Shraman Mahavira

Author(s): Dineshchandra Sharma
Publisher: Mitra Parishad Calcutta

Page 80

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SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
tation The Lord practised the regimen with the sole motive of mastering ceaseless meditation'
'Sire, permit me to express one more doubt that harrows
me'
'Please do'
'You have interpreted Mahavira's meditation as a vision of the self Does the term not imply a vision of the truth?
'Are self-realization and truth-realization different?'
'Mahavira has propounded the existence of two kinds of matter (dravyas) conscious and unconcious In the realisation of truth both the entities are witnessed, while in the realization of self only the conscious is witnessed How the iwo are identical then ?
'You could not grasp the implication He alone realises the unconscious whose conscious has been unravelled and this unravelling of the conscious results from merging the mind in the conscious Hence when I say Mahavira's meditation I mean the realisation of the self or the realisation of the source of the mind'
I expressed my gratitude and reverted to my own mind It occurred to me to expound the meditative genius of Mahavira to them who have been emphasising his austere genius exclusively
After his initiation Mahavira's first halt was at Karmargram
Meditation manifested itself first there and evolved gradually to be consummated in the final enlightenment 1
Some of the spiritualists insisted on particular postures to attain meditation Mahavira harboured no such prejudices He used to sit erect with a slight stoop Sometimes he would meditate sitting while at other times standing
He had a preference for the standing posture He found relaxation to be absolutely necessary for meditation, hence he adopted the posture of dedication whether he stood or sat He would quieten all physical, ligual and mental activity but
1. Awashyakchurni' ' pt pp 268