The history of meditation is as old as the history of religion. The relation between religion and meditation is such that one cannot be without the other. Meditation is fundamental to religion. Still, a time came when meditation and religion got separated. I have mntioned about it in my tract Treapanth-Prabodh.
Some people thought that there is no tradition of meditation in Jainism. I do not agree with that view. We find meditation interwoven in the life incidents of the Jain Tirthankaras and religious teachers. Innumerable ideas of the Tirthankaras in meditative poses can be found. However it is not without reason that despite so many evidences available with regard to meditation, such an impression had stuck deep roots. Jainism had to pass through a phase when under special circumstances, the monks and the nuns probably did not find time for meditation. It is a natural human tendency that once a particular practice ceases to be part of the daily routine, one does not feel inclined to reinstate it. I can be said that probably that was the case with regard to meditation.
The Meaning of Meditation
Meditation has all along been the essential part of the daily routine of a religious person. The Jain Agamas have ordained that the monks should do meditation during the second prahara of the day and night. They should spend four praharas in studying the sacred books, two praharas in meditation and the remaining two in prahas in eating and sleeping. Thus, their routine for the eight preharas were decided. The question can be raises if it is possible to meditate continuously for one prahara. It is an accepted belief that the mind of the person who is not free from Karma cannot remain steady beyond anfarmultion. How is meditation possible unless the mind is steady? In this context it is necessary to discuss the meaning of the word mediation. One of the meanings of the word mediation is control of the activities of the mind, speech and body. Another meaning of meditation is steadying the mind on the subject of concentration. There can be regulation of time in this case as well.
The term meditation is (dhyan) is derived etymologically from the dhyaim meaning reflect. The subject for reflection root can be the same and it can also change. From this view, meditation can also be linked with the continuous process of contemplation on the meaning. If we look at it from this point of view. Meditation for one prahara does not seem to be incongruous or impossible. The first prahara is devoted to the study of the Agamas (scriptures), the second prahara is meant for deep contemplation on the meaning of the Agamas.
Unsteadiness of Mind Obstructs Meditation
Some people say that they cannot meditate, because their mind is unsteady. Unsteadiness of the mind is an obstruction in meditation. Acharya Somaprabha has written thus to clarify this point:
"If any person wants to pursue religion by becoming cruel, wants to acquire fame by vicious means, wants to acquire wealth nor remaining indolent, wants to write poetry without having the genius for it, wants to become an ascetic without controlling the senses and showing compassion, wants to seriously study the scriptures without the requisite intelligence, wants to see things without the eyes and wants to meditate on them when his mind is unsteady cannot succeed. Similarly, the person who desires his beatitude by giving up the contact with the virtuous people can never succeed."
To think that the person whose mind is unsteady cannot meditate in spite of his ardent wish. And for the person whose mind is steady, meditation is not necessary, is a one-sided view. Only the person who takes on-sided view, would say that he would not meditate till his mind becomes steady…
Two friends went to the river to bathe. Both of them slipped in the mud. He drifted with the flow of the river. His companion held him and pulled him out. Coming on the bank, he said, "I would not step in water till I learn swimming "But can anyone learn to swim without stepping in water? What a contradiction!
When people say that they would meditate only when their mind becomes steady, they are also talking in similar contradictory terms. It is necessary to practice meditation exactly because the mind is unsteady. Without that practice, the mind would not become steady. From this point of view, everything should be considered in relative terms. Acharya Somaprabha's statement too is relative. Only when this is realized it is possible to know the essential aspect of things.
