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Tattvärthasūtra
Detailed or special examination and reasoning with respect to scriptural knowledge is 'vitarka'.
What is 'vicara"?
वीचारोऽर्थव्यञ्जनयोगसंक्रान्तिः ॥४४॥
[ अर्थव्यञ्जनयोगसंक्रान्तिः ] अर्थ, व्यञ्जन और योग की संक्रान्ति (बदलना) सो [ वीचार : ] वीचार है।
Vīcāra' is shifting (samkrānti) with regard to object (artha), word (vyanjana) and, activity (yoga).
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The subject of meditation - dhyeya - is the object (artha). It is either the substance (dravya) or the mode (paryāya). Vyańjana' is word (sabda, vacana). 'Yoga' is the activity of the body, the mind or the speech-organ. 'Samkrānti' is shifting from one thing to another. Shifting (samkrānti) with regard to the object (artha) is passing from the substance (dravya) to the mode (paryaya) or from the mode to the substance. Shifting (samkrānti) with regard to the word (vyanjana) is passing from one scriptural term to another and from that to another. Shifting (samkrānti) with regard to the activity (yoga) is changing from bodily activity to some other activity and from that activity to bodily activity. This kind of change is called 'vicara'. When there is alternation, how can it be called meditation? The reply is that even thought-stream is meditation. The virtuous (dharmya) and the pure (śukla) meditation, each of which is of four kinds, have been described generally and particularly. These are worthy to be meditated upon by the ascetic who has practised several observances such as control (gupti), and so on, to purify the mind and to free himself from transmigration. The ascetic meditates on the material (objective atom) or thought (subjective atom) and with his knowledge of the
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