![Patanjali Statue](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Patanjali_Statue.jpg)
Ashtanga yoga (, "the eight limbs of yoga") is
Patanjali
Patanjali ( sa, पतञ्जलि, Patañjali), also called Gonardiya or Gonikaputra, was a Hindu author, mystic and philosopher. Very little is known about him, and while no one knows exactly when he lived; from analysis of his works it i ...
's classification of classical
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
, as set out in his ''
Yoga Sutras
The ''Yoga Sutras of Patañjali'' is a collection of Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga – 195 sutras (according to Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196 sutras (according to others, including BKS Iyengar). The '' ...
''. He defined the eight limbs as
yamas
The Yamas ( sa, यम, translit=Yama), and their complement, the Niyamas, represent a series of "right living" or ethical rules within Yoga philosophy. It means "reining in" or "control". These are restraints for proper conduct as given in the ...
(abstinences),
niyama
The Niyamas ( sa, नियम, translit=Niyama) are positive duties or observances. In Indian traditions, particularly Yoga, niyamas and their complement, Yamas, are recommended activities and habits for healthy living, spiritual enlightenment ...
(observances),
asana
An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose,Verse 46, chapter II, "Patanjali Yoga sutras" by Swami Prabhavananda, published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math p. 111 and later extended in hatha yoga ...
(postures),
pranayama
Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. In Sanskrit, '' prana'' means "vital life force", and ''yama'' means to gain control. In yoga, breath is associated with ''prana'', thus, pranayama is a means to elevate the '' prana'' ''sha ...
(breathing),
pratyahara Pratyahara () or the 'gathering towards' is the fifth element among the Eight stages of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga, as mentioned in his classical work, ''Yoga Sutras of Patanjali'' composed in the 2nd century BCE. It is also the first stage of the ...
(withdrawal),
dharana (concentration),
dhyana
Dhyana may refer to:
Meditative practices in Indian religions
* Dhyana in Buddhism (Pāli: ''jhāna'')
* Dhyana in Hinduism
* Jain Dhyāna, see Jain meditation
Other
*''Dhyana'', a work by British composer John Tavener (1944-2013)
* ''Dhyana'' ...
(meditation) and
samadhi
''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...
(absorption).
The eight limbs form a sequence from the outer to the inner. Postures, important in modern
yoga as exercise
Yoga as exercise is a physical activity consisting mainly of postures, often connected by flowing sequences, sometimes accompanied by breathing exercises, and frequently ending with relaxation lying down or meditation. Yoga in this form has ...
, form just one limb of Patanjali's scheme; he states only that they must be steady and comfortable. The main aim is ''
kaivalya
Kaivalya ( sa, कैवल्य), is the ultimate goal of aṣṭāṅga yoga and means "solitude", "detachment" or "isolation", a '' vrddhi''-derivation from ''kevala'' "alone, isolated". It is the isolation of purusha from prakṛti, and libe ...
'', discernment of ''
Purusha
''Purusha'' (' or ) is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means the cosmic being or self, awareness, and universal principle.Karl Potter, Presuppositions of Indi ...
'', the witness-conscious, as separate from ''
prakriti'', the cognitive apparatus, and disentanglement of ''Purusha'' from its muddled defilements.
Definition of yoga
Patanjali begins his treatise by stating the purpose of his book in the first sutra, followed by defining the word "yoga" in his second sutra of Book 1:
[
* Sanskrit Original with Translation 1]
The Yoga Philosophy
TR Tatya (Translator), with Bhojaraja commentary; Harvard University Archives;
* Translation 2
The Yoga-darsana: The sutras of Patanjali with the Bhasya of Vyasa
GN Jha (Translator), with notes; Harvard University Archives;
* Translation 3
''The Yogasutras of Patanjali''
Charles Johnston (Translator)
This terse definition hinges on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms.
I. K. Taimni
I. K. Taimni (Iqbal Kishen Taimni, 1898–1978) was a professor of chemistry at the Allahabad University in India, and an influential scholar in the fields of Yoga and Indian philosophy. He was a leader of the Theosophical Society. Taimni authore ...
translates it as "Yoga is the inhibition (') of the modifications (') of the mind (')".
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intro ...
translates the sutra as "Yoga is restraining (''nirodhah'') the mind-stuff (''citta'') from taking various forms (''vrittis'')."
[Vivekananda, p. 115.] When the mind is stilled, the seer or real Self is revealed:
Eight limbs
![Eight Limbs of Yoga diagram](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Eight_Limbs_of_Yoga_diagram.svg)
Patanjali set out his definition of
yoga
Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
in the ''
Yoga Sutras
The ''Yoga Sutras of Patañjali'' is a collection of Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga – 195 sutras (according to Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196 sutras (according to others, including BKS Iyengar). The '' ...
