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280
YAŠASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
of worship to Lord Jina, 'the eye of the three worlds', is bound to go to the lowest hell, although it is permissible to honour them as well by allotting to tham a portion of the ceremonial offerings. These deities including Indra show favour of their own accord to those who are solely devoted to the Jaina creed, possess right faith, and carefully observe the vows.?
The contemplation of Lord Jina mentioned above is an attempt to visualize the diverse aspects of the saviour's personality, and is generally known as rüpastha dhyāna. The worshipper may contemplate also the mystic formula signifying the five Parameşthins, namely the Arhaṁ mantra, 'the eternal foundation of all branches of knowledge'. While contemplating it the devotee should use the mandara-mudră and mentally locate the mantra on his forehead. We are told that sages contemplate this mantra after studying all the scriptures and performing the greatest austerities, and that any one who mentally repeats it attains all kinds of prosperity whether he is pure or impure, happy or miserable. It may be noted that this kind of meditation is known as padastha dhyāna, explained in Jñānārnava (chap. 38), which describes diverse mystic formulas including the Arhan mantra,
The above forms of meditation are called by Somadeva transcendental (lokottara), and he makes also certain observations which he calls popular or general (laukika). The devotee, for instance, should contemplate the Omkāra formula, mentally locating it on the tip of the nose and concentrating the mind on space between the eyebrows. He sho mystic lotus inside his navel and move the connected artery, and then direct the four winds' or subtle breaths relating to earth, water, fire and air towards the mind. It may be noted that the process referred to here
1 at: Ifta of 67: HOT' etc. 2 See Jñānārnava, chap. 39. 3 ध्यायेदा वाङ्मयं ज्योतिर्गुरुपञ्चकवाचकम् । एतद्धि सर्वविद्यानामधिष्ठानमनशरम् ॥ ध्यायन् विन्यस्य देहेऽस्मिन्निदं
HETI I parni quis auferri Hi ll P. 398. MS. A says macht tragea feteria17:
कुङ्मलः क्रियते स एव मन्दरः। 4 efter attenfot fair a 79: T etc. 5 3 7-3rf 696 TAHET afarga ada 9 ata a ara #rafaali Jñănärnava
(op. cit.) ar fi fa fafaraga mur a t PETETTHETETT 11 It may be noted that the Jaina Om is composed of the first letters of the name of the five Paramoşthins. 37 (376 ) + 34 (3737ft i. e. f ) + 371 (ar) +3 (
3 2 ) + (i. e. Hy ) = 31TH or šo See Brabmadeva's commentary on Dravyasamgraha, verse. 49. पभमुत्थापयेत् पूर्ण नाडी संचालयेत्ततः । मरुञ्चतुष्टयं पश्चात् प्रचारयतु चेतसि ॥ Ms. A says नाभौ स्वभावेन स्थितं कमलं चालयेत् पश्चात् नालाकारेण नाडी, नाड्या कृत्वा मरुतः हृदयं प्रति प्रापयेत् । (मरुश्चतुष्टयं )पृथ्वी-अपतेजोवायुमण्डलानि नासिकामध्ये सूक्ष्मानि स्थितानि तानि चेतसि आत्मविषये प्रचारयतु योजयतु ।
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