Chapter 4.4a - The Fourth: Dīprādṛṣṭi (dīprā-dṛṣṭi)—Introduction

Haribhadrasūri compares the understanding of a dīprā dṛṣṭi’s beholder with the light of a lamp. The word dīprā is the feminine form of an adjective dīprā. It means shining. The dīprā dṛṣṭi beholder’s understanding shines like the light of a lamp. Hence, the name dīprā given to the fourth dṛṣṭi by Haribhadrasūri is appropriate. Being the fourth dṛṣṭi the dīprā corresponds with the fourth limb of Pātañjala Yoga namely prāṇāyāma^[1] (breath-control). Unlike Pātañjala Yoga Jainism does not seem to consider prāṇāyāma as an inevitable element in the spiritual journey of a soul^[2] . Keeping this difference in mind Haribhadrasūri refers to the spiritual aspect of prāṇāyāma (bhāvapraṇāyāma)^[3] instead of its physical aspect i.e. breathing in, breathing out and to retain breath (dravya prāṇāyāma).

Moreover, the yogic practices are undertaken without any internal/mental interruption in the fourth yogadṛṣṭi at this stage the subject in question possesses the quality of listening doctrinal matters attentively. However, the fourth dṛṣṭi is destitute of the subtle understanding^[4] . The subtle understanding is to comprehend manifoldness of an object. It can be obtained in the presence of samyagdarśana. The concept of subtle understanding is discussed with detail in the fifth chapter of the thesis.

Prāṇāyāma is defined as “śvāsapraśvāsayorgativicchedaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ”^[5] in Yoga-sūtra of Patañjali. There are three constituent parts of the prāṇāyāma^[6] . They are–

1. Recaka –breathing out,
2. Pūraka –breathing in,
3. Kuṃbhaka –retaining the breath.

This is called dravya prāṇāyāma as it refers to its physical aspect/gross aspect. The three constituents of the spiritual aspect of prāṇāyāma (i.e. bhāva prāṇāyāma) are as follow^[7] :

1. Bhāva recaka is to throw away inauspicious thoughts/thoughts pertaining to worldly existence.
2. Bhāva pūraka is to imbibe auspicious thoughts/spiritual thoughts.
3. Bhāva kumbhaka is to fix imbibed auspicious thoughts firmly on psyche.

Haribhadrasūri says that the fourth yogadṛṣṭi beholder who practices bhāvarecaka etc.

thinks in the following manner. He acknowledges the religion as the only friend who accompanies his soul even in the next birth. Whereas the family, relatives etc. go away with the death of the body^[8] . Nothing except the religion stays forever with the soul. Due to the realization of this truth the subject in question develops unconditional love for the religion. Consequently he considers the religion greater than his own life. Hence he gives up his life for the sake of the religion but will never give it up just to save his breath/life/skin^[9] . In short he is always ready to sacrifice everything for practicing the spiritual activities/religion.

Since the subject in question has realized deeply that no worldly things or relations will accompany his soul after the death of his body, he starts detaching himself from worldly existence. He throws out thoughts pertaining to worldly existence. This is nothing but bhāvarecaka. He acknowledges from within that the religion is the only companion/friend of my soul who is going to accompany me till liberation. Hence he starts giving prime importance to the religion. At this stage he naturally imbibes in himself the auspicious thoughts pertaining to religion and spirituality. This is something which is called bhāvapūraka. He firmly holds his views regarding religion as the truth. He holds his beliefs for religion so firmly that he becomes ready to give up even his own life for the sake of religion. This can be called bhāvakumbhaka.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

prāṇāyāmavatī dīprā....................... |
................................................. || 57 ||
   –Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya

[2]:

Refer fifth prakāśa Yogaśāstra of Hemacandrācārya.

[3]:

prāṇāyāmavatī caturthāṅgabhāvataḥ bhāvarecakādibhāvād dīprā caturthī dṛṣṭiḥ,................... || 57 ||
   –Auto-commentary on Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya (2010)

[4]:

, na yogotthānavatyalam |
tattvaśravaṇasaṃyuktā, sūkṣmabodhavivarjitā || 57 ||
   –Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya (2010)

[5]:

2.49 Yogasūtra of Patañjali.

[6]:

, tadviśeṣeṣu recaka-pūraka-kumbhakaprakāreṣu............... | tathāhi-kauṣṭhyasya vāyo nirgamanaṃ = recakaḥ yaḥ, praśvāsarūpaḥ | bāhayasya vāyorantardhāraṇaṃ pūrakaḥ, yaḥśvāsarūpaḥ | antastambhavṛttiḥ kumbhakaḥ, yasmin jalamiva kumbhe niścalatayā prāṇākhyo vāyusvasthāpyate |................. || 2.49 || 
   –Yogasudhākaravṛtti on Yogasūtra

[7]:

recanād bāhayabhāvānāmantarbhāvasya pūraṇāt |
kumbhanānniścitārthasya prāṇāyāmaśca bhāvataḥ || 22.19 ||

recanāditi | bāhayabhāvānāṃ = ku ṭumba-dārādimamatvalakṣaṇānāṃ recanāta, antarbhāvasya = śravaṇajanitavivekalakṣaṇasya pūraṇāt, niścitā'rthasya kumbhanāt = sthirīkaraṇāt ca bhāvataḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ |
   –Dvātriṃśad Dvātriṃśikā and its auto-commentary, part-5, 1515.

[8]:

eka eva suhṛd dharmo, mṛtamapyanuyāti yaḥ |
śarīreṇa samaṃ nāśaṃ, sarvamanyattu gacchati || 59 || 
   –Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya

[9]:

prāṇebhyo'pi gurūdharmarḥ, satyāmasyāmasaṃśayam |
prāṇāṃstyajati dharmārthaṃ, na dharmaṃ prāṇasaṅkaṭe || 58 ||
   –ibid.