Meditation Techniques in Jainism
Meditation Techniques in Jainism
Meditation Techniques in Jainism
DHYANA
PREKSHA - (concentration of perception)
Meditation
MEDITATION Posture:
full lotus-posture
half lotus-posture
simple cross-legged posture
diamond-posture (Vajrasan).
Keep your right hand on the right knee and left hand on the
left knee, keeping the palms turned up. Let the tip of the
index finger touch the tip of the thumb with a slight
pressure between them. Keep the other fingers straight.
Psychic Centres
# Endocrine System
Psychic Centres Location
1
Centre of Energy Bottom of Spinal Cord Gonads
2
Centre of Health 6 inch above Centre of Energy Gonads
3
Centre of Bio-Electricity Navel Adrenals
4
Centre of Bliss Near Heart Thymus
5
Centre of Purity Throat Thyroid
6
Centre of Celibacy At The Tip Of The Tongue Taste
7
Centre of Vital Energy At The Tip Of The Nose Smell
8
Centre of Vision Eyes Vision
9
Centre of Vigilance Ears Hearing
10
Centre of Intuition Middle of Eyebrows Pituitary
11
Centre of Enlightenment Centre of Forehead Pineal
12
Centre of Peace Top Of The Forehead At The Hair Line Hypothalamus
13
Centre of Wisdom Top of Head Cerebral Cortex
Perception of psychic centres concentrates the mind on a psychic
level (see also: psychic colours and colour meditation).
Focusing on the psyche liberates the soul from attachments.
Managing the psychic centres helps us to transform spiritual aims
into action by refining negative impulses.
Take your mind to the lower end of the spinal cord, called
the Centre of Energy.
Allow your mind to go upward inside your spinal cord up to
the top of the head called the Centre of Knowledge.
Again allow it to come back through the same path to the
Centre of Energy.
Again and again repeat the same process.
Let your mind continuously undertake the trip inside the
spinal cord and perceive the subtle vibrations of the vital
energy, taking place inside the spinal cord, or whatever
sensation you get there.
Simply perceive them without any reaction. Concentrate
your entire consciousness on the spinal cord.
Perception Of Breathing
If you are distracted by any thought, do not try to stop it forcefully, but
also perceive it, and then again start perceiving your breath.
If the distraction is frequent, you may hold your breath for a few
seconds without causing any discomfort.
Maintain the continuity of the awareness of breathing.
Merely perceive it without like and dislike.
Perception Of Alternate Breathing
While you are breathing in, let your attention follow the breath
inside.
While you are breathing out, let your attention follow it outside.
Now, practice the perception of breathing through alternate nostrils
together with holding the breath intermittently.
Concentrate your mind inside the nostrils.
Inhale through the right nostril and hold the breath inside,
exhale through the left nostril and hold the breath outside;
again inhale through the left nostril and hold the breath inside
and exhale through the right nostril and hold the breath outside.
In this way, practice holding of breath four times during one complete
cycle.
Continuously remain aware of each exhalation and inhalation.
You may hold the breath only for a few seconds without causing any
discomfort.
Repeat the same exercise for several rounds.
Let the mind and breath go hand in hand.
Vande Sachcham
I pay my obeisance to Truth
Take a deep breath and as you slowly inhale visualise that you
are breathing long streams of bright green air. Repeat the
breathing exercise several times, each time inhaling bright green
air.
Now concentrate your mind on the psychic Centre of Bliss
situated in the middle of the chest near the heart; try to visualise
bright green colour in that region.
Perceive bright green light and visualise that the bright green
radiations are spreading in the psychic centre covering the whole
portion up to the back.
If the light does not appear or vanishes after appearance, do not
be disappointed. Intensify your effort for sustained visualisation.
Now visualise that the particles or radiations of bright green light
are emanating from the Centre of Bliss and spreading all around
permeating the whole body and the aura. Practice sustained
visualisation with deep concentration.
Now using auto-suggestion realise:
"My emotional pattern is being purified; my mind is being purged
of all the negative attitudes".
2.
With your mind's eye visualise that everything around you, including
the air itself, is coloured bright blue like peacock's neck.
