9. The Four 顿丑测腻苍补蝉 (Classification)

Preksha meditation: History and Methods

by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words

This page relates 鈥楾he Four Dhyanas (Classification)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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9. The Four 顿丑测腻苍补蝉 (Classification)

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[Full title: The Four 顿丑测腻苍补蝉: Classification in 鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补, 顿补艣补惫补颈办腻濒颈办补-蝉奴迟谤补, 厂迟丑腻苍腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补, 罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补]

In the later canonical texts, the phenomenon of meditation was treated systematically. A later 膩gamic text, the 厂迟丑腻苍腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补 (厂迟丑腻苍腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补) (n.d) gives a short summary of the types of meditation. It introduces the forms of meditation in a four-fold classification of psychological states or conditions. The first two types of meditation or 诲丑测腻苍补 are considered to be mental or psychological states, which a person may be fully immersed in or recurrently experience. These two states (膩rtta-诲丑测腻苍补 and raudra-诲丑测腻苍补) refer to impure psychological conditions responsible for suffering that lead to rebirth particularly in lower life forms. The third and fourth types are what we might call pure states of meditative practice and religious conduct, which lead to liberation (dharmya, 艣ukla诲丑测腻苍补). 膧谤迟迟补-诲丑测腻苍补 may be defined as meditation on sadness; raudra-诲丑测腻苍补 as meditation on distress; dharmya-诲丑测腻苍补 as meditation on reality; and 艣ukla-诲丑测腻苍补 as absolutely pure or 鈥榳hite鈥� meditation (厂迟丑腻苍腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补, 4.60).^[1] This four-fold classification of psychological states is extended in later canonical texts such as the 叠丑补驳补惫补迟墨-蝉奴迟谤补, (叠丑补驳补惫补迟墨-蝉奴迟谤补, 25.7.217), the Uttar膩dhy膩yana-蝉奴迟谤补 (鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补₁, 30.35)^[2], the Aupap膩tika-蝉奴迟谤补 (Aupap膩tika-蝉奴迟谤补, 30), and the 膧惫补艣测补办补-蝉奴迟谤补 (膧惫补艣测补办补-蝉奴迟谤补, 4.8).

Bronkhorst (1993: 151) states that: 鈥榯he nature of these texts brought it about that everything that can be covered by the term 箩丑腻峁嘺 is enumerated here. This is much more than 鈥渕editation鈥� alone; even 鈥渢hinking鈥� is covered by this term鈥�. In other words, this four-fold strategy shows that deep concentration can produce both good and bad results. The different types of, and the contradictory nature of, meditation can be identified by the levels of spiritual attainment. Bruhn (2012: 26) has added that the first two types of meditation are mainly 鈥渘egative鈥� and the last two are mainly 鈥減ositive鈥�. It seems that the first two states involved in meditation refer to the power of concentration and situate meditation within the twelve types of austerity.

Doctrinal change is crucial for understanding the changes in meditational practice between the early canonical and the classical period, although sometimes other factors, such as language and systematization, are also important. One can see a clear difference between a classical text such as the 罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补, (4^th c. CE) and texts of the early and late canonical periods in the emerging emphasis on lay concerns in the later texts. Commenting on the classical age, Johnson states that 鈥榯he first textual synthesis of Jaina doctrine, Um膩sv膩ti鈥檚 罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补, attempts just such a reconciliation of ascetic and lay concerns. It does so, as we shall see, through a mixture of doctrinal reformulation, doctrinal juxtaposition, and doctrinal expansion (Johnson, 1995: 2).

The same four types of meditation are enumerated by Um膩sv膩ti in the 罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补蝉奴迟谤补 (罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补₁, 9.29).^[3] The 罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补 combines definition and alignment of meditation with the ladder of fourteen stages of spiritual development (驳耻峁嘺蝉迟丑腻苍补). The first two types of meditation do not refer to spiritual practices but are included simply for sake of negative side of meditation or may be to present the set of four-fold meditation. They refer to concentration or immersion in a particular mental state which focusses on a particular type of emotion; concentration is the broader meaning of 诲丑测腻苍补 in Jainism. The concentration due to anguish and anger is not penance because it is not conducive to the development of the self nor helpful in overcoming suffering and rebirth. They are, therefore, omitted in twentieth century Jaina discussions of meditation, in line with the contemporary meaning of the term 鈥榤editation鈥�. Modern Jaina conceptions of meditation include only the latter two psychological states that encourage pure states of mind and meditative practice, and form part of the path of liberation (罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补₁, 9.30).^[4] Current research of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 refers to specific methods of the third type of meditation.