भक्तामर स्तोत्र : अंतनिहित बीज ततव्य

Summary

This article explores the theory and practice of mantra and meditation within the Jain tradition, with a focus on the Bhaktamara Stotra. It explains that mantras are composed of seed syllables (bīja) and are a development of speech principles (vāktattva). The discussion covers various types of meditation (dhyāna), beginning with piṇḍastha dhyāna, where the meditator visualizes the entire three-world universe within their own body, focusing on specific body parts as cosmic regions. This is followed by an examination of the five elemental concentrations (dhāraṇā): earthly, watery, fiery, airy, and essential, each associated with a specific color, location in the body, and seed syllable. The text then describes padastha dhyāna, which involves meditating on the alphabet, placing vowels and consonants on visualized lotus petals in the navel, heart, and mouth. The syllable "Arha" and the Ṇamokāra mantra are highlighted as central to this practice. Rūpastha dhyāna is the meditation on the form of the Arhat in the samavasarana, while rūpātīta dhyāna is formless meditation on the Siddha. The article also details the four types of dharma dhyāna (scriptural contemplation, reflection on calamities, karmic retribution, and the nature of the universe) and the four stages of śukla dhyāna, which lead to the destruction of karma and ultimately to the state of the ayogikevalī. Finally, it connects these principles back to the Bhaktamara Stotra, asserting that its verses, composed by the sage Mānatuṅga, have attained the sanctity of mantras through continuous recitation and are imbued with these same seed elements and meditative structures.