Take a deep breath and as you slowly inhale, visualise that you
are breathing long streams of bright blue air. Repeat the
breathing exercise several times, each time inhaling bright blue
air.
Now concentrate your mind on the psychic Centre of Purity,
situated in the middle of the throat and try to visualise bright
blue colour in that region.
Perceive bright blue light and visualise that the blue radiations
are spreading in the psychic centre covering the whole portion up
to the back.
If the light does not appear or vanishes after appearance, do not
be disappointed. Intensify your effort for sustained visualisation.
Now visualise that the particles or radiations of bright blue light
are emanating from the Centre of Purity and spreading all
around, permeating the whole body and the aura. Practice
sustained visualisation with deep concentration.
Now using autosuggestion, realise
3.
With your mind's eye visualise that everything around you, including
the air itself, is coloured bright red like the colour of the rising sun.
Take a deep breath and as you slowly inhale, visualise that you
are breathing long streams of bright red air. Repeat the
breathing exercise several times, each time inhaling bright red
air.
Now concentrate your mind on the psychic Centre of Intuition
situated in the middle of both the eye-brows and try to visualise
bright red colour.
Perceive bright red light and visualise that the bright red
radiations are spreading in the psychic centre covering the whole
portion up to the back.
If the light does not appear or vanishes after appearance, do not
be disappointed. Intensify your effort for sustained visualisation.
Now visualise that the particles or radiations of bright red light
are emanating from the Centre of Intuition and spreading all
around, permeating the whole body and the aura. Practice
sustained visualisation with deep concentration.
Now using autosuggestion realise:
4.
With your mind's eye visualise that everything around you, including
the air itself is coloured bright yellow like sunflower.
Take a deep breath and as you slowly inhale, visualise that you
are breathing long streams of bright yellow air. Repeat the
breathing exercise several times each time inhaling bright yellow
air.
Now concentrate your mind on the psychic Centre of Knowledge
situated on the top of the head and try to visualise bright yellow
colour.
Perceive bright yellow light and visualise that the bright yellow
radiations are spreading in the psychic centre covering the whole
portion of the brain.
If the light does not appear or vanishes after appearance, do not
be disappointed. Intensify your effort for sustained visualisation.
Now visualise that the particles or radiations of bright yellow
light are emanating from the Centre of Knowledge and spreading
all around, permeating the whole body and the aura. Practice
sustained visualisation with deep concentration.
Now using autosuggestion realise:
"My perceptive capacity is increasing."
5.
Now with your mind's eye visualise that everything around you,
including the air itself is coloured bright white like the full moon.
Take a deep breath and as you slowly inhale, visualise that you
are breathing long streams of bright while air. Repeat the
breathing exercise several times, each time inhaling bright white
air.
Now concentrate your mind on the psychic Centre of
Enlightenment, situated in the middle of your forehead and
visualise bright white colour.
Perceive bright white light and visualise that the bright white
radiations are spreading on the psychic centre, covering the
whole portion up to the back.
If the, light does not appear or vanishes after appearance, do not
be disappointed. Intensify your effort for sustained visualisation.
Now visualise that the particles or radiations of bright white
colour are emanating from the Centre of Enlightenment and
spreading all around, permeating the whole body and the aura.
Practice sustained visualisation with deep concentration.
Now using autosuggestion realise:
1. Posture:
4. Kayotsarga:
Practice Kayotsarga.
Everybody is my friend.
I will practice amity with everybody.
Everybody is my friend.
I will practice amity with everybody.
6. Contemplate on the merit of this virtue on the following
line:
1. Posture
2. Recitation of the Mahaprana Dhavani
3. Kayotsarga
4. With your mind's eye visualise that every thing around you,
including the air itself, is coloured bright blue like peacock's
neck.
Take a deep breath and as you slowly inhale, visualise that you
are breathing long streams of bright blue air.
Repeat the breathing exercise several times, each time inhaling
bright blue air.
Visualise that bright blue air is entering into your lungs with each
inhalation.
5. Concentrate your full attention on the Centre of Enlightenment
situated in the middle of your forehead and recite 9 times loudly:
Keep your right hand on the right knee and left hand on the
left knee, keeping the palms turned up.
Let the tip of the index finger touch the tip of the thumb
with a slight pressure between them.
