________________
Modus operandi
[ 183
of Jainas have resorted to the worship of the idols of Tírthankaras, it would not go against the basic principles of Jainism if the said worship is carried out on the lines discussed above.
It would, however, undoubtedly follow that adoring the idols by jewelry and other ornaments and taking out processions of idols etc. have no philosophical background or justification - except perhaps expressing devotion. Attribution of ornamental glitter to one who is a Vītaraga is a gross negation of all that for which Jainism stands, and amounts to crude perversion of basic doctrines of Jainism.
Thus, prayers and Bhakti are differently understood by the Jainas but they do occupy a prominent place in Jaina thinking. Dhyana ( Meditation )
Dhyana and Leśyā occupy very prominent place in Jaina thinking. The Jaina approach to Dhyāna is purely psychological. It is understood by Jainas in its very comprehensive sense, namely, the engagement of the mind in a particular thought. Human mind never remains empty even for a moment. It remains constantly engaged, thinking of good or bad things whether necessary or not, and whether they are of our immediate concern or not. The Jaina thinkers have taken account of this fact. and have analysed the condition of human mind into four categories, namely - 1, Artta Dhyāna, 2. Raudra Dhyana, 3. Dharma Dhyana and 4. Sukla Dhyána. The first two are inauspicious and the latter two are auspicious. These four categories cover all the conditions of mind. The first two, being the cause of the worldly transmigration, are evil-dhyāna while Dharma and Sukla lead to liberation and are noble-dhyāna.
(1) Artta Dhyana - 'Artta' means pain. When our painful experiences catch hold of our mental condition we are undergoing the state of Artta Dhyana. There are four broad classifications of this type of Dhyana as follows –
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
