Preksha meditation: History and Methods
by Samani Pratibha Pragya | 2016 | 111,074 words
This page relates ‘Haribhadra’s Eight-Fold Yoga’ 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.
11.4. Haribhadra’s Eight-Fold Yoga
[Full title: The Two Meditations: Liberating Psychological States (4) Haribhadra’s Eight-Fold Yoga]
Ācārya Haribhadra (8th c. CE) commenced a shift in the field of Jaina yoga. He assimilated elements of Patañjali’s Yoga-sūtra in his own innovative formulation of Jaina meditation coining new words to describe spiritual progress. He also made a valuable contribution to the comparative study of yoga, composing a number of works on the subject. He composed four treatises on yoga. They are the Yoga-bindu, Yoga-dṛṣṭisamuccaya (Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya), Yoga-śataka and Yoga-viṅśikā (Yoga-viṃśikā). Bronkhorst (1993: 156) considers Haribhadra’s contribution to Jaina meditation as “a far more drastic departure from the scriptures”. In Jainism, the term “yoga”, throughout the ages, has technically been used to refer to the activity of mind, body and speech that is the cause of bondage.[1] Haribhadra, however, provided a new definition of yoga: “that which connects to liberation is considered as yoga.”[2] Because of Haribhadra’s contribution to yoga and meditation, Jainas stood more equipped than they had been before to cope with challenges in the field of “yoga”, given that all other Indian religions had well-established systems of yoga. This development of “Jaina yoga” was a step that promoted substantially the survival and growth of Jainism.
Haribhadra’s Yoga-viṃśikā has been studied by Tatia (1951). It is a small composition of 20 ślokas (viṃśikā) on Jaina yoga that has special importance for the development of Jaina meditational thought. Haribhadra incorporates five kinds of activity into meditative practice. This development shows that meditation is not a single action but combines within it several other actions to enable the practitioner to concentrate deeply. Posture, pronunciation and meaning are described by Haribhadra as the pre-requisites or assisting factors for meditation.
The Yoga-viṃśikā[3] highlights five prerequisites:
(1) Proper posture (sthāna);
(2) Correct pronunciation (ūrṇa);
(3) Proper understanding of the meaning (artha);
(4) Concentration on the image of the tīrthaṅkara in his full glory (ālambana);
(5) Concentration on his abstract attributes (anālambana).
Tatia comments that out of these five, the first two constitute external spiritual activity, which is known by a practitioner as the “yoga of effort” (karma-yoga), while the last three are forms of internal spiritual activity known as the “yoga of knowledge” (jñāna-yoga) (Tatia, 1951: 293–94).
The Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya, as its name indicates, is a collection or overview of various viewpoints on yoga. The main architect of Indian yoga, Patañjali, plays an important role here but the impact of Vedānta and the Buddhist schools is also visible. Chapple (2003: 15) states: “The yoga system of Patañjali provides the template upon which Haribhadra erects the Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya”. Patañjali distinguished eight parts (aṅga) of yoga and, similarly, Haribhadra presents a plan of Jaina yoga through the eight dṛṣṭis.
The Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya describes the first five stages as preparatory stages of spiritual development. The sixth stage, which is described as pleasing (kāntā), is equal to Patañjali’s stage of concentration (dhāraṇā). Concentration is a stepping stone for the progression of meditation.
Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya refers to the qualitative aspects of this stage[4] :
In kāntā [pleasing], there is a higher concentration for the sake of compassion toward others. Pleasure is never found in externals and a beneficial reflection arises. In this state, due to the efficacy of dharma, one’s conduct becomes purified. One is beloved among beings and single-mindedly devoted to dharma. (YSD, 163)
With mind always fixed on scriptural dharma, it is only the body that is busy with other things. Thus renouncing due to knowledge enjoyments are not causes for a return to worldly existence. (Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya 162–64)[5]
Kāntā is a very stable condition and can be compared with the meditational state of dharmya-dhyāna. Haribhadra explains how various qualities such as one-pointed concentration and compassion towards others appear in this stage which is a gateway for deep states of meditation.
The seventh state of meditation in Haribhadra’s eight-fold yoga is radiance (prabhā). This stage has a number of meditative goals of purification and due to remarkable calmness enables reaching the higher stages.
These show the influence of Hindu forms of meditation and are not mentioned in Jaina canonical and classical literature.
One frequently practices meditation that is pleasing. In this there is no suffering. In this, happiness is born of meditation, as well as the discipline of conquering amorous passion, the emergence of strong discrimination, and the power of constant serenity. (Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya, 170–72)[6]
The final stage of meditation is considered to be the highest (parā) as it leads to the spiritual goal of liberation. It is defined as the state of samādhi in which one becomes free from all attachments and attains liberation.
“The behaviour of such a one is like the manner of one who, having climbed up [a mountain], no longer is in the state of climbing.”[7] This is the zenith of yoga. The key point, however, is to understand that Jaina yoga can be put into the category of “ayoga” (motionlessness), a state which we can compare with the state just prior to liberation discussed in the Daśavaikālika-sūtra (4.24).[8]
After Haribhadra there is a new shift in Jaina meditation, more tantra influence appears in the yogic practices during the time of ācārya Śubhacandra.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Tattvārtha-sūtra1, 5.1. mithyādarśana-avirati-pramāda-kaṣāya-yogaḥ bandhahetavaḥ.
[2]:
Yoga-viṃśikā, 1. mokheṇajoyaṇāo jogo, savvo vi dhammavāvāro.
[3]:
Yoga-viṃśikā 2. ṭhāṇunnatthālaṃbaṇarhio taṃtammi pañcahā easo.
[4]:
I have taken all Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya translation from Chapple (1998).
[5]:
Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya, 162–64 asyāṃ tu dharmamāhātmyāt samācāraviśuddhitaḥ priyo bhavati bhūtānaṃ dharmikāgramanās tathā. śrutadharme mano nityaṃ kāyas tvasyānyaceṣṭite atas tv ākṣepakajñānān na bhogā bhavahetavaḥ. asyāṃ tu dharmamāhātmyāt samācāraviśuddhitaḥ priyo bhavati bhūtānaṃ dharmikāgramanās tathā.
[6]:
Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya, 170–71 dhyānapriyā prabhā prāyo nāsyāṃ rug ata eva hi tattvapratipattiyutā viśseṣeṇa śamānvitā. dhyānajaṃ sukham asyāṃ tu jitamanmathasādhanam vivekbalanirjātaṃ śamasāraṃ sadaiva hi.
[7]:
Yoga-dṛṣṭi-samuccaya, 179. nirācārapado hy asyām aticāravivarjitaḥ. ārūḍhārohaṇābhāvagatavat tv asya ceṣṭitam