Meditation And Jainism

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 9

Mahayogi Anandaghana and my Supreme Masters Srimad Rajchandraji and Yogindra Yugapradhan Sri Sahajanandaghanji have rightly observed during recent times of 20th century and my own deep, factual thinking and observations have reasons to testify these great Seers derivation, however, I must humbly say that I am no competent authority to judge and testify such highly great souls. But these facts remain for any studious observer or student of-Jain Philosophy, Jain Meditation and Jain History.
Scriptural, Historical and factual evidences suggest that the Meditation trend of Jainism spreaded first to Buddhism. Even Lord Buddha himself had followed this path of Meditation the Jaina way by getting himself initiated into NIGGANTHA DHAMMA (i.e., JAIN DHARMA, Jainism) as per the Buddhist TRIPITAKAS and History Books testify and also as per one of the caves (probably the 7th one) in Ajanta-Ellora show a small statue of 23rd Jain Tirthankara Lord Parshwanatha on the head of Big Buddha statue !
The several later developments and cults of Buddhism in India, inspite of its independent nature and features, indicate considerable influence of Jainist Meditation on them which is a subject of interesting wide research. Even the later Chinese & Japanese forms of Buddhist Meditation such as "Zen Buddhism" do have their remote roots in the Spirit of Jainist Meditation, I personally very humbly believe. This is not due to the similarity of sounds in the words of "Jain" and "Zen" (meaning "Chen" in Chinese and "Dhyana'' in Sanskrit), but due to the letter and spirit or Nature, Forms and Aims of both these ways of Meditation. The glimpses of the process and path of Jainist Meditation indicated in this Research Paper, which was very well received and discussed at the International Seminar on