Preksha meditation: History and Methods
by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words
This page relates 鈥楯aina Textual Sources 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
4.1. Jaina Textual Sources of 笔谤别办峁Ｄ�-顿丑测腻苍补
[Full title: Mah膩praj帽a鈥檚 Exegetical and Constructive Method鈥擨ntroduction (1) Jaina Textual Sources of 笔谤别办峁Ｄ�-顿丑测腻苍补]
Mah膩praj帽a鈥檚 construction of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 synthesised a variety of sources, Jaina and non-Jaina, Indian and Western.[1] Indian sources included reinterpretations of ancient Jaina descriptions of ascetic practice, which incorporated or at least mentioned meditation such as the 膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补, and classical and medieval Jaina treatises specifically dedicated to yoga and meditation. The medieval period, in particular, shows the assimilation of classical Hindu yoga practices such as those of 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 in Haribhadra and Hemacandra鈥檚 work. The influence of Hindu yoga in 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 emerges not only as a result of the influence on Mah膩praj帽a of these medieval Jaina texts on yoga and meditation but the influence of Hindu yogic and meditative practices in the development of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 is evident in his development of 补苍迟补谤测腻迟谤腻, caitanya-kendra, and other elements. Mah膩praj帽a employed a wide array of sources as already pointed out and various systems of yoga, including Hindu yoga, Tantra, Buddhist 惫颈辫补蝉蝉补苍腻 meditation, 膧测耻谤惫别诲补, Astrology and western science.
Whilst editing the Jaina canonical texts, Mah膩praj帽a concluded that there is no specific canon available with a focus on Jaina meditation, neither in the inner corpus (补峁単补) nor in the outer corpus (耻辫腻峁単补) of the canonical literature. Although the 顿丑腻测补苍补-惫颈产丑补办迟颈 (箩丑腻峁嘺惫颈产丑补迟迟墨)[2] text is listed under the 耻迟办腻濒颈办补[3] section of the classification of the texts of the 蝉颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 in the Na峁卍墨-蝉奴迟谤补, it is unavailable now. In such a situation, he studied with innovativeness and inquisitiveness those portions of existing canonical literature which discussed and described meditation. He also studied the commentaries of Jaina 腻驳补尘补s and later composed texts on Jaina meditation. His effort to find the sources of meditation in the Jaina literature made a crucial contribution to the origin of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ乨丑测腻苍补.
Textual Sources of 碍腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补
Mah膩praj帽a provides a textual basis for all the practices of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补. As noted in chapter two, 办腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补 is an ancient Jaina meditative practice and it is notable that Mah膩praj帽a keeps the same canonical term for the first limb of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补. Moreover, he incorporates the traditional practice of making a resolution (蝉补峁僰补濒辫补) at the beginning of 办腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补 practice. However, he uses only the first two lines of the traditional recitation from the 膧惫补艣测补办补-蝉奴迟谤补, excluding the rest.[4] Common 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 camps begin with a resolution: 鈥淚 am practising relaxation to relieve myself from physical, mental and emotional tension鈥� (Mah膩praj帽a, 2004a: 3). This is not the actual meaning of the resolution in the 膧惫补艣测补办补-蝉奴迟谤补 but presents a shift from the ancient ascetic practice, re-interpreted for the abandonment of physical, mental and emotional tension. In the context of postures of 办腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补, Mah膩praj帽a however follows the 膧惫补艣测补办补-niryukti (膧惫补艣测补办补-niryukti), which provides a detailed description of postures during 办腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补 and which fall under three main headings: standing, sitting and lying down.
Textual Sources of 础苍迟补谤测腻迟谤腻
Mah膩praj帽a bases his exposition on the 膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补1 (膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补1, 1.37) in explaining the concept of 补苍迟补谤测腻迟谤腻. But none of these aphorisms directly correspond to Mah膩praj帽a鈥檚 own interpretation. The aphorism he cites for the appropriation of 补苍迟补谤测腻迟谤腻 is however supported by the 贬补峁环补-测辞驳补-辫谤补诲墨辫颈办腻 (贬补峁环补-测辞驳补-辫谤补诲墨辫颈办腻1 3.4) (15th c. CE). Furthermore, Mah膩praj帽a adduces a homology with the concept of 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨 from ha峁環a-yogic texts. In the 膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补1 (1.37), the term 鈥�尘补丑腻惫墨丑颈[5] (Skt. 尘补丑腻惫墨迟丑墨), 鈥済reat path鈥�, is nowadays commonly translated as 鈥減ath of nonviolence鈥� and commonly taken to refer to 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨. Drawing on the 贬补峁环补-测辞驳补-辫谤补诲墨辫颈办腻 (贬补峁环补-测辞驳补-辫谤补诲墨辫颈办腻) he states that there are many synonyms for 鈥�办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨鈥�.
