Studies In Umasvati And His Tattvartha Sutra

Author(s): G C Tripathi, Ashokkumar Singh
Publisher: Bhogilal Laherchand Institute of Indology

Page 120

110 Studies in Umāsvāti inspection of articles received (viveka), abandoning unfit articles (vyutsarga), austerity (tapas), lowering of ascetic seniority (cheda), segregation from the order (parihāra) and reordination (upasthāpana). Reverence of four kinds are implemented for, learning (jñāna), the enlightened world-view (darśana), good conduct (cāritra) and senior ascetics (upacāra). Services are of ten kinds which are to be rendered to the preceptor (ācārya), teacher (upādhyāya), practitioner of austerities (tapasvī), learner (śaikṣa), sick (glāna), group (gana), union (kula), order (sangha), ascetics (sādhu) and fellow monastics (samanojña). Scriptural study has five stages, such as, teaching (vācanā), questioning (prcchanā), reflection (anupreksā), correct recitation (āmnāya) and preaching of the doctrine (dharmopadeśa). Renunciation means abandoning the external articles and the internal passions including the body.
While discussing the characteristic features of meditation, Umāsvāti has mentioned the qualities of the person engaged in meditation. One of the qualities of the person is that he should be with good bone-joints. The sūtra-uttamasamhananasyaikāgracintānirodho dhyānam (9-27). antarmuhūrtāt (9-28)[The concentration of thought on a single object by a person with good bone-joints is meditation and it lasts an intra-hour]. The bone-joints determine the potentiality of the body. These are of six kinds, such as, (1) interlocking of bones on both sides, strengthened with pin and plate, (2) interlocking of bones on one side with half pin and half plate or interlocking of bones with pin, (3) interlocking of bones on both sides, (4) interlocking bones on one side and pin on the other, (5) pin between two bones and (6) two bones bound by skin, sinews and flesh. Out of these the first one is most auspicious and next two are also fit for meditation.
Tattvārthasūtra admits meditation as four fold: mournful (ārta), wrathful (raudra), analytic (dharmya) and white pure (śukla) (ārta-raudra-dharmya-suklāni 9.29). Among these the