Introspection
Self-observation and reporting of conscious
inner thoughts, desires and sensations.
Conscious and purposive process relying on
thinking, reasoning, and examining one's soul.
Contemplation of one's self.
Plato "…why should we not calmly and patiently
review our own thoughts, and thoroughly
examine and see what these appearances in us
really are?"
12 Bhävanä
भाव - भावना
भाव्यते इतत भावना –thinking over and over
भावना भवनाशिनी –ends life cycle
संस्कारपादनं भावना –creates extraordinary
thought
स्वाधीनोत्तम भावना –under our control
12 Bhävanä
Why we need contemplation?
We are product of ideas adopted from social
surrounding
We think, act, react with preconceived concepts
around us
We cling to dogmatic view
We are attached to four instincts for ever
We forget the purpose of life
cont......
We have distorted view of the world .
What attracts from distance does not look
same at close range
~Mountain
~Mirage
Efficacy of Bhavanä
These Bhävanäs :
Give tools to examine life
Create awareness of goal of life
Create an atmosphere for righteous
meditation
Clearly distinguish between ‘self’ and
‘other’
Help to see life / world as it is
Connect us to religion
5 Bhävanäs are addressed to soul
अतनत्य
अिरण
संसार
एकत्व
अन्यत्व
1 addressed to body / soul
अिचु ि
6 related to philosophy
आस्रव
संवर
तनर्जरा
लोकस्वरूप
बोचधदल
ज
ु भ
धमजभावना
3 and 10 are objective
1,2,4,5,6 are subjective
7,8,9 are stages of development related to
karma
11,12 are instrumental
Do we have a quest for truth?
Ancient tradition for a new mendicant to
observe nature
One old leaf drops, new sprout emerges
Death and birth are two waves of same
ocean : Life
Until we reach the ‘best’, we go through
‘bad’, ‘good’, and ‘better’
Behind continuous changes is the
continuity of the changeless
अतनत्य : The changeless beneath
the changes
Impermanence is a frightening word
Because it is labeled ‘my’
Understand the impermanent and the
permanent reality behind the everchanging elements of existence in our
lives
Re-educate the mind to focus on
permanent entity
Positive outcome of Anitya Bhävanä
Sense of discretion
Widens our perspective and vision
We do not waste any energy on temporary things
We become humble and generous towards
shortcomings of others
We do not fly high during prosperity and feel down
or depressed during adverse situations.
We start to experience a deep feeling of oneness
with all life.
We will have quest for permanent existence
अिरण : protection in an
unprotected world
When nothing is everlasting, where do we
go for shelter?
Our Kevali Bhagavants have shown the
path of positive insight to lift us above fear
No false promises
New insight: I am my own savior
You become your own light
Seed thoughts for meditation
Asharan Bhävanä
There is no escape from the evil consequences
of our evil acts.
I am becoming aware that I am without true
protection. One by one, I see that the things and
persons on whom I depend are themselves
helpless.
Let me turn my consciousness away from the
temporary dependencies and connect with the
pure stream of life, my inner world, my
everlasting protection.
Positive outcomes of Asharan Bhävanä
We find our own course in life and become
self dependent
Tread the path (shown by Jina) with
vigilance, our own efforts and wisdom
Realization that true shelter is under the
Arihant, Siddha, Sädhu and pure religion
संसार : Cycle of death and birth
Duals
Ferris wheel
We get caught in perpetual motion of up
and downs
Even the moments of pleasure are also
illusive
How to be free?
With awareness of purposeful direction
one can use turn of the wheel to move
towards freedom
Cause of bondage can be used as a
cause of freedom
Stay unaffected by just being the observer
Kaleidoscope : same elements by
changing formation create new images
Seed-Thoughts For Meditation
Samsär Bhävanä
The ever moving is a continuous cycle of
change, I am in the center; I am steady and
aware.
Let me watch the circumference from the
center.
Each turn of the wheel can be either a cause
of my bondage or a cause of my freedom.
With awareness, I can use each turn as a
challenge to progress
एकत्व : Freedom from dependency
As we have assumed many forms we do
not see our true form
Circumference has many points, center
has only one
we are bound in periphery
Isolate yourself in center, but do not
become self -centered
Another perspective :
Oneness or unity with all mankind, all
living beings
Build a bridge to reach another heart
Positive outcome of Ekatva Bhävanä
Awakens ‘Simhavrutti’
Nourishes self-dependence
Pronounces individual liberty and individual
responsibility
Helps to face calamities with full energy
Makes us perseverant and patient
My family and my friends are not mine does
not breed selfishness but brings nonattachment.
It teaches us to be deserving and capable.
Seed-Thoughts For Meditation
Ekatva Bhävanä
I am One. I came alone into the world. I
will depart alone. I know how to stand
alone, without dependence or support,
apart from the herd, fearless and strong in
my Self
Let me be aware of everyone as flame, as
living light, including myself. Let me
realize the magnificence and potency of
soul and become universal.
अन्यत्व : In search of
incomparable
That which is other than your essence or
‘Self’
Anya – where you have mistakenly
identified yourself
Sva – Your true self that is incomparable
What are the things we have identified with?
body
sensory objects
family, relatives, friends
possessions
racial, cultural and religious labels
ideas
Experience the difference between what is
‘Self’ and what is not
What is yours can never be taken away
from you and what is not yours never can
be owned.