Among them 鈥済reat-path鈥� (尘补丑腻辫补迟丑补) is one, and 鈥�尘补丑腻辫补迟丑补鈥� and 鈥�尘补丑腻惫墨迟丑墨 have very similar meanings. The expression 鈥済reat path鈥�, which is used in the 膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补, hence, Mah膩praj帽a argues, plausibly also designates 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨.
Mah膩praj帽a explains how he developed this new interpretation of the ancient Jaina 蝉奴迟谤补 which justified the incorporation of 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨 yoga into the practice of antar-测腻迟谤腻:
During the study of 贬补峁环补-测辞驳补-辫谤补诲墨辫颈办腻 (14c. CE), I came across a term 尘补丑腻辫补迟丑补 (3.4) term for 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨. Immediately I remembered an aphorism from 膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补1 (1.37) 鈥�辫补峁嘺测腻 惫墨谤腻 尘补丑腻惫墨丑墨鈥�, i.e. brave (惫墨谤补) men are those who walked on the great path (尘补丑腻惫墨迟丑墨). I did not understand the meaning clearly. The great path (尘补丑腻惫墨迟丑墨) means highway (谤腻箩补尘腻谤驳补). They walked on the highway as well as on the narrow lanes (辫补驳补岣峚峁囜笉墨). It is quite clear that it is a literal meaning of this word. 惭补丑腻惫墨迟丑墨 has its hidden (蝉腻苍办别迟颈办补) meaning. Here, 尘补丑腻惫墨迟丑墨 means 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨. The one who walked on the 尘补丑腻惫墨迟丑墨 of spiritual practice (蝉腻诲丑补苍腻) is brave (惫墨谤补). If you look at any book on tantra, you will find that whose vital force (辫谤腻峁嘺) has not moved into 蝉耻峁尘苍腻 is not free from desires (Mah膩praj帽a, 2010: 221).
According to Mah膩praj帽a, 补苍迟补谤测腻迟谤腻 purifies negative instincts when one is connected to central nervous system (kendriya-苍腻岣峣), the path of spiritual development. Within the Jaina tradition, the concepts of 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨 and 尘补丑腻辫补迟丑补 were unknown: these terms do not appear in any of the Jaina scriptures. Thus, it is clear, as stated by himself that Mah膩praj帽a drew inspiration here from the manuals of Tantra and ha峁環a-yoga, where these concepts feature prominently, to form the second part of his eightfold 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 method.[6]
Furthermore, he expounds on another aphorism of 膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补1 (8.8.5): majjhattho 峁噄jjar膩pehi 鈥渁s the equanimous one and perceiver of dissociation of karma鈥�.[7]
He explains:
The general meaning of neutral (madhyastha) is, one who is devoid of attachment, aversion and lives in equanimity (蝉补尘补迟腻). Mah膩praj帽a questioned the meaning provided in the text because he was not convinced by the literal meaning. He presented a new interpretation of this aphorism. Neutral (madhyastha) is one who wants to shed karma (苍颈谤箩补谤腻辫别办峁Ｄ�). Flowing of the vital force (辫谤腻峁嘺) in 蝉耻峁尘峁嚹� is a great way of shedding karma (Mah膩praj帽a, 1972: lecture note).
While the stated objective of such an internal journey is to initiate an upward movement of vital energy (辫谤腻峁嘺), other benefits also purportedly accrue from its practice. These include the cultivation of the power of self-restraint, boosting vital energy, and the creation of a strong and sound basis for meditation because when the mind moves inwards in this way, it enhances concentration on the objectives to be achieved (Mah膩praj帽a, 2010a: 33). Thus, Mah膩praj帽a does not equate 补苍迟补谤测腻迟谤腻 practice with raising kundalini, but instead values its role in creating their desired 鈥渁ttitudinal changes and integrated development of personality鈥� (Qvarnstr枚m & Birch, 2012: 376). Hence, antara测腻迟谤腻 removes psychological distortions such as cruelty, greed, fear, hatred, and so forth, by turning vital energy upward away from the sex organs and adrenals to the higher psychic centres, which enhance positive qualities such as love, friendship, honesty, etc.
Textual Sources of 艢v膩sa 笔谤别办峁Ｄ�
Breathing is connected to the process of 办腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补. 膧惫补艣测补办补-niryukti (1541) also mentions that breathing should be subtle (蝉奴办峁补) during the practices of 诲丑补谤尘补-诲丑测腻苍补 and 艣耻办濒补诲丑测腻苍补.[8] 驰补艣补蝉迟颈濒补办补-campu (鲍辫腻蝉补办腻诲丑测补测补苍补) (10th c. CE) by Digambar scholar monk Somadevas奴r墨, instructs under the section of 鲍辫腻蝉补办腻诲丑测补测补苍补[9], (39.716) 鈥渆xhale and inhale air gently [during 辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补]. One must never hold air forcefully nor release it hastily.[10] Mah膩praj帽a used the same procedure of breathing during 艣惫腻蝉补-辫谤别办峁Ｄ�.
