________________
30
Preksha Dhyana : karma sharīra which produces the impelling forces within the body. Ultimately one realises one's own real self i.e. the spiritual self. Profoundness of the Body
The instructions for perception of body enjoin the practitioner to go deeper and still deeper inside the body. To a beginner this could be quite confusing. Human body has only a small depth. It is so small, slim and narrow that depth as such is not to be found easily. True, there is no physical depth; we cannot realise the body's depth with our eyesight. It is only when we perceive layer after layer of the consciousness, that we have been able to enter the subtle world of living tissues and cells. We realize the sheer profoundness of the body which is unique and incomparable. The practitioner has to try hard to reach the subtle world. Sequence of Perception
The successive stages of perception would be :
(i) awareness of the superficial sensations of the skin such as contact with cloth, warmth, perspiration, itchiness etc.,
(ii) awareness of the sensations produced by the muscular movements,
(iii) perception and awareness of the sensation produced by the functioning of the internal organs such as heart, liver etc., and finally,
(iv) awareness of subtle vibrations produced by the electrical impulses travelling within the nervous system and the flow of vital energy in the whole body.
Thus commencing with the outermost layers of the skin, the practitioner of śarīra prekşā concentrates his attention on each and every organ of the body-from head to feet and feet to head-in turn penetrates deeper and deeper, and develops a high degree of self-awareness by impartial perception of gross and subtle sensations. Pure Perception
To perceive is different from seeing with one's eyes. Perception, when it is bereft of thought, word, imagina
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
