________________
Appendices
717
in which she links together the doctrinal concepts, tenets of belief, and the praxis which devolves from them. Sädhvi Hemaprabhā has transmitted flawlessly the classical teaching concerning the Three Jewels and has placed it within the grasp of youthful contemporary auditors desirous of understanding their own spiritual way and of conforming thereto their conduct. The study and assimilation of the basic elements presented in this guide will permit all those who so desire to deepen their grasp of certain features of the teaching.
2. Study on a particular doctrinal subject
Yoga ki prathama kirana (First ray of light upon yoga)3
Sādhvi Sri Rājimati
This is a little treatise on yoga for the use of śrāvakas and śrāvikās. Here it is a question of Jaina yoga, that is to say, of a discipline which takes the form of progressive purifications of both body and mind, such as conduce towards spiritual progress along the path indicated by Jaina doctrine. In her words of explanation Sadhvi Rājimati takes as her starting-point a text of Acārya Tulasi, Mananuśāsanam, with which she combines certain ideas and practices found in the Yogasútra of Patanjali and in Hatha-Yoga. The book, in accordance with its declared aim, is divided into 7 chapters, each one dealing with one type of purification; purification of food, of the body in general, of the senses, of the breathing, of speech, of mental processes, while the last chapter, in a sort of recapitulation, gives some precise directives on the subject of exercises, both physical and spiritual, to be performed each day over a period of three years.
A perusal of this treatise is enough to make one realise that Sadhvi Rājimati has not only studied these subjects very profoundly, but also that she is herself totally and resolutely engaged to the spiritual quest that she describes. She is never superficial; no clichés are to be found here. She aims at being accessible and intelligible to beginners. She explains, encourages, counsels, to the point of being, at times, somewhat repetitive. Her style is clear and, to lighten the weight of technical terms, she uses paraphrases and concrete examples. She
3 Jayapura, 1974; 210 pp.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
