Preksha meditation: History and Methods
by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words
This page relates 鈥楴aming of Preksha-Dhyana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.
8. Naming of Prek峁Ｄ�-Dhy膩na
A process of personal experimentation and the journey of research and development of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补, which started in 1948 by Mah膩praj帽a, was made possible because of 罢耻濒补蝉墨鈥漵 motivational instruction in 1962 to revive the Jaina system of meditation. After a long period of deliberation, 罢耻濒补蝉墨 and Mah膩praj帽a chose the name 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 for the new system of modern Jaina meditation. A thorough contemplation of this process can be found in the interview of Mah膩praj帽a conducted by Samani Sthitapraj帽膩 published in Prek峁Ｄ� Dhy膩na Patrik膩. Mah膩praj帽a says there are four types of traditional Jaina meditation. Of those, two are inauspicious and hence ruled out. The other two, dharma and shukla 诲丑测腻苍补, are laden with clandestine philosophical definitions and concepts and hence did not seem suitable for a name. In the quest for a simple name, both the terms 惫颈辫补蝉蝉补苍腻 and 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 were available in 膧肠腻谤腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补 but because 惫颈辫补蝉蝉补苍腻 itself was an ongoing Buddhist practice, and also famous worldwide, it was concluded that the term 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 was more fitting (Sthitapraj帽膩, 1986:10). In 1975, the naming of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ� was formalised in the Green-house in Jaipur (Mah膩praj帽a, 1980a: 9). The search for a simplified name without intense dogmatic philosophy reveals the attempt to present meditation for a non-Jaina global audience. Yet, the search within traditional Jaina texts to seek a name for a modern secular meditation was their inclination.