'' as having eight limbs (अष्टाङ्ग , "eight limbs") as follows:
The eightfold path of Patanjali's yoga consists of a set of prescriptions for a morally disciplined and purposeful life, of which asanas (yoga postures) form only one limb.
1. Yamas
Yamas are ethical rules in
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
and can be thought of as moral imperatives (the "don'ts"). The five yamas listed by
Patanjali
Patanjali ( sa, पतञ्जलि, Patañjali), also called Gonardiya or Gonikaputra, was a Hindu author, mystic and philosopher. Very little is known about him, and while no one knows exactly when he lived; from analysis of his works it i ...
in ''Yoga Sutra'' 2.30 are:
#
Ahimsa
Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India ...
(अहिंसा):
Nonviolence
Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
, non-harming other living beings
[James Lochtefeld, "Yama (2)", ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism'', Vol. 2: N–Z, ]Rosen Publishing
The Rosen Publishing Group is an American publisher for educational books for readers from ages pre-Kindergarten through grade 12. It was founded in 1950 under the name "Richards Rosen Press" and is located in New York City. The company changed i ...
. , page 777
#
Satya (सत्य): truthfulness, non-falsehood
[
# Asteya (अस्तेय): non-stealing][
# ]Brahmacharya
''Brahmacharya'' (; sa, ब्रह्मचर्य ) is a concept within Indian religions that literally means to stay in conduct within one's own Self. In Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism it generally refers to a lifestyle charac ...
(ब्रह्मचर्य): chastity,[ marital fidelity or sexual restraint][ '' Louise Taylor (2001), A Woman's Book of Yoga, Tuttle, , page 3;]
''Jeffrey Long (2009), Jainism: An Introduction, IB Tauris, , page 109; Quote: The fourth vow - brahmacarya - means for laypersons, marital fidelity and pre-marital celibacy; for ascetics, it means absolute celibacy; John Cort states, "Brahmacharya involves having sex only with one's spouse, as well as the avoidance of ardent gazing or lewd gestures (...) - Quoted by Long, ibid, page 101
# Aparigraha (अपरिग्रह): non-avarice,[ non-possessiveness][Arti Dhand (2002), The dharma of ethics, the ethics of dharma: Quizzing the ideals of Hinduism, Journal of Religious Ethics, 30(3), pages 347-372]
Patanjali, in Book 2, states how and why each of the above self-restraints helps in an individual's personal growth. For example, in verse II.35, Patanjali states that the virtue of nonviolence
Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
and non-injury to others (Ahimsa
Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India ...
) leads to the abandonment of enmity, a state that leads the yogi to the perfection of inner and outer amity with everyone, everything.
2. Niyamas
The second component of Patanjali's Yoga path is niyama, which includes virtuous habits and observances (the "dos"). Sadhana Pada Verse 32 lists the niyamas as:
# Shaucha
Shaucha () literally means purity, cleanliness and clearness. It refers to purity of mind, speech and body. Saucha is one of the Niyamas of Yoga. It is discussed in many ancient Indian texts such as the Mahabharata and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It ...
(शौच): purity, clearness of mind, speech and body
# Santosha
Santosha ( skt. संतोष ''saṃtoṣa'') literally means "contentment, satisfaction". It is also an ethical concept in Indian philosophy, particularly Yoga, where it is included as one of the Niyamas by Patanjali.
Definition
''Santosha'' ...
(संतोष): contentment, acceptance of others, acceptance of one's circumstances as they are in order to get past or change them, optimism for self[N Tummers (2009), ''Teaching Yoga for Life'', , page 16-17]
# Tapas
A tapa () is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as ''chopitos'', which are battered, fried baby squid, or patatas bravas). In some ...
(तपस्): persistence, perseverance, austerity, asceticism, self-discipline[SA Bhagwat (2008), Yoga and Sustainability. ''Journal of Yoga'', Fall/Winter 2008, 7(1): 1-14]
# Svadhyaya (स्वाध्याय): study of Vedas, study of self, self-reflection, introspection of self's thoughts, speech and actions[
# ]Ishvarapranidhana
Īśvarapraṇidhāna "commitment to the Īśvara ("Lord")"N Tummers (2009), Teaching Yoga for Life, , page 16-17 is one of five Niyama (ethical observances) in Hinduism and Yoga.
Etymology and meaning
Īśvarapraṇidhāna is a Sanskrit compound ...
