Question

Identify the types of Virtuous Meditation (Dharmadhyana) from the following list:
A. Ajna-vichaya
B. Avaya-vichaya
C. Apaya-vichaya
D. Vipaka-vichaya
E. Sanhanana-vichaya

• A. Only A, C, D
• B. Only B, C, E
• C. Only A, D, E
• D. Only C, D, E

Hint:

The four "Dharmadhyanas" are Ajna (Command), Apaya (Calamity), Vipaka (Karmic result), and Sansthana (Cosmology). Memorizing this quartet is essential for meditation-related questions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Meditation (Dhyana) in Jainism is divided into four types: Arta (sorrowful), Raudra (wrathful), Dharma (virtuous), and Shukla (pure). For a spiritual seeker, the focus shifts from the first two to Dharma Dhyana. There are four specific sub-types of Virtuous Meditation.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The four types of Dharma Dhyana are:
1. Ajna-vichaya (A): Meditation on the "command" or "words" of the Tirthankaras. When a seeker cannot understand a complex metaphysical point through logic, they accept it based on the flawless authority of the enlightened masters.
2. Apaya-vichaya (C): Meditation on the "calamity" or "misery" caused by the cycle of birth and death (Samsara). It involves contemplating how living beings can be freed from their suffering and ignorance.
3. Vipaka-vichaya (D): Meditation on the "ripening" or "fruition" of Karma. One contemplates how the various experiences of life (good or bad) are simply the results of past actions and should be faced with equanimity.
4. Sansthana-vichaya (Not in list): Meditation on the "structure" or "form" of the universe (Loka). By understanding the vastness of the universe and the soul's small place in it, one develops detachment.
5. Why B and E are excluded:
- Avaya-vichaya (B): While "Avaya" is a stage of sensory perception (Mati-Jnana), it is not one of the four official types of Dharmadhyana.
- Sanhanana-vichaya (E): "Sanhanana" refers to the bone structure or physical constitution of a person, not a type of meditation.
Thus, A, C, and D are the correct types listed.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The types of Dharmadhyana are Ajna-vichaya, Apaya-vichaya, and Vipaka-vichaya.