Introduction

Jain religion puts a significant emphasis on the thought process (inner aspirations) of a human being.  A person's behavior and his actions are the reflection of his internal thoughts.  It is not only the action but also intention behind the action results in the accumulation of Karma.  Hence, one should be very careful about his thoughts, and the subject matter of his thought.

To make room for pure thoughts, and to drive out the evil ones, Jainism recommends reflecting or meditating on the twelve thoughts known as the Twelve Bhävanä (Anuprekshä) or Reflections.  The Twelve Bhävanäs cover a wide field of Jainism.  They are designed to serve as an aid to spiritual progress leading to the path of liberation.  They are reflections upon the fundamental facts of life.

Twelve Bhävanäs (Reflection on Soul):

01.  Anitya Bhävanä (Transitoriness)

‘Anitya' means ‘transitory'.  All material things of the universe are transitory in nature.  It is an ever-changing world.  Nothing is still and permanent here.  What gives us pain is not the changing modes but our insistence to see that the things of our liking remain permanent.  Unthinking man never reconciles himself to the fact of change and this is the root of human misery because no one who belongs to this universe, and is a part of it, can free himself from the laws of nature, which govern the universe.  We experience every moment that all objects of pleasure, wealth, power, and everything around us undergo changes.  The moment we are born, we begin to age and then die.  Change is the rule.  The only exception is our own true self, Soul (Chetanä).  However, we tend to forget the Soul that is permanent and cling to the things that are transitory, and if in the process we become unhappy, we blame others.  Obviously, the pangs of our pain would be greatly relieved if we constantly remember, that everything except the self (soul) is transitory, change is the rule and clinging to the changing modes is pure ignorance.

02.  Asharan Bhävanä (Helplessness)

Sharana means refuge.  Asharan means lack of refuge or helplessness.  When death occurs and the soul has to leave the body, there is no one who can save the soul from that helpless situation.  Wealth, family etc. have to be given up at that time.  No worldly thing can thus provide refuge, so why should we depend upon them.  ‘It should be constantly borne in mind that we have to find out our own course in life.  Pure religion alone ought to be accepted as help in life.  Seers and scriptures can only guide us.  We have to tread on the path by our own efforts, discrimination, and wisdom.  When we are, overtaken by pain, physical or mental, no one can save us from its pangs.  We are the makers of our own future and our pleasures and pains.  We have to learn to bear them with equanimity and without depending on others.

03.  Sansär Bhävanä (Cycle of Birth and Death)

In the cycle of birth and rebirth, mother of one life may become wife in another life, and similarly wife can become mother; and an enemy can become a friend.  How strange and futile is the Sansär?  We should not have any attachment to it.  This Bhävanä asks us to remember that this self is wandering in this Sansär from one life to another, since time immemorial.  This endless wandering from one life to the other must have some purpose.  Can there be an end to it?  Surely, it cannot be the scheme of Nature that this Ätmä should go on endlessly to experience pleasures and pains, hopes and despairs during life after life without any purpose.  In addition, if there is any purpose I must find it out.  It is found that I have not gained anything by repeating this endless cycle of birth and rebirth, life and death and all the ups and downs, tensions and turmoil of aimlessly moving in this Sansär.  What can I do to avoid it?  A mind of a Sädhaka (aspirant) constantly occupied with this type of perception finally leads him to a state of Nirgrantha (without knot or Granthi) where every knot of bondage is dissolved.

04.  Ekatva Bhävanä (Solitariness)

"I am alone, I was born alone, I will die alone, I am sick alone, I have to suffer alone, I alone have to experience the consequences of Karmas which I have earned," Therefore, one should be cautious, and stay away from attachment and aversion.

Ekatva means aloneness and Anyatva means separateness.  We enter the world alone and we leave it also alone.  Each one of us has to suffer the fruits of our individual karmas.  Our cooperation in worldly affairs, love and affection for others should not be allowed to be degenerated into attachment because no amount of attachment either for our family or friends can save us from pangs of life.  Consciousness that I am alone and I alone have to chart my course of life is not being selfish. Also that my family, my friends and my belongings are not mine, does not breed selfishness, but clinging, to all these things, does bring selfishness because such clinging is the result of gross attachment which is the worst vice in human nature.  In fact both these Bhävanäs of Ekatva and Anyatva (otherness) are not only complimentary to each other but are, also the logical consequence of the Asharan Bhävanä referred to above.  What these two Bhävanäs prescribe, is to suggest that you have to bear the fruits of your own karmas ? others cannot relieve you of them.  Similarly, you cannot relieve others of the fruits of their karmas.  If we cultivate such an objectivity of outlook, we would be better equipped to serve others around us and ourselves.

