Abstract Thinking: [04.02] Bhavana Of Transmigration - The World: A Study

The anupreksha of the world means - to come to know the many transformations of the world; to come to know various changes, to be regularly in contact with the cycle of birth and death.

No substance is free from the cycle of origination, cessation and continuity. All that has being, is born and destroyed, is born again and re-destroyed. This process of origination and destruction goes on. It is this process which is called the world. Aggregated compounds of atoms go on changing. They leave one state for another. Conscious beings also change continuously. They take birth and they die. Sometimes they are born as men, at other times as animals. Even in one life there are numerous phases. Constant thinking on this whole cycle of change takes a sadhak towards salvation.

Consciousness is the fundamental nature of the soul. It has two uses - to see and to know. Since consciousness in its pure form is not available to us, therefore our intuition and knowledge are obstructed, covered. That which clouds intuition is called the covering of intuition and that which clouds our knowledge is called the covering of knowledge. This covering is the result of one's delusion. We do not only know and we do not only see. With knowing-seeing goes the feeling of like or dislike. This gives rise to attachment or aversion. Attachment and aversion create delusion. Delusion obstructs knowledge and intuition. The cycle goes on. There is only one method of breaking this cycle - the disposition of a knower or seer, makes use of his being. He who adulterates his knowing and seeing with the feelings of like or dislike, lapses from his being into infatuation or attachment. Some people are awakened of themselves in breaking this spell. Efforts are made to awaken through faith those who are yet unawake. Lord Mahavira said:

"0 unseeing one: Your intuition is obstructed on account of your own delusion.
That is why you are not able to see the truth.
Because you are unable to see the truth for yourself, accept on faith what the seer tells you."

The basis of anupreksha is the understanding given by the seer; its function is to make one directly experience that understanding through constant thinking about it and to effect the transformation of consciousness.