Scientific Secrets of Jainism

Author(s): Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

Page 253

20. Kinds Of Jāpa
And Their Scientific Importance
पूजाकोटिसमं स्तोत्रं, स्तोत्रकोटिसमो जपः । जपकोटिसमं ध्यानं, ध्यानकोटिसमो लयः ।। pūjākāțisamam stõtram, stötrakõțisamo japaḥ.
japakõțisamam dhyānam, dhyānakoțisamā layah ..' A Stotrapãtha or Stutipātha ( recitation of a song and praise i.e. prayer) of vitarāga paramātmā or any other god, gods and goddesses etc. is worth his worship performed a crore times. A Jāpa is worth a Stotra (praise) recited a crore times. A meditation is worth a Jāpa muttered a crore times. An absorption, delight in the form of Paramātmā or unification of one who performs meditation, meditation and the object of the meditation is worth a meditation performed a crore times.
Here worship generally means worship of idol of a god or a goddess performed with the best meterials of worship. It is of various kinds Aştaprakāri (with eight types), Pañcaprakāri (with five types). Ēkāpacāri (with single type), Ekavimśatiprakāri (with twenty-one types) and Bahuvidhaprakāri (with various types). The materials and means of worship are chiefly important in this worship. Here the activities are mainly of the body. A Stotra i.e. praise recited once is worth a Pūjā performed a crore times. If complete concentration of mind, speech and body is attained while performing Pūjā of the Dēvādhidēva Paramātmā, the great God and if the mind indulges in auspicious thought processes i. e. meditation, one can also attain omniscience while performing Pūjā e.g. Worship with flowers performed by Nāgakētu. Similarly, recitation of Stuti or Stõtra (song of praise) chiefly involves the activities of speech and body, while the activities of mind or sensorium are subordinate. A Jāpa is worth a Stotra recited a crore times. A Jāpa mainly involves the activities of mind or sensorium. There is probably no activity of speech or body. According to the saying "mana ēva manusyāņām kāraṇam bandhamoksayoh ." (मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः 1) when the mind receds from inauspicious activities and engages in auspicious activities such as Jāpa