Spiritual Awakening and other Essays

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 34

As regards the posture for Dhyāna, for the people of this age who are generally deficient in energy, Padma and Kayotsarga postures are especially recommended.75 For him, every posture, every place and every time is fit for meditation, whose mind is immaculate, stable, enduring, controlled and detached. 76
A place may be secluded or crowded, the saint may be properly or improperly seated, the stability of saint's mind is the proper time for meditation." (i) Praśasta Dhyāna : Dharma-Dhyāna
The four types of Dharma-dhyāna have been recognized, namely, (1) Ajña-vicaya, (2) Apāya-vicaya, (3) VipākaVicaya, and lastly (4) Saṁsthāna-vicaya.78
(1) When the aspirant finds no one to preach, lacks subtle wit is encountered with the subtleness of objects and experiences the deficiency of evidence and illustration in upholding and vindicating any doctrine, he adheres to the exposition of the Arahanta after believing that the Arhanta does not misrepresent things. The aspirant may thus be said to have performed Ajñā-vicaya Dharma-dhyāna. 1o Or he who has understood the nature of objects and who therefore makes use of Naya and Pramāņa for justifying certain doctrines may be believed to have performed Ajñā-vicaya Dharmadhyāna.80 We may here say that the purpose of this Dhyāna is to maintain intellectual clarity regarding the metaphysical nature of objects propounded by the Arahanta.
(2) To ponder over the adequate ways and means of emancipating the souls from the wordly suffering8l and to meditate on the means of ascending the ladder of spiritual welfare, are to meditate on the means of ascending the ladder of spiritual welfare,82 signify Apāya-vicya Dharma-dhyāna.
Spiritual Awakening (Samyagdarśana) and Other Essays
25