________________
284
J AINA YOGA
[CH.
endless motion (samsāra). Jinabhadra expounds this dhyana from a few other standpoints as well. Thus, for instance, he states the four prerequisite practices -(1) the regular study (jñāna) for the achievement of steadiness and purification of the mind, (2) the purification of the attitude (darśana) for the sake of removing the delusion (moha), (3) the right conduct (căritra) for the purpose of stopping the inflow of new karmic matter and the destruction of the accumulated one, and (4) non-attachment (vairāgya) for acquiring steadfastness—for qualifying oneself for dharma-dhyāna.2 For the beginner it is necessary that he should select a lonely place for his concentration. For those who have achieved control over themselves by the practice of the above four factors, there is no necessity of selection of place. As regards the proper time one may select any according to convenience. One may select any posture (asana) according to one's convenience." One can attain the highest state of concentration in any place at any time and in any posture. From the viewpoint of the stage of spiritual development (gunasthāna), the dharma-dhyāna is possible only in the seventh stage where there is absolute absence of spiritual inertia (pramāda) and the full expression of self-control, or in the still higher stages up to the twelfth.6
Umāsvāti defines dharma-dhyāna as the collection of scattered thought (smrti-samanvāhāra, literally collection of the memory) for the sake of meditation upon the revelation, suffering, karmic fruition, and the structure of the universe. Akalanka, following Pūjyapāda, holds quite a different view from the one given above regarding the stages of spiritual development wherein the dharma’-dhyāna is possible. 10 According to him this dhyāna is possible from the fourth up to the seventh stage. The ground given is that when the soul has attained right vision (samyaktua) in the fourth stage there is no reason why it should not be capable of this dhyāna. This dhyāna is not possible in the eighth and the higher stages because it is held that it is not possible in either of the two ladders (śrenis). It is not possible to give any independent judgment on this controversy in view of the peculiar character of the problem which can be solved only by reference to scriptural texts. But as the texts of the one party are not acceptable to the other, it is not possible to solve the problem
1 Dhyānašataka, 28-29.
2 Ibid., 30-34 3 Ibid., 35-36.
4 Ibid., 38. 5 Ibid., 39.
6 Ibid., 63 ; TSū, IX. 37-8. 7 Pujyapäda interprets it as (well regulated) thought stream (cintā prabandha). SSI, TSü, IX. 30.
8 TSü, IX. 37. 9 The term used in SSi, TRā and TSIV is dharmya. 10 SSI, IX. 36; TRā, IX. 36. 14-15; TSIV, IX, 36.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