Keep the other fingers straight.
Keep both the hands on your lap, one above the other, by
keeping the palms up turned.
Let the left palm remain under the right one.
lie down on your back on a blanket with your legs slightly apart
keeping a distance of about 25-30 cms. between your heels.
First of all see that there is ample space for lying down.
First step
Om Shanti
[3 times].
Second Step
Stand straight with the spine and neck in straight line but
without stiffness.
Keep your feet parallel to each other with a distance of about 10
cms. between them.
Let your arms hang down loosely from shoulder-joints close to
your body with the palms open, facing inwards and fingers
straight and pointing down.
Taking a deep breath stretch your hand above your head and
standing on your toes, create tension by stretching your body
fully upward and experience the condition of tension.
Exhale, bring your hands down and relax, and experience the
condition of relaxation.
Experience the condition of tension and relaxation alternately
three times by repeating the exercise.
Third Step
Now lie down on your back and repeat the exercise which you did
in the standing position and experience the condition of tension
and relaxation alternately three times by repeating the exercise.
Simultaneously practice Mula Bandh.
Now spread out your legs slightly apart keeping the distance of
about 25-30 cms. between your heels.
Keep your hands alongside your body with a distance of about 15
cms. between the palm and trunk.
Allow your palms to remain open and turned up.
Keep your eyes softly closed.
Now keep your body completely motionless.
This is very essential.
Slow down the breath, keeping the body completely steady and
motionless.
Now try to experience that each part of your body including your
limbs are becoming as heavy as lead. ... [1 minute]
Starting with the big toe of your right foot concentrate your mind
on it.
Allow your mind to spread throughout the big toe.
Suggest to the muscles and nerves to relax
'Relax....Relax....Relax.....'
Experience that they are relaxing.
Experience that they have become relaxed.
In the same way attain relaxation of the other part of the right
leg - the other toes, sole, heel, ankle, upper part of the foot, calf
muscles, knee, thigh, upto the hip-joint.
In the same way relax the left limb upto the hip-joint.
Experience that the whole of the lower portion of the body has
become completely relaxed.
(Those who have got any heart trouble should pause here for a
few minutes and by autosuggestion, slow down the heart to
remove stress.)
Then concentrate your mind on both the hands and arms one by
one, starting from the thumb, the fingers, the palms, the wrist,
the lower arm, the elbow, the upper arm and the shoulder.
Now achieve the relaxation of the neck muscles in the front and
in the back.
Now achieve the relaxation of the upper portion of the body from
throat upto the head.
Now we come to a little more difficult part of the exercise. So far you
were relaxing large muscles which respond quickly to your suggestion.
But now we have to relax a large number of small and tiny muscles
which are difficult to relax.
First unclench your teeth and unlock your jaws and let your
tongue go limp.
Keep your lips softly closed.
Now relax all the facial muscles beginning with the chin, the lips,
the inner portion of the mouth including the teeth, the gums, the
palate and the tongue, vocal cords; then the cheeks, the nose,
the ears and the temples, both the eyes, the forehead and the
scalp.
Through autosuggestion achieve relaxation.
Experience that the whole of your upper portion of the body has
become completely relaxed.
Again allow your mind to travel from the head upto the feet and
from the feet upto the head, this time rather quickly and see that
there is no tension anywhere in the body.
The whole body from the feet upto the head has become
completely relaxed.
Fourth Step
Allow your muscles and nerves to come back to the normal state
of working by allowing your mind and vital energy to go over
each part of the body from head to the feet and using slow and
deep breathing.
Actually experience each part of the body is becoming active.
Conclude the exercise by three long breaths.
Om Shanti
Repeat
Dull and gloomy black, blue and grey are inauspicious, but bright
black etc. are not so.
Similarly bright red, yellow and white are auspicious, but dark
and dull red, etc. and not so.
In lesya dhyana, the following five bright colours are visualised:
1. Green colour as of emerald.
2. Blue colour as of peacock's neck.
3. Red colour as of rising sun.
4. Yellow colour as of sun-flower or gold.
5. White colour as of full moon or snow.
Chart of lesya –
Lesya Color Kendra Glands
Exercise:
1. With your mind's eye visualize that every thing around you,
including the air.
