Editor Aparigraha Jain
Editor Carla Geerdes
Muni Kishanlal gave a discourse on Preksha Meditation (PM), translated into English by Muni Dharmesh Kumar. Meditation is the first experience of the inner world.
Lord Mahavira was quoted with the saying:
We gain everything when we take the path of knowing the self.
Attachment and aversion hinder the stream of pure knowledge from the self. Perception of the inner reality consists of just perceiving and knowing. Perceiving the self leads to perception of the inner enemies manifested in attachment and aversion. Once detected, the cooperation with them is brought to an end and the stream of knowledge is no longer slowed down.
Then Muni Kishanlal guided a session of Animesh Preksha:
We were told to focus on his forehead without blinking eyes while he was going into deep meditation. After some time we were told to close the eyes and to perceive carefully what is happening next. The session was finished by Om Shanti, Shanti.
Some participants were asked to describe their experiences during the session.
 | When Acharya Mahaprajna arrived, the booklet ‘Comprehend the Soul - Transform Your Life: Preksha Dhyana, the Unique Tradition of Jain Meditation’ by Preksha International was presented to him. |
The third part of this evening session consisted of questions by the Russian group with 25 delegates (they arrived with a delay of one, respectively two days due to some travel problems) and answers by H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna.
The Russian delegates wanted to know how comes that children are ordained to live as Munis or Sadhvis. H. H. Acharya Mahaprajna explicated that spiritual inclination has nothing to do with age. The children want to control their emotions and become free from attachment and aversion.
Then the question was put how the Jain path can be followed in every day social life. According to H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna the first step to follow is to have faith in moral values. Secondly unnecessary violence has to be avoided. The third point is the continuous practice of PM which will bring peaceful coexistence and improvement of health. Healthy persons will bring healthy society.
The problem of the actual violent development was brought up together with the query, how Jainism can bring an end to it. Acharyashree holds the view that there is a of lot of difference in the very much contracted world. Today people are searching in this shrunken world how to live in peace. Therefore, non-violence (Ahimsa) can change the world into a peaceful one. Acharyashree expressed the hope that people may understand non-violence and come to peaceful life.
Concerning PM the question arose why PM is mostly mind-oriented, whereas people need positive emotions. Acharyashree stated, unless the mind is free from distractions and has reached the stage of purity, we cannot hope that love is possible to be created in the people.
Next question concerned past life’s experiences, why do we forget them?
H.H. Acharya Mahaprajna explicated that the power of memory in the soul is overpowered by the present life’s experiences, but it can be awakened and remembrance of past life’s experiences is possible.
Scientifically this fact can be explained by the education system’s focus on the left brain sphere. Memory of past lifes is located in the right brain sphere.
More than thousand incidents of children remembering their past life have been verified. The PM system contains a method to recall past life’s memories being taught in special camps.
