Preksha meditation: History and Methods
by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words
This page relates 鈥槺岵拱辈蟛够灏光�檚 Eight-Fold Yoga鈥� of study dealing with Preksha-Dhyana: a meditation technique created by Acharya Shri Mahapragya (Acarya Mahaprajna) in the late twentieth century. It synthesizes ancient Jain ascetic methods, ritualistic practices, and modern scientific insights, appealing to a global audience. The thesis explores its historical context, theoretical foundations, and the rise of contemporary Jain meditation systems.
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11.4. 贬补谤颈产丑补诲谤补鈥檚 Eight-Fold Yoga
[Full title: The Two Meditations: Liberating Psychological States (4) Haribhadra鈥檚 Eight-Fold Yoga]
膧肠腻谤测补 Haribhadra (8th c. CE) commenced a shift in the field of Jaina yoga. He assimilated elements of 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈鈥檚 Yoga-蝉奴迟谤补 in his own innovative formulation of Jaina meditation coining new words to describe spiritual progress. He also made a valuable contribution to the comparative study of yoga, composing a number of works on the subject. He composed four treatises on yoga. They are the Yoga-bindu, 驰辞驳补-诲峁涐梗峁璱蝉补尘耻肠肠补测补 (Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya), Yoga-艣补迟补办补 and 驰辞驳补-惫颈峁吪沬办腻 (驰辞驳补-惫颈峁兣沬办腻). Bronkhorst (1993: 156) considers 贬补谤颈产丑补诲谤补鈥檚 contribution to Jaina meditation as 鈥渁 far more drastic departure from the scriptures鈥�. In Jainism, the term 鈥�yoga鈥�, throughout the ages, has technically been used to refer to the activity of mind, body and speech that is the cause of bondage.[1] Haribhadra, however, provided a new definition of yoga: 鈥渢hat which connects to liberation is considered as yoga.鈥�[2] Because of 贬补谤颈产丑补诲谤补鈥檚 contribution to yoga and meditation, Jainas stood more equipped than they had been before to cope with challenges in the field of 鈥測oga鈥�, given that all other Indian religions had well-established systems of yoga. This development of 鈥�Jaina yoga鈥� was a step that promoted substantially the survival and growth of Jainism.
贬补谤颈产丑补诲谤补鈥檚 驰辞驳补-惫颈峁兣沬办腻 has been studied by Tatia (1951). It is a small composition of 20 艣濒辞办补蝉 (惫颈峁兣沬办腻) on Jaina yoga that has special importance for the development of Jaina meditational thought. Haribhadra incorporates five kinds of activity into meditative practice. This development shows that meditation is not a single action but combines within it several other actions to enable the practitioner to concentrate deeply. Posture, pronunciation and meaning are described by Haribhadra as the pre-requisites or assisting factors for meditation.
The 驰辞驳补-惫颈峁兣沬办腻[3] highlights five prerequisites:
(1) Proper posture (蝉迟丑腻苍补);
(2) Correct pronunciation (奴谤峁嘺);
(3) Proper understanding of the meaning (artha);
(4) Concentration on the image of the 迟墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补 in his full glory (腻濒补尘产补苍补);
(5) Concentration on his abstract attributes (an腻濒补尘产补苍补).
Tatia comments that out of these five, the first two constitute external spiritual activity, which is known by a practitioner as the 鈥測oga of effort鈥� (karma-yoga), while the last three are forms of internal spiritual activity known as the 鈥測oga of knowledge鈥� (箩帽腻苍补-yoga) (Tatia, 1951: 293鈥�94).
The Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya, as its name indicates, is a collection or overview of various viewpoints on yoga. The main architect of Indian yoga, 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈, plays an important role here but the impact of 痴别诲腻苍迟补 and the Buddhist schools is also visible. Chapple (2003: 15) states: 鈥淭he yoga system of 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 provides the template upon which Haribhadra erects the Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya鈥�. 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 distinguished eight parts (补峁単补) of yoga and, similarly, Haribhadra presents a plan of Jaina yoga through the eight 诲峁涐梗峁璱s.
The Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya describes the first five stages as preparatory stages of spiritual development. The sixth stage, which is described as pleasing (办腻苍迟腻), is equal to 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈鈥檚 stage of concentration (诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�). Concentration is a stepping stone for the progression of meditation.
Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya refers to the qualitative aspects of this stage[4] :
In 办腻苍迟腻 [pleasing], there is a higher concentration for the sake of compassion toward others. Pleasure is never found in externals and a beneficial reflection arises. In this state, due to the efficacy of dharma, one鈥檚 conduct becomes purified. One is beloved among beings and single-mindedly devoted to dharma. (YSD, 163)
With mind always fixed on scriptural dharma, it is only the body that is busy with other things. Thus renouncing due to knowledge enjoyments are not causes for a return to worldly existence. (Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya 162鈥�64)[5]
碍腻苍迟腻 is a very stable condition and can be compared with the meditational state of 诲丑补谤尘测补-诲丑测腻苍补. Haribhadra explains how various qualities such as one-pointed concentration and compassion towards others appear in this stage which is a gateway for deep states of meditation.
The seventh state of meditation in 贬补谤颈产丑补诲谤补鈥檚 eight-fold yoga is radiance (辫谤补产丑腻). This stage has a number of meditative goals of purification and due to remarkable calmness enables reaching the higher stages.
These show the influence of Hindu forms of meditation and are not mentioned in Jaina canonical and classical literature.
One frequently practices meditation that is pleasing. In this there is no suffering. In this, happiness is born of meditation, as well as the discipline of conquering amorous passion, the emergence of strong discrimination, and the power of constant serenity. (Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya, 170鈥�72)[6]
The final stage of meditation is considered to be the highest (辫补谤腻) as it leads to the spiritual goal of liberation. It is defined as the state of 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈 in which one becomes free from all attachments and attains liberation.
鈥淭he behaviour of such a one is like the manner of one who, having climbed up [a mountain], no longer is in the state of climbing.鈥�[7] This is the zenith of yoga. The key point, however, is to understand that Jaina yoga can be put into the category of 鈥�ayoga鈥� (motionlessness), a state which we can compare with the state just prior to liberation discussed in the 顿补艣补惫补颈办腻濒颈办补-蝉奴迟谤补 (4.24).[8]
After Haribhadra there is a new shift in Jaina meditation, more tantra influence appears in the yogic practices during the time of 腻肠腻谤测补 艢耻产丑补肠补苍诲谤补.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补1, 5.1. 尘颈迟丑测腻诲补谤艣补苍补-avirati-辫谤补尘腻诲补-办补峁Ｄ乱补-测辞驳补岣� 产补苍诲丑补丑别迟补惫补岣�.
[2]:
驰辞驳补-惫颈峁兣沬办腻, 1. mokhe峁嘺joya峁嚹乷 jogo, savvo vi dhammav膩v膩ro.
[3]:
驰辞驳补-惫颈峁兣沬办腻 2. 峁環膩峁噓nnatth膩la峁僢a峁嘺rhio ta峁僼ammi pa帽cah膩 easo.
[4]:
I have taken all Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya translation from Chapple (1998).
[5]:
Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya, 162鈥�64 asy膩峁� tu dharmam膩h膩tmy膩t sam膩c膩ravi艣uddhita岣� priyo bhavati bh奴t膩na峁� dharmik膩graman膩s tath膩. 艣rutadharme mano 苍颈迟测补峁� 办腻测补蝉 tvasy膩nyace峁ａ弓ite atas tv 膩k峁pakaj帽膩n膩n na 产丑辞驳腻 bhavahetava岣�. asy膩峁� tu dharmam膩h膩tmy膩t sam膩c膩ravi艣uddhita岣� priyo bhavati bh奴t膩na峁� dharmik膩graman膩s tath膩.
[6]:
Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya, 170鈥�71 dhy膩napriy膩 辫谤补产丑腻 pr膩yo n膩sy膩峁� rug ata eva hi tattvapratipattiyut膩 vi艣se峁峁嘺 艣am膩nvit膩. dhy膩naja峁� sukham asy膩峁� tu jitamanmathas膩dhanam vivekbalanirj膩ta峁� 艣amas膩ra峁� sadaiva hi.
[7]:
Yoga-诲峁涐梗峁璱-samuccaya, 179. nir膩c膩rapado hy asy膩m atic膩ravivarjita岣�. 膩r奴岣峢膩roha峁嚹乥h膩vagatavat tv asya ce峁ａ弓itam