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seeks to get anything without self effort.
Navakar Mantra is the prayer where it merely says: I bow down to those "Arihants" who have destroyed all of their passions such as anger, arrogance, avarice and attachment; I bow down to all Siddhas who have attained Nirvana and are free from the cycle of births and deaths; I bow down to those Acharyas, the leaders of the path, and to those Upadhyayas, the preachers of the path. Finally, I bow down to all the Saints who follow the Path.
These five salutations are purely impersonal, and non sectarian. They do not ask anything in return and convey nothing more than deep sense of respect not only to those souls who are actually liberated but also to those who are on the path of liberation. This is the unique and the striking feature of Navakar. (Ref: pg 178-183)
Q40. Explain the concept of Dhyan (Meditation) in Jainism. A40. The Jain approach to Dhyan is purely psychological. It takes a very comprehensive view of the working of human mind and takes into account every type of mood through which human mind passes. The four types of Dhyana which always engage our mind are:
1. Arta Dhyan "Arta" means pain. When our mind is overwhelmed by the feeling of pain and remains engaged in thinking about painful event of the past or present or future, we are said to be in "Arta" Dhyana. 2. Rudra Dhyan - "Rudra" means cruel or harsh. When our mind is, for some reason, full of anger, hatred, malice or violence, we are passing through Rudra Dhyan.
3. Dharma Dhyan In ordinary parlance, Dharma means religion. But the Jains have a special meaning (see answer to question 12). "Dharma" means an object's own intrinsic nature. When the mind remains concentrated in the Soul's own intrinsic nature and constantly thinks of it without allowing it to divert its attention to worldly things which are foreign to it, is said to be in Dharma Dhyan.
4. Shukla Dhyan "Shukla" means pure white. This is the highest type of meditation where 'Mind' loses its very existence in the ultimate 'Samadhi' and the Self or the Soul enters into a state of pure consciousness, and gets the omniscience or Kevala Jnana.
The first two Dhyans generate Karmas and bind the Self. The third one is the process of progress. The last one is the ultimate stage in progress. If we constantly remember this analysis and judge within ourselves what type of Dhyana we are in, we gain a type of awareness which reminds us where we are and where we should go.
(Ref: pg 183 187)
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