Preksha meditation: History and Methods
by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words
This page relates ‘The Anupreksha meditative practice’ 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.
8. The Anuprekṣā meditative practice
The term contemplation (anuprekṣā) is an ancient meditative practice which is not found in Ācārāṅga-sūtra but Uttarādhyayana-sūtra presents its benefits. The Uttarādhyayana-sūtra describes the daily routine of ascetics which consists of the practice of svādhyāya and anuprekṣā. It is used as a component of dharma-dhyāna[1] and śukla-dhyāna[2] as well as the third part of svādhyāya in Sthānāṅga-sūtra[3] An early Digambara text attributed to Kundakunda, the Vārassa-aṇuvekkhā or “Twelve Contemplations”, elucidates these. Schubring states that the Uttarādhyayana-sūtra presents examples within the text for understanding the types of anuprekṣā, in the tenth chapter; these are common examples that illustrate transitoriness such as a falling leaf, or a dangling dew-drop on a blade of grass which survives for a short time. Schubring (2000: 307) states these anuprekṣās are of a “pessimistic character”. A systematised, modern packaging of anuprekṣa, which is different from its traditional forms Tattvārtha-sūtra (9.7), is presented under prekṣā-dhyāna which is discussed in chapter 4.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Sthānāṅga-sūtra, 4.68. dhammassa ṇaṃ jhāṇassa cattāri aṇuppehāo paṇṇattāo, taṃ jahā–egāṇuppehā, aṇiccāṇuppehā, asaraṇāṇuppehā, saṃsārāṇuppehā.
[2]:
Sthānāṅga-sūtra, 4.72. sukkassa jhāṇassa cattāri aṇuppehāo paṇṇattāo, taṃ jahā–aṇaṃtavattiyāṇuppehā, vippariṇāmāṇuppehā, aśubhāṇuppehā, avāyāṇuppehā.