Barasa Anuvekkha

Description

The Jinas, spiritual masters, achieved detachment, omniscience, and bliss through spiritual perfection. They practiced the twelve contemplations to rid the mind of external distractions:

1. अनित्य  anitya – Impermanence of worldly life
2. अशरण  aśaraṇa – Shelterlessness
3. एकत्व  ekatva – Oneness with the soul
4. अन्यत्व  anyatva – Distinctness with all else
5. संसार  saṃsāra – The transmigratory nature of worldly life
6. लोक  loka – The universe
7. अशुचित्व  aśucitva – Impurity of the mortal coil
8. आस्रव  āsrava – Karmic inflow, which is constant and causes further bondage
9. संवर  saṃvara – Cessation of karmic inflow
10. निर्जरा  nirjarā – Shedding of karmas from the soul
11. धर्मस्वाख्यात  dharmasvākhyāta – The well-announced path of righteousness
12. बोधिदुर्लभ  bodhidurlabha – Rarity of enlightenment

Meditating on these leads to detachment and, ultimately, liberation from binding karmas and apotheosis.