It is coloured bright green.
2. Take a deep breath and as you slowly inhale, visualize that
you are breathing long streams of green air.
Repeat the breathing exercise several times, each time
inhaling green air.
Continue this for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Focus your attention on Ananda Kendra (Psychic Centre for
Bliss) located near the heart and visualize bright green light
radiating from this centre.
Your full attention should be used for visualization of green
light.
If the light does not appear or vanish after appearance, do
not be disappointed.
Intensify your effort for sustained visualization.
In case, there is a distraction and your attention wanders.
Return it gently but firmly to the visualization of colour.
(Continue this for two to three minutes)
4. Now visualize that the green light radiating from the
Ananda Kendra fills up the space all around you.
The air that surrounds you is thoroughly permeated with
green radiation.
5. Visualizing this, repeat to yourself mentally the following
words three times: "I realize that 1 am free from my
psychological faults and negative attitudes". (2 to 3
minutes)
6. The above exercise, (steps 3 to 5) by substituting blue
colour for green and Visuddhi Kendra (Psychic Centre for
Purity) for Ananda Kendra. In the end repeat mentally to
yourself the following words "I realize that my sexual
impulses are being brought under my conscious control." (2
to 3 minutes)
7. Repeat the exercise (from 1 to 5) with the following
changes:
1. Colour - Red, (Rising sun)
2. Centre - Darsana Kendra (Psychic Centre of Intuition).
3. Words to be mentally repeated: "I realize that my
intuition is developing".
8. Repeat the exercise (from 1 to 5) with the following
changes:
1. Colour - Yellow (Sun flower)
2. Centre - Jnana Kendra (Psychic Centre for
Knowledge).
3. Words to be mentally repeated: "I realize that my
perceptive capacity is increasing."
9. Repeat the exercise (from 1 to 5) with the following
changes:
10.
1. Colour -White (Full moon).
2. Centre - Jyoti Kendra (psychic Centre for
Enlightenment).
3. Words to be mentally repeated: "I realize that my
passions (anger etc.) and emotions (fear etc.) are
brought under my conscious control."
Anupreksha
contemplating upon the perceptions experienced during meditation.
Anu: afterwards
Preksha: to perceive carefully and profoundly
Spiritual Basis of Anuprekshas
One side of Preksha dhyana is to watch, only watch. Watch without
imposing any thought. The second side of Prekshadhyana isto
contemplate, to think. Contemplation is a great means to attain Truth.
Thought is never wasted; it is only wasted when it is not concentrated
on a single object. We can know Truth only through thought. Many
researches about great facts of life have been conducted through
thought dhyana (Vicar dhyana). The process of thought is a very
powerful process of knowing the truth. It is called 'vichay dhyana'
according to Jain definition. It means thought oriented dhyana,
contemplation orienteddhyana; in which thought is more focused.
Scattered and fragmented thoughts cannot become dhyana. When the
thoughts become directed toward single direction, they become dhyana.
Meditation encompasses both thoughtlessness & thoughtfull state. Both
are aain the context of only watching (darshan), it is thoughtless
dhyana. The thoughts flowing in a single direction become 'vicar
dhyanaa'. Anupreksha is vicar dhyana. Anupreksha means to think
over what was seen during dhyana. We saw that there were vibrations
in certain parts of the body. The atoms were under going metabolism
(chayaapchaya). The basis of this knowing ispreksha. As we see we
apprehend the reality. Now we think, contemplate, ponder, the true
nature of the body. There is a constant receiving and discarding of
atoms going on. They are formed and distorted from the body, the
matter cannot be permanent; it also means that the body is 'anitya
dharma' (transitory nature). Thinking and reflecting about this
momentary nature is anupreksha. Preksha and anupreksha should be
exercised simultaneously. First watch and then think about its results,
and contemplate/reflect. The aim of prekshadhyana is to perceive the
truth by practicing proper way to see and to think. Anupreksha is also
used as a process of preksha dhyana, to do away with false
conceptions and false imaginations. Why has 'anu' been used before
'preksha'? Anupreksha is to watch the truthnot by your own
perceptions/ prejudices, instinct or imagination, but watching the
reality.
