Self Awareness Through Meditation

Author(s): Ranjitsingh Kumat
Publisher: Ranjitsingh Kumat

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DHYANA IN AACHAARAANGA SUTTA—II
Equanimity Through Meditation
Aachaaraanga Sutta, the first of the 32 books known as “Aagamas' or the words of the Enlightened, contains sermons of Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankar (Prophet or the Enlightened) of Jainas. These preachings contain the essence of life and the universe. The scripture throws light on the cause of suffering and the means to attain freedom. This Sutta is the blueprint for attaining Moksha or Nivanna or Freedom which means eternal bliss. Further study of the chapters of the Aachaaranga Sutta will throw light on attaining Equanimity or Samyaktva or Right Vision through meditation, which is the prime condition for attaining Moksha. Undertaking any religious practice or penance without Samyaktava or Equanimity is futile. Pilgrim's progress is possible only after attaining Samyaktava or equanimity.
Fourth Chapter of the Sutta is named 'Samattan' (Samyaktava) or Equanimity. The key sermon of Lord Mahavira is that non-violence is the sine qua non of equanimity. “All the past as well as the present day ‘Arihantas' or the ‘Enlightened' have propounded that no being, or element of life should be destroyed, dominated, bonded, enslaved, harassed, or killed. This is the pure Dhamma."66 All suffering is due to violence. This has been visualized by all those who have attained enlightenment. “The foundation for equanimity is non-violence. Those who do not agree with this are miles away from equanimity”. There were contemporary seers and philosophers of Lord Mahavira who advocated killing, domination, enslavement, and harassment of beings and propagated that it was permissible and nothing was wrong in it. But Lord Mahavira contended it and asked such advocates, “Do you love pain or happiness?" If they say that they love pain, their answer is obviously
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