Preksha meditation: History and Methods
by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words
This page relates 鈥楾he Relevance of 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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4.2. The Relevance of Yoga
The concept of meditation is often connected with yoga. The word yoga in the contemporary context, is generally applied to forms of asceticism, physical exercise, and spiritual training. Its classical and medieval connotations in the Indian context are however more specific[1]. The Indian school of 厂腻峁僰丑测补-Yoga, especially 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈鈥檚 Yoga-蝉奴迟谤补 (c. 2nd - 5th c. CE), describes a system of yoga which was extremely influential in the development of medieval Jaina yoga and meditational practices (Mah膩praj帽a, 2010a: 155). The Yoga-蝉奴迟谤补 defines yoga[2] as 鈥榯he restraint of fluctuation of the mind鈥� (Yoga-蝉奴迟谤补1 1.2). The eight limbs (补峁単补) of this yoga system[3] comprise of restraint (yama), observance (niyama), posture (腻蝉补苍补), control of breath (辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补), withdrawal (辫谤补迟测腻丑腻谤补), fixation of thought (诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�), meditation (诲丑测腻苍补) and concentration (蝉补尘腻诲丑颈). The seventh limb of this eight-fold yoga is meditation (诲丑测腻苍补).
In contrast, the early and classical Jaina tradition used the term 鈥�yoga鈥� in several very different and technical ways, such as referring to: (1) the physical, vocal and mental activity of the embodied soul[4] and (2) proper conduct (肠腻谤颈迟谤补)[5]. All types of austerities (tapas) fall under this heading of yoga as proper conduct (肠腻谤颈迟谤补), including meditation, which is the eleventh part of the twelve types of tapas described systematically in the 鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补.[6] A third meaning of yoga as (3) that 鈥渨hich connects with liberation鈥�[7] was introduced by Haribhadra (8th c. CE). Haribhadra is the first 艢惫别迟腻尘产补谤补 腻肠腻谤测补 to use yoga in the more conventional sence of psychophysical practice oriented towerds liberation. The Jainas also accepted the popular formula of the eight-fold yoga system of 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈, which was adopted, first by Haribhadra for his newly developed system of eight views (诲峁涐梗峁璱) (Chapple, 2003: 15).
In the modern period, although meditation remains the ultimate means for achieving liberation (尘辞办峁) -the lack of possibility of this in the current era -as stated in the cosmological and universal historical texts of the classical Jaina scriptures, means that it is consigned to being a tool of purification of the soul. In modern Jaina 辫谤别办峁Ｄ� meditation systems the shedding off karma (苍颈谤箩补谤腻) and stoppage of karma (蝉补峁僾补谤补), leads to better physical health and well-being (腻谤辞驳测补), extra sensory knowledge (atindriya-箩帽腻苍补), personal development through behavioural modification (蝉惫产丑腻惫补辫补谤颈惫补谤迟补苍补) and universal peace (惫颈艣惫补-艣腻苍迟颈) (Mah膩praj帽a, 2001d: 35). It seems that 鈥�尘辞办峁-尘腻谤驳补 and well-being鈥� are regarded as inseparable to each other by certain Jaina authors. At this point I argue, in parallel with John Cort (2001: 200), that here the activities related to the 尘辞办峁-尘腻谤驳补 are also considered to be conducive of wellbeing.[8] This is contrary to the views of 膧c膩rya 叠丑颈办峁[9], who treated 尘辞办峁-尘腻谤驳补 and wellbeing separately. In his view, 尘辞办峁-尘腻谤驳补 is 鈥�lokottara鈥�[10] and wellbeing is worldly 鈥�laukika鈥�. One who is heading towards the path of liberation has to follow lokottara practices only. The formula of health and wellbeing is connected, to laukika, which leads to bondage. However, this strict view of 叠丑颈办峁 is less common today, even amongst the Ter膩panth sect.[11]
The influence of classical Hindu 丑补峁环补-yogic and tantric traditions in the development of Jaina meditation, will also be taken into account in the following analysis. The Yoga-蝉奴迟谤补 of 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 and other classical Hindu yogic and tantric texts will be examined -to see how they have been drawn upon, in particular by Mah膩praj帽a to shape the theory and practice of contemporary Jaina 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-诲丑测腻苍补.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
For various use of the term 鈥測oga鈥� See White (2014: 3-6).
[3]:
Yoga-蝉奴迟谤补1, 2.29. yama-niyama-腻蝉补苍补-辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补-辫谤补迟测腻丑腻谤补-诲丑腻谤补峁嚹�-诲丑测腻苍补-sam膩dhayo, st膩v-a峁単膩ni.
[5]:
罢补迟迟惫腻谤迟丑补-蝉奴迟谤补1, 9.2: sa gupti-samiti-诲丑补谤尘腻-nu辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-par墨峁hajaya-肠腻谤颈迟谤补i岣�.
[6]:
鲍迟迟补谤腻诲丑测补测补苍补-蝉奴迟谤补1. 30.7鈥�8, 29鈥�30.鈥�
so tavo duviho vutto b膩hirabbhantaro 迟补丑腻. b膩hiro chavviho vutto evamabbhantaro tavo. 30.7.
a峁嘺sa峁嘺m奴峁噊yariy膩 bhikk膩yariy膩 ya rasaparicc膩o. k膩yakileso 蝉补峁僱墨峁嘺测腻 ya vajjho tavo hoi. 30.8.
eso bahir补峁単补tavo sam膩se峁嘺 viy膩hio. abbhintara峁� 迟补惫补峁� etto vucch膩mi a峁噓puvvaso. 30.29.
辫腻测补肠肠丑颈迟迟补峁� 惫颈峁嘺辞 惫别测腻惫补肠肠补峁� taheva 蝉补箩箩丑腻辞. 闯丑腻峁嘺峁� ca viussaggo eso abbhintaro tavo.30.30.
[7]:
Yoga-vi峁兣沬k膩, 1: mokkhe峁嘺-joya峁嚹乷 jogo.
[8]:
He states: 鈥淛ust as without wellbeing the 尘辞办峁-尘腻谤驳补 would not survive, without the 尘辞办峁-尘腻谤驳补 there would be no wellbeing. Jaina ideologues may argue that the only thing which is truly valuable is liberation from the world, but it is the possibility of striving for liberation that also provides the possibility of wellbeing within the world. The two are joined in a relationship of mutual dependence.鈥� (Cort, 2001:201-2)
[9]:
膧c膩rya 叠丑颈办峁 was the founder of the Ter膩panth sect.
[11]:
For further information, see Peter 贵濒眉驳别濒 1995: 1266鈥�7.