Preksha meditation: History and Methods
by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words
This page relates 鈥楰ushala-Sadhana (The Adept One in the Spiritual Practice)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.
4.6. 碍耻艣补濒补-厂腻诲丑补苍腻 (The Adept One in the Spiritual Practice)
[Full title: The Development of 笔谤别办峁Ｄ�-顿丑测腻苍补 between 1944鈥�1975 (6) 碍耻艣补濒补-厂腻诲丑补苍腻 (The Adept One in the Spiritual Practice)]
罢耻濒补蝉墨 and Mah膩praj帽a began editing the Jaina canons in 1955, during their rainy retreat (肠腻迟耻谤尘腻蝉补) in Ujjaina. While editing the canons, they both realised the importance of some of the aphorisms for the cultivation of spirituality. Whilst Jaina canons contain many aphorisms regarding spiritual practices (蝉腻诲丑补苍腻), in reality very few of them were used in practice. He felt that the principles were wasted unless they were put into practice. Keeping this view in mind, 罢耻濒补蝉墨 started to search for aphorisms that could be applied and adopted in day-to-day activities.
One such aphorism is from the 膧肠腻谤腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补 (膧肠腻谤腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补1, 2.182), namely, 鈥淎 vigilant person is neither bound nor unbound鈥�.[1] This aphorism drew 罢耻濒补蝉墨鈥檚 attention to the practice of 办耻艣补濒补-蝉腻诲丑补苍腻. 碍耻艣补濒补 here means 鈥渧igilance鈥� in order to curtail the binding of karmas.[2] There are various meanings noted in the commentary of 膧肠腻谤腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补.[3] 罢耻濒补蝉墨 wrote that we need to have vigilant and spiritually elevated individuals, within our congregation (蝉补峁単丑补), and this was the reason why all monks and nuns first carried out meditation and various yogic practices as collective activities (罢耻濒补蝉墨, 2001: 269鈥�70). The package of tenvigilance points (Kusumapraj帽a, 2005: 126)[4] started with 鈥渁ction for purification鈥� (苍颈谤箩补谤腻). Reinforcing the Jaina purpose of spirituality (karmic purification), the venture was aimed at development within the congregation. The application of scriptural-蝉奴迟谤补s in action, to foster mindfulness and awareness was a lifestyle model rather than merely a sitting meditation. 罢耻濒补蝉墨鈥檚 approach is apparent in Mah膩praj帽a鈥檚 辫谤别办峁Ｄ� as well. Mah膩praj帽a supports 罢耻濒补蝉墨鈥檚 view, stating, 鈥�辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-dhy膩na is not mere meditation but a philosophy of life鈥� (Mah膩praj帽a, 2010a: 191-92). These rudimentary initiatives of 办耻艣补濒补dhy膩na and other programs paved the way for the evolution of 辫谤别办峁Ｄ�-dhy膩na.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
膧肠腻谤腻峁単补-蝉奴迟谤补1, 2.182 ku艣ale pu峁嘺 峁噊 baddhe 峁噊 mukke.
[2]:
Cf. 笔腻迟补峁卝补濒补 yoga-蝉奴迟谤补, 痴测腻蝉补-产丑腻峁补, 2.27:鈥�et膩峁� saptavidh膩峁� pr膩ntabh奴mipraj帽膩manupa艣yan辫耻谤耻峁岣� 办耻艣补濒补 ity膩khy膩yate, pratiprasave鈥檖i cittasya 尘耻办迟补岣� 办耻艣补濒补m ityeva bhavati gu峁嚹乼墨tatv膩diti.鈥擳丑别 辫耻谤耻峁 who has seen successively completed these seven stages of discrimination are called adept (办耻艣补濒补).
[3]:
By wise one (办耻艣补濒补) is meant a person endowed with knowledge. A muni who is proficient in religious discourse, erudite in various schools of philosophy, practising what he professes, a conqueror of sleep, the sense-organs and hardships of 蝉腻诲丑补苍腻, as well as being conversant with the limitations of time and space, is called 鈥�办耻艣补濒补鈥� i.e. a wise one.
[4]:
Kusumapraj帽a, 2005: 126鈥�1. Action with the purpose of karmic destruction (苍颈谤箩补谤腻) 2. Do not aspire for results (苍颈谤腻蝉补测补) 3. Selfrestraint in eating (尘颈测腻蝉补峁嘺) 4. minimise consumerism (appovahiya) 5. Self-restraint in speech (补辫辫补产丑腻蝉墨) 6. Self-restraint of mind and senses (jiindiya) 7. Fearlessness (na bh膩viyapp膩) 8. Purity (苍颈蝉蝉补峁僩补) 9. Tolerance (辫补谤墨蝉补丑补谤颈奴诲补苍迟补) 10. Bliss (腻苍补苍诲补驳丑补峁嘺)