Seed-Thoughts For Meditation
Anyatva Bhävanä
What is living, sentient, and formless is evermoving energy; that is me. What is composing
and decomposing is insentient energy; that is
body. I do not want to be agitated by bodily pains
and pleasures.
The world is not agony or pain. Pain is my own
confusion, my possessiveness.
I have allowed my limited mind to identify with
ephemeral things and turn them into concepts.
Binding myself to them, I have become bound.
Now I turn to that light which can persuade the
mind to loosen its hold. I want to free myself of
dependency and perceive life clearly.
अिचु ि : Impurity
Body is itself impure, born out of things impure,
and produces things impure.
Without the existence of the soul within it, it is
nothing but a structure of dirt and diseases.
Even with the existence of soul within, it is
constantly under the process of decay and
deterioration
Due to impurity of thought we do not behave
with awareness
Positive outcome of Ashuchi bhävanä
It destroys the pride our body, family, caste and
race.
It reduces and removes one's attachment for
one's body, which causes neglect of soul and
spiritual welfare.
Reduces indulgence in material objects to satisfy
the undisciplined cravings of the body.
Purity comes from proper self-control, performing
good and virtuous acts
It should be properly maintained as it is the only
vehicle to purify the soul
िरीरमाध्यं खलु धमज साधनम ्
आस्रव : Observing the Inflow
Vibrations streaming into consciousness from all sides
From within
From society
From desires
From emotions
From conditioning
From repulsion and attractions
These debris muddies our pristine consciousness
The pollutants are :
Passions
5 active sense organs with mind
Unawareness
No discipline
Ignorance
Seed-Thoughts for meditation
Äsrava Bhävanä
It teaches how to observe our unlocked
gates, our flaws, our unchecked addictions
I stand back, watch the inflow, do not
identify with them so it can go back
outside as it came from outside
Detachment is not going away from
anybody; it is coming to my own self
Let me see myself as a clean body of
water, pure and sparkling
संवर : art of stoppage
To close the window when the storm is about to
come
Storm of anger
Control with power of steam engine
Let out steam like a pressure cooker
3 steps to stop cycle of reaction
~Be aware of your feeling
~Retain the energy until balance retains
~Use gentle selective words in a clear effective
ways
Storm of ego
Know the difference between self-respect
and ego
Self-respect radiates from inner
awareness, ego depends on external
situation
Storm of greed
Contentment should not hinder progress
Storm of deceit
When we do not have first three, we do
not need mask of deceit
We need courage, conviction, confidence
and vigilance of a mountaineer
तनर्जरा : The art of cleansing
It is shedding off, breaking off bindings,
attachments
It need discipline like a river controlled with
banks to protect and guide
Things are not holding us, our desires are
holding us
Seed-thoughts for meditation
I want to free myself from limiting habits
and reach my heights
I want discipline from inner awareness, not
from outside compulsion so my energy
can flow towards permanent reality
लोकस्वरूप
The Nature of the Universe
The constituents of this universe are soul,
matter, law of motion, law of rest, space, and
time. Of these six, only soul is aware.
Here we need to understand the nature of
substance and its modification
When I know the value of the day, I won't spoil it
at any cost.
I am living, conscious energy. Let me melt away
my inner walls of fear, greed, possessiveness,
anger, and ignorance. I want to free myself from
all bonds and live beyond.
Positive outcome of Loka-svaroop Bhävanä
Thinking about our attachment to the everchanging matter makes us aware of its
futility and our ignorance.
Thinking about our trivial place in the
vastness of the universe makes us humble
and dissolves our pride.
बोचधदल
ज : The rare occasion
ु भ
Human form
Favorable environment
Virtuous family
Right Guru
Desire to progress
Righteous vision
Even after getting all favorable things, in the
name of religion and tradition, we foster pride
and attainment of Bodhi slips from our hands
लोगस्स
उवसग्गहरं
र्यवीयराय
Rarity of enlightenment (Bodhi Durlabh)
I am knowledge, Removing the veils, I am
revealing myself.
It is just to be and not to possess.
Let me celebrate the unique moment when
I realize that I am eternal , unborn,
imperishable. When I experience this rare
inner treasure, this will be my greatest
achievement.
धमज : The nature of our nature
Reality
Religion
Truth
Nature
Seed-Thoughts for meditation
Let me stop being tossed and turned by
the waves of unreality and step onto my
steady island, my Dharma
No one is commanding my life. I am
commanding myself.
All else is temporary. Reality is here on
this island of Dharma
धर्म जागरिक Self Awareness
कः अहम ् ?
Who am I?
का मम र्ाई?
What is my Gati?
ककं ि मे कुलम?
What family I belong?
दे वता गुरवश्ि के मे ?
Who are my God and Guru?
को मम धमज?
What is my religion?
के वा अशभग्रहा मे ?
Which are my Vratas?
का अवस्था मे ?
What is my status?
ककं मया कृतं कतजव्यं ?
ककं कृत्यं ि मे िेषम ् ?
ककं ि िक्यं न समािराशम ?
ककं मे परः पश्यतत ?
What duties am I executing ?
What duties are not done?
Is my laziness responsible?
Which of my faults are seen by
others?
के ि मतय दोषाः ?
What faults do I have?
ककं वा स्खशलतं
वववर्जयाशम ?
Why I can not get rid of my faults?
Jai Jinendra
If I have said anything against the
teachings of Jina
MICHCHHA MI DUKKADAM