Yaśovijaya’s Insights on Contemplation and Meditative Experience

Pātañjali's teachings on the workings of the mind and the experience of meditation have been well-researched. The first part of his Yogasūtra—the samādhi pāda—presents, among other topics, different practices to stabilize the mind, obstacles in meditation, and different types of samādhi. Its compact style has often posed challenges for commentators. This paper examines Yaśovijaya’s engagement with this part of the Yogasūtra in the Dvātriṃśaddvātriṃśikā, a long Jain compendium on mendicant conduct that includes an auto-commentary. Despite his influence on Jain thought, Yaśovijaya remains understudied, and much of his work has not been translated into English. With original translations, this paper explores how Yaśovijaya offers a particular interpretation of Patañjali’s teachings on meditation, drawing from Vyāsa at points, building on earlier Jain authors like Haribhādrasūri, and applying Jain ontological and ethical frameworks. It also shows how his engagements with different current of thought reveal important concerns of his time.