Exploring Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra

A Comprehensive Guide to Jain Yoga & Tantra

01/23/2025

By Corinna May Lhoir, University of Hamburg

Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra, composed in the 12th century CE, is one of the most significant treatises on Jainism, particularly within the Śvetāmbara tradition. Hemacandra (1089–1172 CE) was a polymath, a scholar who contributed across multiple domains of Jain knowledge, and his work on Yogaśāstra stands as a critical exploration of Jain orthopraxy, asceticism, and spiritual practices. His Yogaśāstra blends classical Jain doctrine with broader Indian philosophical and Tantric traditions, making it a unique and comprehensive text for both the Jain lay community and the monastic orders.

Structure of Yogaśāstra and Jainism’s Three Jewels

In its structure, the Yogaśāstra is divided into twelve chapters, with the first four chapters concentrating on what Hemacandra identifies as the essential components of Jainism, the "three jewels" (ratnatraya)—correct faith (darśana), knowledge (jñāna), and conduct (cāritra). These three components form the foundation of Hemacandra's philosophical framework for Jain practice. They are integrated into both theoretical discussions and practical, ethical considerations for both laypeople and monks.

Hemacandra's classification of Jainism into these three jewels is not only doctrinal but also systematic, reflecting the division of Jain teachings into activity (pravṛtti) and non-activity (nivṛtti). Activity includes ritual and moral actions (karma), while non-activity encompasses intellectual and experiential knowledge. Hemacandra emphasizes that without proper faith in the Jain teachings and the path laid out by the tīrthaṅkaras, no amount of activity can lead to liberation. This emphasis on the fusion of faith, knowledge, and conduct reflects the holistic approach that Jainism takes toward spiritual liberation (mokṣa).

Tantric Influence in the Yogaśāstra

While the Yogaśāstra is grounded in Jain orthodoxy, it also shows a remarkable incorporation of Tantric elements, particularly in its later chapters. As Qvarnström notes, Tantra's influence on Jainism, while more limited than its impact on Hindu and Buddhist traditions, is nonetheless present in both meditative and ritual practices within the Yogaśāstra. Hemacandra's work includes divinatory practices, breath control (prāṇāyāma), and the use of mantras and yantras, signaling an intersection with the broader Tantric traditions of medieval India.

One of the clearest instances of Tantric influence is seen in Hemacandra’s discussions of breath control and meditation. In Chapter Five of the Yogaśāstra, Hemacandra outlines various divinatory techniques used by Jain mendicants. These techniques, drawn from broader Indian traditions, include the reading of shadows, palmistry (samudrikā), and interpreting dreams. In addition, Tantric ideas such as nāḍīs (channels) and cakras (lotuses) appear in Hemacandra’s treatment of breath control. Though these practices were often associated with improving physical health and meditative capacity, they also had a divinatory dimension, as they were used to predict events like the time of death.

As Qvarnström states, while Tantra was not regarded as essential for Jain liberation, its techniques were adapted for practical use in Jain monastic settings, particularly for enhancing meditation and bodily control. For example, Hemacandra emphasizes that the benefits of meditation (dhyāna) extend to both spiritual realization and mundane success, demonstrating the dual use of these practices for worldly and soteriological goals. The merging of Jain ethical strictness with Tantric ritual complexity allowed Hemacandra to offer a versatile toolkit for both lay followers and mendicants.

Hemacandra’s Adaptation of Yoga

One of the most innovative aspects of Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra is how it frames yoga within a Jain context. Though Jainism traditionally emphasizes non-activity (nivṛtti), Hemacandra redefines yoga as the unification of the three jewels. Yoga, in this sense, becomes synonymous with the Jain path itself—an integral combination of correct faith, knowledge, and conduct. Hemacandra’s appropriation of yoga is distinct from other Indian traditions, particularly Patañjali’s classical Yoga Sūtras, which focus on the cessation of mental fluctuations (cittavṛtti nirodhaḥ).

However, Hemacandra did not reject the broader Indian discourse on yoga. Instead, he redefined it within a Jain framework. For example, his description of breath control (prāṇāyāma) shows influence from Patañjali’s system, but he also incorporates uniquely Jain perspectives, such as the role of breath in purifying karma. The goal in Jain yoga is not merely mental control but the purification of the soul through the reduction of karmic influx. In this way, Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra serves both as a Jain response to and a reformulation of existing yogic practices.

The Unique Integration of Asceticism and Meditation

Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra integrates asceticism (tapas) and meditation (dhyāna) into a singular Jain framework. Drawing from both Jain and non-Jain sources, Hemacandra’s work blends traditional ascetic practices with meditative techniques, emphasizing the role of these disciplines in achieving liberation (mokṣa). In Jainism, asceticism is traditionally valued as a means to purify the soul by eliminating karmic matter. Hemacandra deepens this approach by showing how meditation, particularly intense concentration (ekāgratā), enhances the ascetic path, allowing practitioners to detach from their bodies and reduce the influx of new karma.

