Studies In Umasvati And His Tattvartha Sutra

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

Page 121

Sources of Meditation in Tattvārthasūtra from Jaina ... 111 last two, analytic and white lead to the path of emancipation. Meditation meaning the concentration of thought or psyche does not always lead to emancipation because of their goal and motive. So mournful and wrathful meditations according to their nature come under negative category in respect of emancipation. Umāsvāti has classified the mournful meditation into four categories, (1) ārtamamanojñānām samprayoge tadviprayogāyasmrti- samanvāhāraḥ (9.30) [Dwelling on ridding oneself of contact with disagreeable objects or getting out of any unhappy situation is mournful meditation), (2) viparītam manojñānām (9.33) [Dwelling on recovering contact with an agreeable object or repeating pleasant feelings is also mournful meditation), 3. vedanāyāśca (9.32) [Dwelling on ridding oneself of unpleasant feelings is also mournful meditation), and 4. nidānam ca (9.34) [Intensive anxiety to fulfill unfulfilled desire in future lives is also mournful meditation].
Umāsvāti prescribes one sūtra for wrathful meditation, himsā'nstāsteyavişayasamraksaņebhyo raudramaviratadeśaviratayoḥ (9.36) [Dwelling on the perpetration of violence, falsehood, theft and the preservation of one's possessions is wrathful meditation. People who are at lower spiritual stages of non-abstinence and partial abstinence are subject to it).
The remaining two kinds of meditation- analytic and white, lead to the path of emancipation. For analytic meditation Umāsvāti has formulated the sūtra -ājñā pāyavipākasamsthāna vicayāya dharmyam (9.37) [Dwelling on investigating the essence of the scriptural commandments, the nature of physical and mental suffering, the effects of karma and the shape of the Universe and its contents is analytic meditation. The variant reading adds apramattasya which means that people who are at the spiritual stage of complete self-restraint, free of laxity are capable of it.
In case of white meditation, the sūtra is śukle cădye pūrvavidaḥ (9.39) [The first two varieties of white meditation are