1.'Satyam prati anupreksha' i.e. anupreksha of truth. There are many
eternal truths or realities of life. Here are few to contemplate on
2. Anitya Anupreksha (anupreksha oftransitoriness)all this is about
to be left sooner or later. Its nature is devastation and destruction. It is
subject to Metabolism (chaya upchaya). It is fleeting, not permanent
and momentary. It has many states/stages.
Like the body, Anupreksha of other things can also be exercised.
3. Asharan Anupreksha (anupreksha of no shelter/refugee)no one
family, wealth or matter can be a refuge or shelter. One must search
the way of being refuge or protected within oneself.
4. Sansar Anupreksha (Anupreksha of World)Living being is
trapped between life and death. He is born to die. Sometimes he is born
as an animal, and sometimes as a human being, this cycle ofchange is
eternal.
5. Ekatva Anupreksha (Anupreksha of Lonliness)man is born alone
and would die alone. Experience and griefall these are subjective.
6. Anyatva Anupreksha (Anupreksha of Difference)enjoyment of
material things and passion (Kam) are different from me and I am
different from them. Matter is different from me and I am different
from matter. The experience ofthe difference from the other.
Acharya Mahapragya
In the practice of Anupreksha we repeat some thoughts in mind again
and again. Two things are importantrepetition of thoughts and stability
of thoughts. Keep repeating one thing again and again, it will turn into
reality, and we shall start acting accordingly. We are what we think.
We can sit in the boat of Contemplation and reach any remote shore.
There is no such shore where we cannot reach after sitting in the boat
of contemplation, this is what Acharya Mahapragya meant by his
quote. We can transform any thing any where. In the field on
Ayurveda, we have a similar example to relate. A person who is
familiar with Ayurved knows the difference between the power of
'ashtputi' abhrak (8 layered mica) and 'sahastraputi' abhrak (thousand
layered). The more the 'putis', intense shall be the power. There is a
great importance of puti, while preparing medicines. In the same way,
ifwe perform any work by adding the repetition of Contemplation, then
no other thought will cause any barrier in it. This is the healer of the
self & that of the other. Anupreksha can be conveyed to others. Others
can be influenced by it. Pacifying others difficulties, curing illness,
transforming others heart, changing their thoughtsall this can be done
by exercising Anupreksha. Ifwe think about it from the viewpoint of
spiritual practice (sadhna), we can achieve forbearance, fearlessness,
sweetness etc.
Experiment of Atmasanshan
The use of 'Atmasanshan' has always been important in Indian
literature, and many experiments related to it can be known. There is a
reference in Vedic literature, the great Yogis repeated the following
thoughts with perseverance. "let
speech always be flashing in my mouth. Let pran (Lifeforce) always
be flowing in my nerves. Let there always be power to see in my eyes.
Let there always be power to hear in my ears." Through this process
they kept nurturing their brains & body.
Using this power of thought the old Rishis (saints) used to increase
their powers or safe guard their potentials, this is Atmasanshan (self
hypnotism). They used to save their powers and could live till the age
of hundred years.
We do use similar powers in our daily life, some times positively &
some times negatively. Take the incidence of inferiority complex. A
man having inferiority complex weakens all his powers. Here the
person constantly sends a negative message to the self. Therefore the
use of Atma sanshan is very effective. To keep your powers informed,
to awaken them and to live it is one of the types of Atmasanshan. To
be unconscious of one's powers, to become uninterested, and to be
enveloped in inferiority complex, is another type of Atmasanshan.
Both have their own separate effects
Process of Chitt Shudhi (Mind Purification)
No impurities are accumulated on the Consciouness of a person who
practices anupreksha along with preksha dhyana, and neither does his
conscious get into unconscious. It is therefore necessary to practice
Anupreksha.
USES of anupreksha
Physical Relaxation ,Behavioral change, Desired change on Reduced
metabolism,developing positive habits, Sufficient blood & Pran Vayu
circulation, Nervous system, Emotional stability, Preksha meditation,
Colour Meditation, Purifying negative Thoughts, controlling automatic
organs & Balancing Automatic nervous system Change in the glandular
secretion, Positive Thinking