Meditation Pujyashree, can you explain a little further on the subject of meditation? Yes… There are two types of discussions on meditation (dhyan) The ones written in the Jain scriptures are excellent, that of; adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan), adverse internal meditation that hurts the self and others (raudradhyan), absence of adverse internal meditation; virtuous meditation (dharmadhyan), and meditation as the Self (shukladhyan) Four types of mediation And the other form in which meditation is done That is, where a person sits in the lotus pose (padmasana ) this kind of mediation comes under the Ashtanga yoga under which it is a form of meditation. And finally there is the mental retention (dhaarna), meditation (dhyan), state of the Self free from any effects of mental, physical or externally induced pain (samadhi) Up to the point of reaching the blissful state without of any 'I-ness' or 'My-ness', [the stage of] meditation comes in the middle Now the meditation that people are doing, that in reality is concentration Concentration It is not meditation What is meditation? Decide on a goal Just like you decide you want to go to Mumbai Once the goal has been decided, then one’s meditation… we are the meditator (dhyata); the one going to Mumbai The goal has been decided so now the meditation for it automatically occurs, one does not have to [actively] do it so real meditation is… so it is imperative to set a goal just like when we decide that ‘With my mind, body and speech I do not want to hurt anyone’ and if we remain in that awareness then it is considered to be the top most virtuous meditation (dharmadhyan), alternatively, don’t people say, “that person is coming home today, I want to tell him off” that is the kind of meditation they do then that is considered to be adverse internal meditation that hurts the self and others (raudradhyan) or today if guests that you don’t like arrive [at your house] and you feel, “why have these people come at this hour?, why have they come right now?, when will they leave to go back?” and you feel agitation within, then that is called adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) So this meditation arises automatically… behind worldly activities, meditation tends to arise automatically Now what are the four types of meditation? If we understand it simply If you cause anyone any kind of suffering; through anger (krodh), through deceit (kapat), through attachments (moha) through aversion (dwesh) or through dislike (abhaav) Then it is considered to be adverse internal meditation that hurts the self and others (raudradhyan), And if you are not causing anyone else to suffer but your own inner intents become spoiled that is called adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) when you notice guests you do not like and you feel agitation within Superfluously you will say, “Welcome welcome” but inside you are agitated that is called adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) or when one worries, that ‘oh my legs are hurting, what will happen to me?’ the feeling that ‘what will happen to me?’ is the highest kind of adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) alternatively , when guests that you don’t like are around and you have the inner intent that, ‘it would be good if these people leave’ Then that is called adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) And if they are guests you like, and you feel, ‘It is good if they stay longer’ The son-in-law will say, “Ok, I am leaving now.” And one will be like, “Why are you leaving. You have barely come for ten minutes. This isn’t appropriate. You have come from so far. You must have some tea You must have some snacks, and what of dinner… As soon as he [son-in-law] talks about leaving, One starts to have tears rolling down from the eyes, “Oh he is leaving” That too has gone into adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) Why? Because to try and secure what you like that is also adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) And to push away that which you do not like that too is also adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) So this is called adverse internal meditation that hurts the self (artadhyan) If you cause others to suffer through anger, pride, attachment, greed that is adverse internal meditation that hurts the self and others (raudradhyan), then if you cause someone to suffer and on top of that you are repentant that, “oh no what I’ve done is wrong, I do not want to hurt anyone,” Then it falls under virtuous meditation (dharmadhyan), And if the awareness that, ‘I am pure Soul’ occurs And one remains in that awakened awareness (jagruti) then it is the meditation of the Soul and it is called mediation as the Self (shukladhyan)