Bhavana
or Anupreksa (Reflection)
To achieve this end the seers have prescribed some
formula, the most important of which is the prescription of constantly
keeping in view twelve Bhavanas as under :
(1) Anitya Bhavana - �Bhavana' means
�conception', �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 moods
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 by which he universe is
governed. It is really tragic to stay behind. We experience every moment
that all objects of pleasure, wealth, the power and everything around us
undergoes changes. The moment we are born, we begin to die. Change is the
rule. The only exception is our spirit (Cetana). But we tend to forget the
spirit which is permanent and cling to the thing which is 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
change is the rule and clinging to changing modes is pure ignorance.
(2) Asaruna Bhavana - �Sarana' means refuse.
Asarana means want of refuse or helplessness. It should be constantly
borne in mind that we have to find out our own course in life. Pure
religion ought to be alone accepted as a 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 are of our own making. We
have to learn to bear them with equanimity and without depending on
others.
(3, 4) Ekatva-Anyatva Bhavana - Ekatva means
aloneness or Soleness 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
alone have I to chart my course of life. As also that my family, my
friends and my belongings are not mine, does not breed selfishness, but
bugging, to all these things, does bring selfishness because such bugging
is the result of gross attachment which is the worst vice in human nature.
In fact both these Bhavanas of Ekatva and Anyatva are not only
complimentary to each other but are also the logical consequence of the
Asarana Bhavana referred to above. What these two Bhavanas 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 ourselves and others around us.
(5) Nivrtti Bodha or Samsara Bhavana - Nivrtti
means retirement. This Bhavana asks us to remember that this self is
wandering in this Samsara from one life to another, time immemorial. In
words of the Great Sankara "Punarapi maranam punarapi jananam, Punarapi
janani jathare Sayanam. 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 Atman should go on endlessly to experience
pleasures and pains, hopes and despairs during life after life without any
purpose. And 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 turmoils
of aimlessly moving in this samsara. What can I do to avoid it ? A mind of
a Sadhaka constantly occupied with this type of perception finally leads
him to a state of Nirgrantha (Granthi) where every knot of bondage is
dissolved.
(6,7,8) Asrava-Samvara-Nirjara Bhavana - The
concepts of Asrava, Samvara and Nirjara have been discussed in earlier
chapters. These Bhavanas are to remind us how the inflow of karmas - good
as well as bad - result in bondage and how by the process of Samvara and
Nirjara the inflow of new karmas can be stopped and the accumulated karmas
can be destroyed.
(9) Asuci Bhavana - Every man is most deeply
attached to his 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 this body consists of ? How various diseases arise in
our body ? Why it gradually decays ? If we give deeper thought to all
these questions we find two important aspects of our body:
(a) Without the existence of the spirit (soul) within
it, it is nothing but a conglomeration of dirt and diseases.
(b) Even with the existence of spirit within, it is
constantly under the process of decay and deterioration.
To keep these aspects of the body constantly in mind is
called Asuci Bhavana. The constant reminder of these aspects blunt our
attachment to our body and keep us alive to the fact that self is
something distinct and different from body, and the body can be best
utilised not for enjoying the transitory objects of the world but for
liberating the self from the shackles of karmas. This Bhavana is called
�Asuci' 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
Sadhana - roads of self-realization - are requires 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. What is discounted
here is indulgence in material objects of life to satisfy the
indisciplined cravings of the body, so that it remains a fit and efficient
vehicle to carry us safely in our spiritual journey.
(10) Dharma Bhavana - A constant reminder that
ten virtues, viz., Samyama (Self-control), Suntra (Truthfulness), Sauca
(Purity), Brahma (Chastity), Akincanata (Absence of greed), Tapas
(Penances), Ksanti (Forbearnce), Mardava (softness), Rjuta (sincerity) and
Mukti (Emancipation are quite necessary to uphold the world order
(Dharma).
(11, 12) Loka-bhavana and Bodhi-bhavana - Both
these Bhavanas are meant to remind us the nature of this universe and its
functioning through the interplay of Jiva and Ajiva.
A constant reminder of these twelve Bhavanas mitigates
our pangs of pains and expands our understanding of the life's problems,
and even in uncomfortable situations of life does not appear burdensome.
