path for Enlightenment
Prayers:
Prayer connects the self to the cosmic energy. Psychological effects of prayers are immense. It is the first step towards acquiring mental peace and samyakatva. They prepare one better to face the worldly situations, specially if they are adverse, with confidence and optimism. Prayers should not be ritualistic and should be performed in the simplest possible way, bearing in mind that the wish to pray is prayer itself. It should however be noted that prayers can not dissolve the karmas which one has earned, no matter how intense the prayers are. Even Arihants have no powers to absolve one of his past karmas, good or bad. All they can do is to show the right path and thus refrain one from acquiring fresh binding karmas. One should therefore pray only to get the right direction and for conviction for right action and not for some worldly benefits. Demanding or expecting material or even spiritual benefits by praying to anyone binds one to mohaniya karma and therefore prayer should only be made for purifying the self. Yoga
Yoga literally means union. A system can be strengthened by union with other systems, by addition of other faculties or we can say by the process of Yoga. It can be applied in different contexts. For example when mind, speech, body and soul can act in an additive mode, i.e. in unison, it makes one of the most powerful systems and can lead to emancipation (Mok-a). Even when the process is applied to any one of them, say body, and all the cells of the body work in an additive mode, i.e. in unison (or resonance), it can become an extremely powerful agent for achieving a goal. Yoga of body cells can be achieved by Tapa or Bhakti. Similarly when all the neurons in the brain can be joined together or work in unison, the mind can become very powerful. Likewise, when conscious, subconscious and superconscious minds are united by yoga or meditation, a new insight in to the functioning of the universe is attained. Yoga consists of several practices (yama, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahar, dharana, dhyan and samadhi). Yama is designed for mental purification and consists of ahimsa, satya, asteya, Brahmacharya, aparigrah, the five Mah?vrats discussed above. Niyam is designed for purification of the body, and includes shauch (cleanliness), santosh (satisfaction), tapa, swdhyya, pr 'nidhan (total dedication to the cosmic power). Once body and mind are purified, the third aspect of yoga, Yogasanas can help establish connection between body and mind through nervous system. Some of the asanas recommended for this purpose are Bhujang san, sarving san, hal 1san, shav san