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FOREWORD
From time immemorial jainism has remained a powerful soul-force, a religion, a way of life, of MEDITATION. Right from its Great TIRTHANKARAS (Omniscient World Saviours or Gods in Jain terms) and KEVALJNANIS (Self-realized Omniscient Seers) to simple SHRAMANAS (moiiks) and SHRAVAKAS (housholder seekers), MEDITATION has remained a Royal Path to tread with for attainment of Self-Realization, Supreme knowledge or Enlightenment and Salvation. All the outward ethical forms of Jainism are means to achieve this end of MEDITATION & ULTIMATE KNOWLEDGE : DHYANA & JNANA: in final stage of which remains constant awarenessful experience of one's eternal, egoless, absolute, blissful, unperishable EXISTENCE, the CHAITANYA, the Awakened Self with its neverending continuity!
But during the recent times of last about 2100 years (say, about 400 years after the 24th Jain Tirthankara Lord Mahavira, a contemporary of Buddha), this highest trend of Jainist Meditation went on transferring to other religious trends due to its adoptation by them, while in its own tradition, it went on somewhat decreasing and losing its original grandeur and prime proper place due to the increasing grip of its outward ethics and rites and rituais taking a mechanical form! The permanent flow and charm and joy of Meditation began to decrease or disappaear and transmigrated from Jainism to these other trends and religions, leaving a very few promising Jain Meditators and Exponents of Meditation as per the Jaina way. In late years the true spirit of Meditation in Jainism was mostly lost into wilderness. This is what several Great medieval Jain Seers like
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