ABSTRACT
It has been shown that the five meditative stages described in Chapters III and IV fit neatly into the system of five symbolic groups. It follows that the table of parallel sets (Table 6) can be extended by adding a column for the meditative stages, as shown in Table 9. This amounts to an explicit recognition that the five meditative stages constitute a set, of a type with the elements, colours, and so on. It brings each of the stages into symbolic correspondence with all of the other items in its group: concentration with earth, yellow, the cube, …; the thought-stream with water, blue, the sphere, …; and so on. In the previous chapter it was suggested that these symbolic correspondences may provide a basis for interpreting the maṇḍala and cakras. That suggestion will now be pursued. Attention will be limited initially to the more complete and consistent of the two devices, the maṇḍala, and the sets of symbols will be grouped for convenience of presentation. Correspondences between principal sets, with meditative stages included. https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">
awareness
space
white
union
light
…
observation of linking
air
green
hemisphere
eclipse
…
retracing
fire
red
cone
male
sun
…
thought-stream
water
blue
sphere
female
moon
…
concentration
earth
yellow
cube
…
Meditative stage
element
colour
shape
sex
luminary
…