Textual Sources of 艢ar墨ra-辫谤别办峁Ｄ�
According to Jaina doctrine the self is bound or 鈥榟oused鈥� in a body, intertwined in up to five different bodily forms. They are: 1. the gross, earthly body of flesh and blood (补耻诲腻谤颈办补-艣补谤墨谤补); 2.the subtle body consisting of fine matter, of changeable form and size according to the wish of its owner (vaikriya-艣补谤墨谤补); 3. the body of transference (or projectile body), which consists of auspicious, white, pure matter and has no resistance (腻丑腻谤补办补-艣补谤墨谤补); 4. the fiery body, which is a possession of the worldly soul and consists of fire atoms, which digest food (taijasa-艣补谤墨谤补) and 5. the karmic body which is a receptacle for all the karma particles adhering to the soul (办腻谤尘补峁嘺-艣补谤墨谤补).[11] These five bodies are each finer than the preceding one, in descending order; and each succeeding one contains more 鈥榮pace points鈥� and is thicker than the one before it.
From the 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 point of view, the gross body and the fiery body both are very important. Through meditative practice one can change the systems of the gross body, from the gross body can connect to the fiery body, which is deeply connected to the karmic body (Mah膩praj帽a, 2010a: 41鈥�2). The self completely fills the body because of its properties of contraction/expansion, which are such that it has the potential to pervade the body of an elephant as well as that of an ant.[12] Therefore, all wordly sentients are characterised co-extensive with their own body.[13] Through the perception of the body, one can experience the different levels of the consciousness. Mah膩praj帽a explains, one needs to focus on various levels of the gross and subtle bodies to penetrate to the self which is soteriological aim of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补.
Textual Sources of Caitanya-Kendra 笔谤别办峁Ｄ�
The fifth stage of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 is the perception of the psychic centres (caitanya-kendra 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�). Mah膩praj帽a defines a psychic centre as a location in the 鈥渟ubtle body鈥� of human beings, which possesses 鈥渄ense consciousness鈥� (saghana 肠别迟补苍腻) (Mah膩praj帽a, 2001d:201).
The psychic centres correspond to the concept of cakra in the Hindu yogic tradition. Mah膩praj帽a noted that the 鈥渃entre/wheel鈥� (cakra) and the lotus (kamala) in yogic traditions are very well rooted in tantra. For Jaina sources he provides the concept of sandhi from 膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补1. He considers these concepts of the 鈥渃entre/wheel鈥� (cakra) and the lotus (kamala) in yogic traditions to be beyond the reach of modern medical science. He provided simple terminology of the human body, to assist better understanding of the mysterious cakra system for the general public. Mah膩praj帽a (2001d: 107) introduces the glandular system of the body as the object of meditative practice, a system which he says is accepted by everyone unlike the cakra system.
The cakra system is related to the vital force (辫谤腻峁嚹�) and affects the physical body whereas caitanya-kendra is mapped on the glandular system but connected with the power of the self. Here metaphysical dualism is realised through the practice of 肠补颈迟补苍测补-办别苍诲谤补辫谤别办峁Ｄ�.
Textual Sources of Le艣y膩-顿丑测腻苍补
Mah膩praj帽a introduces 濒别艣测腻-诲丑测腻苍补 on the basis of the 鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补, a root 蝉奴迟谤补 (尘奴濒补), which dedicates a whole chapter to treat the subject of 濒别艣测腻, today generally understood as 鈥榩sychic colour鈥�. The psychic colours mentioned correspond to those in the 鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补1: black (Pkt. 办颈峁噃腻); blue (Pkt. 苍墨濒腻); grey (Pkt. 办腻奴); red (Pkt. 迟别奴); yellow (Pkt. 辫补尘丑腻) and white (Pkt. sukka).[14] However, Mah膩praj帽a does not divide these psychic colours into auspicious and inauspicious types, as the 鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补 the 濒别艣测腻s. Nor has he strictly referred only to these six colours. He employs many other colours and always insists only on bright (auspicious) colours. Mah膩praj帽a accepts that prior to this 濒别艣测腻-诲丑测腻苍补 practice, Jay膩c膩rya used colour meditation on 迟墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补蝉 which reflects tantric impact on Jainism, which will be discussed in the section dealing with Hindu textual sources.
The last two components of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补; contemplation (补苍耻辫谤别办峁Ｄ�) and reflection (产丑腻惫补苍腻) were introduced in 鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补 and 膧SII. These limbs of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 were already a part of daily monastic routine. Textual sources of 补苍耻辫谤别办峁Ｄ� and 产丑腻惫补苍腻 are discussed in detail in chapter two. Mah膩praj帽a incorporated these traditional meditative practices into 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补, but with a modernistic approach to revive Jaina meditation. However, with this modernisation he still ascertained the essence of Jaina ascetic values.
