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variety and help us to progress further in our journey to freedom.
(3) Dharma Dhyana – The word 'Dharma’ is used in Jaina terminology in a sense wider than “religion'. What is 'Dharma'? Answer is Vatthu Sahāvo Dhammo', i. e., the intrinsic nature of a thing is its 'Dharma'. So long as a thing remains within the limits of its intrinsic nature, and does not transgress these limits, it remains within its own 'Dharma'. Life's problems arise when we transgress these limits and encroach upon the foreign fields. Working on these principles, if the 'Jiva', i, e., the self, forgetting its own intrinsic nature, tries to encroach upon the field of “Ajiva', it invites trouble. But if it concentrates its attention on its own self, tries to analyse its nature and focusses its activities on its upliftment, it enters into the field of 'Dharma Dhyana'. Thus if we fix our attention and activities in studying the views expressed by enlightened souls, and try to find out how far we can put these views in actual practice, it would be a type of Dharma Dhyana which is called 'Ajñäna-vicaya'. When we contemplate how the true character of the self is clouded by its contact with kaşāyas such as anger, pride etc, and how the self can be made free from this contact, we are in 'Apāyavicaya' Dharma dhyana. When we think how the accumulated karmas can be shed, we are in the Dharma-dhyäna which is called, “Vipaka-vicaya'. When we contemplate about the nature of this universe ( Loka ) and its functioning, it is called ‘Loka-samsthana-vicaya' Dharma Dhyāna.
Dharma Dhyana takes our mind away from Artta and Raudra which are degrading the spirit and which result only in earning further karmas which bind the spirit. Dharmadhyana not only takes us to the field of metaphysics and logic, but also constitutes the best type of Satsanga as it engages our mind in closest company with the great seers who have realized the Truth.
(4) Sukla Dhyana - 'sukla' means 'white or pure'. This
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