In Qvarnström's analysis, Hemacandra integrates ascetic ideals, such as fasting and celibacy, with meditative absorption, offering a holistic path to spiritual purification. Meditation, particularly deep states of absorption (samādhi), is seen not only as a method of calming the mind but also as a way of engaging with the deeper Jain cosmology. By meditating on the soul (jīva), a practitioner can gradually transcend material attachment, moving toward the ultimate goal of liberation.

Importantly, Hemacandra identifies four types of meditation, stemming from earlier Jain texts on meditation, classifying them as follows:

Disturbed meditation (ārta-dhyāna), characterized by mental agitation and distress.
Wrathful meditation (raudra-dhyāna), linked to feelings of anger, violence, and cruelty.
Righteous meditation (dharma-dhyāna), in which the practitioner contemplates Jain ethical teachings.
Pure meditation (śukla-dhyāna), the highest form of meditation, leading directly to liberation.

Hemacandra warns against the first two types of meditation, as they generate karma and hinder spiritual progress. In contrast, righteous and pure meditation are indispensable for reducing karmic attachments and achieving the soul’s purity. The emphasis on śukla-dhyāna in the later chapters of the Yogaśāstra reflects its importance within Jain soteriology as the ultimate spiritual practice.

Jain Tantra and the Role of Mantras

One of the most interesting aspects of Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra is its subtle incorporation of Tantric elements, particularly the use of mantras in meditation and ritual. As mentioned earlier, while Tantra is not central to Jainism, Hemacandra includes Tantric techniques to expand the repertoire of spiritual tools available to practitioners. Qvarnström points out that Hemacandra’s description of mantras in the Yogaśāstra reflects the adaptation of Tantric ritual practices to Jain ascetic ideals.

For instance, Hemacandra discusses how the recitation of mantras can protect the practitioner from harm and promote concentration. These mantras, though similar to those used in Hindu and Buddhist Tantra, are firmly grounded in Jain ethics and cosmology. By reciting these sacred sounds, the practitioner can invoke protective deities and enhance their meditative focus, while simultaneously adhering to the Jain principle of non-violence (ahiṃsā).

Qvarnström highlights that Hemacandra’s approach to mantras avoids the esoteric aspects of Hindu Tantra, instead presenting them as tools for spiritual advancement within a Jain ethical framework. This adaptation reflects Hemacandra’s broader approach of integrating elements from other traditions while ensuring they align with Jain doctrine. As such, the Yogaśāstra provides a distinctively Jain take on practices that were widely used across religious traditions in medieval India.

Parallels with Other Jain Texts

Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra does not exist in isolation but draws from earlier Jain texts and engages with the larger Jain tradition of yoga. A key influence on Hemacandra’s thought is Śubhacandra’s Jñānārṇava, which was composed in the early medieval period and deals extensively with meditation, breath control, and asceticism. Both texts emphasize the importance of detaching from the material world through asceticism and meditation as a means of purifying the soul.

Moreover, Hemacandra’s work shares similarities with the Tattvārthasūtra, one of the most foundational texts in Jain philosophy. Both texts emphasize the three jewels of Jainism—faith, knowledge, and conduct—as essential for spiritual progress. However, while the Tattvārthasūtra provides a more abstract philosophical framework, Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra offers a practical guide for integrating these concepts into daily life through specific yogic techniques.

Conclusion

Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra is a remarkable synthesis of Jain orthopraxy, asceticism, and meditative techniques. By integrating elements from the broader Indian tradition, including Tantric practices and the yogic system of Patañjali, Hemacandra creates a distinctive path for Jain practitioners. His emphasis on meditation, breath control, and ethical restraint reflects Jainism’s deep commitment to non-violence, self-control, and spiritual purification.

The Yogaśāstra remains an important text in the Jain canon, offering a detailed guide for both laypeople and monks on the path to liberation. Its synthesis of traditional Jain teachings with meditative and ascetic practices ensures its continued relevance for contemporary scholars and practitioners alike.

Arihanta Institute is pleased to welcome Corinna May Lhoir, a PhD student from the University of Hamburg, to Professor Christopher Jain Miller’s MA - Engaged Jain Studies "Jain Yoga" graduate seminar. Lhoir is currently working on an innovative dissertation translating the medieval Jain text, Yogapradīpa. Join us as she share's her insights from Dr. Miller's seminar in a series of articles. Read Lhoir's first articles here: