Dharm Dhyan Ek Anuchintan - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Dharm Dhyan Ek Anuchintan" by Kanhaiyalal Lodha, based on the provided pages:

Dharm Dhyan Ek Anuchintan: A Contemplation of Righteous Meditation

This work by Kanhaiyalal Lodha explores the profound concept of Dharm Dhyan (Righteous Meditation) within Jain philosophy, emphasizing its role in spiritual progress and liberation.

Foundational Principles of Jain Sadhana:

The text begins by outlining the three fundamental pillars of spiritual practice in Jainism:

Punya (Merit): This is the act of renouncing sinful activities and embracing virtuous ones. Punya purifies the soul and lays the groundwork for Samvar and Nirjara. It is seen as a facilitator of spiritual upliftment, not an obstacle.
Samvar (Restraint): This involves controlling the mind, speech, and body, as well as the senses. Samvar is a practice of cessation and prohibition, preventing the influx of new karmas.
Nirjara (Shedding of Karmas): This is the process of breaking the identification with previously accumulated karmas. Nirjara, achieved through austerities (tapas), purifies the soul by dissolving karmic bondage.

The Role of Tapas (Austerities):

Tapas are categorized into two types:

Bahya Tapas (External Austerities): Such as fasting (Anshan) and reduced consumption (Unodari), these help break attachment to outward-facing tendencies.
Abhyantara Tapas (Internal Austerities): Practices like confession and humility (Vinaya) aim to sever the roots of internal tendencies like attachment and aversion. Meditation (Dhyan) is considered an internal austerity.

The Essence of Meditation:

Meditation is described as an internal experience where the practitioner turns inward, focusing on their inner world. Through intense concentration, the meditator penetrates and dissolves the knots of identification, inertia, and delusion within their inner landscape. This concentration is achieved through equanimity (Samatva) rooted in the awareness of impermanence (Anitya Bodh).

Samayika (Equanimity): The text highlights Samayika as the heart of all spiritual practices. As the meditator breaks their identification with external objects and experiences, they become increasingly inclined towards their true Self. Complete detachment leads to a state beyond the body and the world, resulting in the experience of one's own indestructible and tranquil nature. This profound realization, however, is accessible only through dedicated practical meditation.

Defining Dharma (Righteousness):

Swadharma (True Nature): Dharma is defined as abiding in one's true, inherent nature.
Adharma (Unrighteousness/Sin): Adharma is adopting external or perverted states.
The Soul's True Nature: The true nature of the soul is immortality and indestructibility, which is desired by all sentient beings. Conversely, destructibility, mortality, and impermanence are considered perverted states.

The Nature of Reality:

Duality of Existence: Everything in the universe undergoes creation and destruction (Utpad-Vyaya). This cycle of change is a perverted state.
The Knower of Change: The true Self, the knower of this creation and destruction, is the eternal and unchanging essence.
Achieving Dharma: To realize one's true nature (Swadharma), it is essential to understand both the perverted states (Vibhava - creation and destruction) and the true nature (Swabhava - eternality). Renouncing the perverted states of creation and destruction and attaining the state of eternality is the ultimate goal of Dharma. This attainment is the Sadhyarup Dharma (Dharma as the goal). The practice (Sadhana) that leads to this goal involves renouncing the transient pleasures associated with creation and destruction. This practice itself is referred to as Dharmakriya or Dharm Dhyan.

Four Types of Dharm Dhyan:

The text elaborates on four specific types of Righteous Meditation:

Agnya Vichay (Contemplation of Divine Command): This involves meditating on truth, which is eternal and unchanging. The commentary links this to the teachings of the Acharya, emphasizing living in accordance with these eternal truths. This also includes cultivating equanimity by not developing attachment or aversion towards sensations and by understanding the impermanence of all experiences.
Apaya Vichay (Contemplation of Flaws/Defects): This involves reflecting on internal defects like attachment, aversion, sensual desires, anger, etc. The practice is to recognize these flaws as transient and maintain a detached attitude, not getting carried away by their flow, and distinguishing oneself from them.
Vipak Vichay (Contemplation of Results/Consequences): This focuses on reflecting on the consequences (Vipak) arising from these defects. In meditation, one observes the various states of sensations (grossness, inertia, pleasantness, unpleasantness, etc.) and maintains equanimity towards them, understanding their impermanent nature.
Sansthan Vichay (Contemplation of Form/Structure): This involves contemplating the structure of the universe. By calming the mind and turning inwards, one experiences pure consciousness and a sense of self distinct from the physical body and the material world. Maintaining equanimity towards the nature of the world is part of this contemplation.

Four Characteristics of Dharm Dhyan (Lakshana):

Agnya Ruchi (Inclination towards Divine Command): This is a deep interest and attraction towards the eternal, unchanging true Self and the path of non-attachment (Vitaraag Marg).
Nisarg Ruchi (Inclination towards Nature): This is finding one's benefit in whatever happens naturally, understanding that natural occurrences are the results of karmic fruition leading to karma shedding. It involves remaining cheerful and maintaining equanimity towards all events, rather than reacting with attachment or aversion.
Sutra Ruchi (Inclination towards Scriptural Principles): This is a fascination with the inherent, self-evident, and logical principles of nature, which are also reflected in the teachings of the Vitaraag (those free from attachment and aversion). Examples include the cause-and-effect relationship between anger and distress, or the principle that the soul is the creator and non-creator of its own happiness and sorrow.
Avagadh Ruchi (Deep Inclination): This is the desire to delve deeply into the principles of divine command, nature, and scripture, seeking direct experiential understanding through introspection.

Four Supporting Elements of Dharm Dhyan (Alamban):

These are aids to Dharm Dhyan but not Dharm Dhyan itself, as they involve thought and discussion, which hinder complete concentration and introversion.

Vachana (Reading/Studying): Gaining knowledge of the eternal principles of nature.
Prachhana (Inquiry): Cultivating curiosity to understand the essence and secrets of these principles.
Parivartana (Reflection/Contemplation): Repeatedly thinking about and meditating on these principles to internalize them.
Dharmakatha (Discourse on Dharma): Striving to realize the truth embedded in these principles.

These four elements are part of Svadhyaya Tapas (austerity of self-study), which is a precursor to meditation.

Four Meditative Reflections (Anupreksha):

These are profound contemplations undertaken during meditation:

Ekatvanupreksha (Reflection on Oneness): The meditator realizes their separateness not only from the world and family but also from their own body. They experience loneliness in association and understand their oneness with the eternal (like the Siddhas). They recognize the transient nature of the body, mind, and sensations, and their inherent difference from these perishable elements. This leads to abiding in one's true nature and experiencing unity with the eternal.
Anityanupreksha (Reflection on Impermanence): The meditator observes the constant change and flux in the external world mirrored by the rapid transformation of every particle of their body and all sensations. They realize that everything in the world, including happiness, sorrow, circumstances, body, mind, wealth, friends, and possessions, is impermanent and perishable. This understanding leads to equanimity and the renunciation of desire for transient objects.
Asharnanupreksha (Reflection on Helplessness/Lack of Refuge): Experiencing the impermanence of the body and sensations, the meditator understands that seeking refuge or support in perishable things is a mistake. Since these objects are themselves impermanent, they cannot offer lasting support. Therefore, the meditator abandons reliance on perishable things and abides in their indestructible nature.
Sansaranupreksha (Reflection on the Cycle of Samsara): The meditator experiences that sensations cause distress and agitation. The entire inner and outer world is perceived as burning in the fire of turmoil. There is no true happiness in this world; even what appears as pleasant is ultimately a form of suffering. Liberation from this suffering is found by transcending the world, the body, and the senses, leading to unfettered, infinite bliss.

Conclusion:

The text concludes by emphasizing that a true human is a spiritual seeker who engages in Sadhana. Sadhana is the practical process of moving from outwardness to inwardness, which is the essence of Dharm Dhyan. By piercing and suppressing karmic knots, Dharm Dhyan breaks identification with the external, leading to the shedding of karmas and liberation from bondage. Therefore, Dharm Dhyan is the foundation and essence of spiritual practice. The enduring advice given by spiritual masters to seekers is to "practice Dharm Dhyan," highlighting its paramount importance. A life without Dharm Dhyan is not that of a seeker but a life of indulgence, which is animalistic, not human. The true meaning and success of human life lie in embracing Dharm Dhyan to achieve liberation and enlightenment.