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The Unknown Pilgrims
C - Dhyana: Mental concentration
It is not laid down by any rule that dhyāna should necessarily follow japa; for one thing, japa is a part of dhyāna. All depends on the sādhvis themselves and on their guruni and also on the ācārya who can emphasise one point or another. One may well start the day with one of the forms of dharma-dhyāna and practise japa at other moments, for japa, like svādhyāya, is woven into the life of the sädhvis
Dhyāna presupposes that one has a solid and comprehensive knowledge of the general doctrine, of the teaching upon dhyāna in particular and the methods conducive to it. Dhyāna is not an avasyaka, although, even if then practised for a very limited period, it does constitute an inherent part of kāyotsarga, an important place is given to it in the sāmācāris and the ancient Agamas make mention of it.28 Dhyāna requires a calm and silent spot, for which reason the best moments for it are most often the early morning hours or late at night.
Few sādhvis, on the whole, have received a methodical training in this regard. The majority know the teaching of the Tattvärtha-sūtra, certain ones have studied the Dhyānaśataka, the Dravyasaṁgraha, the Yogaśāstra and even the Yoga-sūtra of Patañjali. However, relatively few practise dhyāna regularly, during specified periods of the day. Although so essential, it seems that during the course of the centuries the assiduous practice of dhyāna was almost lost. When one tries to analyse the reasons for this state of affairs, one comes across several factors.
The sādhvis, on account of their continual vihāras, are dispersed into small groups. The guruņi has not always been trained in this regard herself and is thus not capable of giving such a training to others. In the periods of căturmāsya, the sādhvis do not necessarily stay within easy reach of an acārya or of a muni who can guide them. It must also be recognised that the acăryas have often neglected to
28 Cf. e.g. AS I, 8,4, 14-15.
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