05.  Anyatva Bhävanä (Otherness)

This body is transitory and it is different from me.  I am the soul, which is not perishable, while the body is perishable.  Even wealth, family etc., is not mine.  They are different from me, therefore, I detach myself from all these things."

06.  Ashuchi Bhävanä (Impurity)

"This body is made of impure substances.  It is being nourished by impure substances.  I will discard my attachments to my body, and engage myself in self-discipline, renunciation, and spiritual endeavors."  We all are most deeply attached to our body.  In fact, all pleasures and pains are of our body.  Our attachment to our family and our worldly possessions is in the ultimate analysis the attachment to our body.  But what is this body?  When the self withdraws from the body what is its condition?  Even when the self does not withdraw, what does this body consists of?  How do various diseases arise in our body?  Why does it gradually decay?  If we give deeper thought to all these questions, we find two important aspects of our body:

·         Without the existence of the soul within it, it is nothing but a conglomeration of dirt and diseases.

·         Even with the existence of soul within, it is constantly under the process of decay and deterioration.

To keep these aspects of the body constantly in mind is called Ashuchi Bhävanä.  The constant reminder of these aspects blunts our attachment to our body and keep us alive to the fact that self is something distinct and different from the body, and the body can be best utilized not for enjoying the transitory objects of the world but for liberating the self from the shackles of karmas.  This Bhävanä is called ‘Ashuchi' as it points out to the impure aspects of the body.  This is required to be done to mitigate our attachment to the body and not for cultivating hatred towards it, as misunderstood by some.  All the roads of Sädhanä ? roads of self?realization ? are required to be traversed through body and it is this body, which is the best vehicle to take us to the final destination.  It is therefore, quite necessary to take its proper care and to keep it properly nourished, healthy and efficient so that it remains a fit and efficient vehicle to carry us safely in our spiritual journey.  What is discounted here is indulgence in material objects of life to satisfy the undisciplined cravings of the body.

07.  Äsrava Bhävanä (Inflow of Karma)

Contemplation on inflow of Karmas and its causes: All causes such as worng belief (Mithyätva), non-vowness (Avirati), spiritual laziness (Pramäd), passions (Kashäya) and non-spiritual activities (Yogas) that create the inflow of Karmas should be discarded.

08.  Samvar Bhävanä (Blockage of Karma)

Samvar means blocking of the inflow of Karmas.  One must contemplate on Samiti, Gupti, and Yati-Dharma etc. One must carry out these activities and try to reduce or stop new bondage of Karma.

09.  Nirjarä Bhävanä (Shedding of Karma)

Nirjarä means to shed whatever Karmas we have.  One must think of the benefits that accrue from each of the 12 kinds of Tapas or the austerities, which lead to Nirjarä.  One must contemplate on these austerities in order to destroy sins.

10.  Bodhi-durlabh Bhävanä (Rarity of Enlightenment)

One must contemplate how difficult it is to attain the right belief and Jain Dharma for the souls that are wandering aimlessly in four destinies.  Withour right belief (Samyaktva), one cannot begin the process of liberating the self from the misery of the world. One must have faith in right Dev, right Guru and right Dharma. There should not be even the slightest negligence in observing the religion propounded by the Jin."

11.  Loka-svabhäva Bhävanä (Nature of Cosmos)

Loka-svabhäva means one must contemplate on the three Lokas, namely: 1) the upper world, 2) the middle world, 3) the lower world, and also the whole universe filled with souls and Pudgals.

12.  Dharma Bhävanä (Religion)

"Arihanta Bhagawän, the omniscient, has expounded an excellent Shruta Dharma and Chäritra Dharma.  I will engage myself in that Dharma.”  One should carry out such contemplation again and again.

A constant reminder of these twelve Bhävanäs mitigates our pangs of pains and expands our understanding of the life's problems, and even the uncomfortable situations of life do not appear burdensome.

However there are four auxiliary Bhävanäs that represent the positive means of supporting the Five Vows.  They are intended to develop purity of thought and sincerity in the practice of religion.  They play very important role in the day- to- day life of a householder and these reflections can be practiced very easily.  Adopting these Bhävanäs in daily life can make a person very virtuous.