Subject matters of one's thoughts, what a person thinks, and how he thinks. This is called Bhavana,
yearnings, thought, aspirations, or reflections. The Bhavana describes the
subject matters of one's contemplation, and how to occupy one's mind with
useful, religious, beneficial, peaceful, harmless, spiritually advancing, karma
preventing thoughts. The Bhavanas, also called Anuprekshaas, help one to
remain on the right course in the life, and not to stray away. The person's
behavior, practical life, or action is the resultant of his internal
thoughts, day in and day out. The Bhavanas are twelve in number.
(1) Anitya bhavana:
(The Impermanence of the sansaar or world)
Nothing in the Universe has permanence, even though
the whole Universe is constant. Spiritual values are therefore
worth striving for as they alone offer the soul, its ultimate freedom and
stability.
(2) Asharana bhavana:
(The refuge to the sansaar, i.e. world of becoming, is
misleading).
The soul is own refuge, and to achieve total freedom
and enlightenment to the true path one takes refuge to five best
personalities, namely Arihanta, Siddha, Aachaarya, Upaadhyaaya and Sadhus. The
refuge to things other than above due to delusion, is misfortune, and must be
avoided.
(3) Ekatva bhavana:
(The aloneness of the Soul)
The soul is solitaire, and lonely in existence. The
Soul assumes birth alone, and departs alone from the life form. The Soul
will be responsible for its own actions, and karmas. The Soul will enjoy the
fruit, and suffer bad consequences of its own action alone.
(4) Anyatva bhavana:
(The Self-dependence,
separateness)
In this world nobody is for somebody, and somebody is for
nobody. The soul therefore should not develop attachment for worldly objects
and beings.
(5) Sansaara bhavana:
(The Worldly existence)
The soul transmigrates from one life to the other and in
four gatis, human, animal, hellish, heavenly, and is full of pain and miseries.
The Soul must achieve ultimate freedom from it, which is moksha.
(6) Ashuchi bhavana:
(The impureness of the body):
The composition of the body will reveal all the things we
loathe, such as excrement, urine, blood, meat, bones, sweat, and so on, and
therefore is impure. The Soul, within the body but unattached to the body,
alone is pure. The body ultimately becomes non existent, but the Soul continues
on, is eternal. The emotional attachments to the body is useless.
(7) Aashrava bhavana:
(Influx of Karma contemplations)
Raag, Dwesh, and ignorance attract new karmas. Deluded state
and how to be free from delusion is the subject matter of this thought
activity.
(8) Samvar bhavana:
(Stoppage of influx of
Karma)
To get absorbed in achieving spiritual knowledge,
meditation, etc. prevents the influx of karmas.
(9) Nirjaraa bhavanaa:
(Karma Shedding)
This efficacy of discipline and penance for freeing oneself
from the bondage of the karma.
(10) Loka bhavana:
(Universe)
To Think of the nature and structure of the universe. The
Universe consists of six substances, Soul, Pudgal, Dharma, Adharma, Kaala,
Space. The Universe is grouped into three divisions
- Urdhvaloka, or heavenly areas above us where among other
heavenly objects, super-life called Gods live.
- Madhyaloka; or central area were humans and animals live.
- Adholoka, which is located in the lower regions of
the Universe, where hellish beings, live.
On the top of the Universe is Siddba-shila where liberated
souls, or Siddhaas live. Apparently, Siddh-shila at one end of the Universe
creates the reference as the highest position in the universe, earth in the
central region, and other referenced high, or low from the earth.
(11) Bodhidurlabha
bhavana:
(Unobtainability of true talent)
It is very difficult for the transmigrating soul in this
sansaar (world) to be close to, or be opportune to be acomplishing right faith,
right knowledge, and right conduct, etc. So when you have the opportunity to be
a Jain, take advantage of it to develop right religious talent.
(12) Dharmadurlabha bhavana:
(Unobtainability of true preceptor, scripture and religion).
To be able to distinguish right religion, scripture,
preceptor etc. from the wrong, and to follow the right, requires good
judgement.
The Dharma is characterized by:
Uttama Kshamaa (Forbearance, Forgiveness),
Uttama Maardava (Modesty, Humility),
Uttama Aarjava (Straightforwardness),
Uttama Saucha (Purity),
Uttama Satya (Truth),
Uttama Samyama (Self-restraint, Control of Senses),
Uttama Tapa (Austerity, Penance),
Uttama Tyaaga (Renunciation),
Uttama Akinchanya (Non attachment),
Uttama Brahmacharya (Celibacy, Chastity).
The word Uttama is indicative of the power and authority of Samyag darshan,
or right perception.
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