Kayotsarga ( , ) is a

yogic Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...

posture which is an important part of the Jain meditation. It literally means "dismissing the body". A

tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsā ...

is represented either seated in yoga posture or standing in the kayotsarga posture. ''Kayotsarga'' means "to give up one's physical comfort and body movements", thus staying steady, either in a standing or other posture, and concentrating upon the true nature of the soul. It is one of the six essentials (''avasyaka'') of a Jain ascetic and one of the 28 primary attributes of a Jain monks and nuns. Twenty-one of the tīrthankaras of

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...

are said to have attained ''

moksha ''Moksha'' (; , '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', and ''mukti'', is a term in Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, liberation, '' nirvana'', or release. In its soteriological and eschatologic ...

'' in the kayotsarga “standing meditation” posture. An example of unflinching standing meditation is that of '' Arihant

Bahubali Bahubali (, ) was the son of Rishabhanatha (the first ''tirthankara'' of Jainism) and the brother of the ''Chakravarti (Sanskrit term), chakravartin'' Bharata (Jainism), Bharata. He is a revered figure in Jainism. He is said to have meditated ...

'' who is said to have stood in kayotsarga for a year.

Sāmayika

In performing ''sāmayika'' (daily meditation), the ''śrāvaka'' has to stand facing north or east and bow to the '' Pancha-Parameṣṭhi''. He then sit down and recites the

Namokara mantra The Ṇamōkāra mantra is the most significant mantra in Jainism, and one of the oldest mantras in continuous practice. This is the first prayer recited by the Jains while meditating. The mantra is also variously referred to as the ''Pancha N ...

a certain number of times, and finally devotes himself to holy meditation. This consists of: *''pratikramana'', recounting the sins committed and repenting for them, *''pratyākhyanā'', resolving to avoid particular sins in future, *''sāmayika karma'', renunciation of personal attachments, and the cultivation of a feeling of regarding every body and thing alike, *''stuti'', praising the twenty-four Tīrthankaras, *''vandanā'', devotion to a particular ''Tirthankara'', and *''kāyotsarga'', withdrawal of attention from the body (physical personality) and becoming absorbed in the contemplation of the spiritual Self.

Notes

References

* * {{Jainism topics Yoga concepts Jain philosophy Meditation