Early-modern Textual Sources
Mah膩praj帽a studied Jay膩c膩rya鈥檚 meditation before the formation of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 and noted that Jay膩c膩rya鈥檚 meditative practice could be seen as a precedent of meditation in Ter膩panth. He remarks that the seed of some of the components of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 is available in Jay膩c膩rya鈥檚 texts on meditation, e.g. Jay膩c膩rya鈥檚 term 鈥�蝉腻蝉腻-surat,鈥� which means 鈥榓wareness鈥� or 鈥�mindfulness鈥� of breathing, is very close to Mah膩praj帽a鈥檚 notion of 鈥榩erception鈥� of breathing (艣惫腻蝉补-辫谤别办峁Ｄ�). However, there are many differences. Most importantly, Jay膩c膩rya is totally outside the system of modern scientific physiological terms, which Mah膩praj帽a frequently employs. The practice of 鈥�蝉腻蝉腻-surat鈥� is the first method of Jay膩c膩rya鈥檚 meditation; whereas 艣惫腻蝉补-辫谤别办峁Ｄ�, is the third component in the sequence of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补. Colour meditation on 迟墨谤迟丑补峁卥补谤补蝉 is the second meditative practice of Jay膩c膩rya. It later on developed in the context of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补 into psychic colour meditation (濒别艣测腻-诲丑测腻苍补). Although Jay膩c膩rya does not discuss cakras, an indication of similar practice is available in the use of the term middle portion of the eyebrow (产丑谤奴-madhya), which is commonly the place of tantric 腻箩帽腻-cakra. In 辫谤别办峁Ｄ乨丑测腻苍补 terminology it developed as a centre of intuition (诲补谤艣补苍补-kendra).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Mah膩praj帽a was himself explicit about the sources and constructive method of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补.
[2]:
Nand墨-蝉奴迟谤补, 5.77 se ki峁� ta峁� 耻办办腻濒颈测补峁�? 耻办办腻濒颈测补峁� a峁噀gaviha峁� 辫补峁囜箛补迟迟补峁�, ta峁� 箩补丑腻- 1. Dasavey膩liya峁冣�︹��. 21. 箩丑腻峁嘺惫颈产丑补迟迟墨鈥�. setta峁� 耻办办腻濒颈测补峁�.
[3]:
[4]:
膧惫补艣测补办补-蝉奴迟谤补, 5.3. tassa uttar墨-kara峁噀峁嘺峁� 辫腻测补肠肠丑颈迟迟补-kara峁噀峁嘺峁� visoh墨-kara峁噀峁嘺峁� visall墨-kara峁噀峁嘺峁� p膩v膩峁嘺峁� kamm膩峁嘺峁� niggh膩ya峁団��-a峁弓h膩e 峁环腻尘颈 办腻耻蝉蝉补驳驳补峁�. (It is a part of ritualistic 办腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补.) Making an additional effort, making penance [atonement], making purification, extracting evil from myself, I stand in the 办腻测辞迟蝉补谤驳补 in order to make an end to sinful acts (Williams鈥檚 tr. in Fl眉gel, 2012: 763).
[5]:
膧c膩r膩峁単a-蝉奴迟谤补1, 1.37. 辫补峁嘺测腻 惫墨谤腻 尘补丑腻惫墨丑颈m.
[6]:
Mah膩praj帽a mentions that he received ample benefit from Tantra and ha峁環a鈥搚oga texts such as 惭颈濒颈苍墨惫颈箩补测辞迟迟补谤补-迟补苍迟谤补, 艢颈惫补-sa峁僪it膩, Ghera峁囜笉a-sa峁僪it膩, 贬补峁环补-测辞驳补-辫谤补诲墨辫颈办腻, and many more.
[9]:
鲍辫腻蝉补办腻诲丑测补测补苍补 is a part of 驰补艣补蝉迟颈濒补办补-campu based on the instructions and prescriptions for Jaina lay follower (艣谤腻惫补办腻肠腻谤补).
[10]:
[12]:
Bhagavat墨-蝉奴迟谤补, 7.159. 鈥�jive vi ja峁� j膩risaya峁� puvvakammanibaddha峁� bo峁僤i峁� nivvattei ta峁� asa峁僰hejjehi峁� j墨vapadehi峁� sacitt墨karei飥�khu岣嶀笉iya峁� v膩 mah iya峁� v膩. Se te峁嘺峁弓e峁嘺峁� goyam膩! 飥� hattissa ya ku峁僼hussa ya same ceva jive.
[13]:
顿谤补惫测补-蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, 2. 箩墨惫辞 鈥�蝉补诲别丑补辫补谤颈尘腻峁噊.