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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
Jina's words, the gurus, and all those who are graced with the possession of the trio of spiritual jewels (i.e., ratna-traya). The third, vaiyāvrttya, means serving and attending upon fellow ascetics who may be ailing, suffering from some affliction, or otherwise in need thereof, with due affection and care, and without any hesitation or reservation. The fourth is svādhyāya or self-study, which the ascetic performs by sincerely applying himself to the study of the scriptures, reading them, reciting them, asking questions to remove doubts and clear the subject matter, thinking of the topic under study over and over again, memorising important texts, and preaching and exposing the subject to others. By vyutsarga, the fifth, the ascetic practises relinquishment of all external and internal attachments, inclu ing emotions and passions, in general, and complete bodily abandonment for a fixed time, occasionally. The last of the inner disciplines is dhyāna which is to concentrate on any one particular topic, subject or point, to the exclusion of all the others. The maximum limit for concentration at a stretch and without any break or change is about fortyeight minutes (antar-muhūrta, or a little less than two ghaţikās), beyond which it is impossible for a person to remain in that state.
In fact, dhyāna may be auspicious or inauspicious. The latter takes the from of either ārta-dhyāna or raudra-dhyāna. The constant pondering and brooding over occurrences or events, situations, associations, things and persons which are undesirable, disgusting, hateful or inimical, over the loss or separation of situations, associations, things and persons which are desirable, friendly, or favourable, over pain and suffering particularly bodily, and over the keen yearning to obtain and possess something worldly which one does not have, are the four kinds of ārta-dhyāna. Similarly, the constant pondering over and revelling in the thought of cruel and violent deeds, and of hurting and killing other living beings, in that of lies and falsehoods, in that of cheating or robbing others, and in that of acquisition and
