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Meditation in Jain Scriptures
Sanchita Ghosh & Dr. Jayant S. Joshi
Meditation (dhyan) is the process of concentration mind on a single topic; preventing it from wandering. Virtuous meditation can be practiced by a person with a physical constitution who can keep his thought-activity from drifting and concentrate solely on the nature of self. When the soul gets rid of all auspicious and inauspicious intentions and dilemmas, and attains a state of unbiased absorption in all bonds of karma break down. In fact, meditation entails forgetting all worries, intentions and dilemmas, and stabilizing the mind. It involves contemplating about the nature of soul, thinking of the difference between soul and matter, and concentrating on the true self.
Meditation purifies the mind, speech and body. However, it is of no avail to inflict pain on the body without purifying the thoughts. One who stabilizes the mind and concentrates on the self definitely achieves salvation. Meditation is the only means to stabilize the mind.
Meditation is of four kinds: 1. Sorrowful (aarta) meditation, 2. Inclement (raudra) meditation 3. Righteous (dharma) meditation, 4. Spiritual (shukla) meditation
Of these the first two are inauspicious because there cause the influx of undesirable Karma. The last two are auspicious because they help destroy Karma. 1. Sorrowful meditation The Sanskrit word aarta means sorrow. The thought-activity caused by an outburst and intensity of sorrow is sorrowful meditation. It is of four types: i. Distaste Related (anishtasamyog janya) sorrowful meditation is persistent thoughts and worry the removal of disagreeable orients, situations or events. ii. Attachment related (ishtaviyoga janya) sorrowful meditation is the constant feelings of anguish and the loss of some agreeable object or person, such as wealth, spouse or child, and the preoccupation to recover the lost objects. üïi. Suffering related (vedana janya) sorrowful meditation is the feeling of impatience, grief and agony in the face of disease, sickness etc., and the worry about its going away. iv. Desires related (nidaanaj) sorrowful meditation is having persistent desires for future
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