________________
20
ŚUKLA DHYĀNA
SuzukqObira
sukla dhyāna of the Jainas consists of four stages, i.e., prthaktva vitarka, ekatva vitarka, sūksma kriyā (sākṣmakriyapratipāti) and sammucchinna kriyā (vyuparatakriyānivstti), in due order, of which ekatva vitarka dhyāna is said to yield ominiscience to a dhyātā and sammucchinna kriyā dhyāna do liberation. However, even the first two stages are entitled to be practised by the 14 pūrvadharas alone who are known as no more existent since the time of Bbadrabāhu I. This means that no one is any more qualified to perform śukla dhyāna in reality, and there is none who can attain omniscience and libe. ration in this world except in the mythological place called Mahāvideha. Sukla dhyāna of the Jainas to be performed for the sake of liberation in the utopian land is therefore no more than an ideation or a mystical theory, which should be clearly distinguished from the empirical mysticism of dhyāna and yoga in the other schools.
Umāsvāti systematized the Jaina accounts of dhyāna for the first time at the end of the Āgamic period. In the Tattyārthasūtra X.7 bhāsya, he explains that by performing either one of the 1st and the 2nd stages of śukla dhyāna, sages attain various types of įddhis such as animā, laghimā, mahima up to vidyadharatva, āśivişatva, bhinnākṣara and abhinnākşara. He continues to explain that he who has attained the capacity of such çddhis but has no desire or attachment to them destroys all the mohantya karmas. He is now the sage on the 12th gumasthāna. Then within antar muhārta, he eradicates the rest of three ghātika karmas and becomes the sayogi kevali. Finally, upon expelling four aghātika karmas, he becomes the ayogi kevali and gets liberated.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