(ईश्वरप्रणिधान): contemplation of the Ishvara (God/Supreme Being, Brahman
In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
, True Self, Unchanging Reality)[
As with the Yamas, Patanjali explains how and why each of the Niyamas helps in personal growth. For example, in verse II.42, Patanjali states that the virtue of contentment and acceptance of others as they are (]Santosha
Santosha ( skt. संतोष ''saṃtoṣa'') literally means "contentment, satisfaction". It is also an ethical concept in Indian philosophy, particularly Yoga, where it is included as one of the Niyamas by Patanjali.
Definition
''Santosha'' ...
) leads to the state where inner sources of joy matter most, and the craving for external sources of pleasure ceases.
3. Āsana
Patanjali begins discussion of Āsana (आसन, posture, seat) by defining it in verse 46 of Book 2, as follows,[
''Asana'' is a posture that one can hold for a period of time, staying relaxed, steady, comfortable and motionless. The ''Yoga Sutra'' does not list any specific ''asana''. Āraṇya translates verse II.47 as, "asanas are perfected over time by relaxation of effort with meditation on the infinite"; this combination and practice stops the body from shaking. Any posture that causes pain or restlessness is not a yogic posture. Secondary texts that discuss Patanjali's sutra state that one requirement of correct posture for sitting meditation is to keep chest, neck and head erect ( proper spinal posture).][
The ''Bhasya'' commentary attached to the ''Sutras'', now thought to be by Patanjali himself, suggests twelve seated meditation postures: Padmasana (lotus), ]Virasana
Virasana ( sa, वीरासन; IAST: ''vīrāsana'') or Hero Pose is a kneeling asana in modern yoga as exercise. Medieval hatha yoga texts describe a cross-legged meditation asana under the same name. Supta Virasana is the reclining form of ...
(hero), Bhadrasana
Baddha Konasana ( sa, बद्धकोणासन ; IAST: ''baddhakoṇāsana''), Bound Angle Pose, Butterfly Pose, or Cobbler's Pose (after the typical sitting position of Indian cobblers when they work), and historically called Bhadrasana, Th ...
(glorious), Svastikasana (lucky mark), Dandasana
Pashchimottanasana ( sa, पश्चिमोत्तानासन, translit=paścimottānāsana), Seated Forward Bend, or Intense Dorsal Stretch is a seated forward-bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. Janusirsasana is a ...
(staff), Sopasrayasana (supported), Paryankasana (bedstead), Krauncha-nishadasana (seated heron), Hastanishadasana (seated elephant), Ushtranishadasana (seated camel), Samasansthanasana (evenly balanced) and Sthirasukhasana (any motionless posture that is in accordance with one's pleasure).[
Over a thousand years later, the '']Hatha Yoga Pradipika
The ''Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā'' ( or Light on Hatha Yoga) is a classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on haṭha yoga, written by Svātmārāma, who connects the teaching's lineage to Matsyendranath of the Nathas. It is among the most inf ...
'' mentions 84
asanas taught by Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
, stating four of these as most important: Siddhasana (accomplished), Padmasana (lotus), Simhasana
Simhasana ( sa, सिंहासन; IAST: ''Siṁhāsana'') or Lion Pose is an asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise.
Etymology and origins
The name comes from the Sanskrit words ''simha'' (सिंह), meaning "lion", and '' ...
(lion), and Bhadrasana (glorious), and describes the technique of these four and eleven other asanas.Mikel Burley Mikel Burley is a scholar of religion and philosophy, known for his work on the Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
Biography
Burley gained his B.A. in 1993 from the University of Essex, his M.A. from the University of Nottingham in 1997, and Ph.D.s ...
(2000), Haṭha-Yoga: Its Context, Theory, and Practice, Motilal Banarsidass
Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House (MLBD) is an Indian academic publishing house, founded in Delhi, India in 1903. It publishes and distributes serials, monographs, and scholarly publications on Asian religions, Buddhology, Indology, Easte ...
, , page 198 In modern yoga
Modern yoga is a wide range of yoga practices with differing purposes, encompassing in its various forms yoga philosophy derived from the Vedas, physical postures derived from Hatha yoga, devotional and tantra-based practices, and Hindu nation-b ...
, asanas are prominent and numerous, unlike in any earlier form of yoga.
4. Prānāyāma
Prāṇāyāma is the control of the breath, from the Sanskrit ' (प्राण, breath) and ' (आयाम, restraint).
After a desired posture has been achieved, verses II.49 through II.51 recommend ''prāṇāyāma'', the practice of consciously regulating the breath (inhalation, the full pause, exhalation, and the empty pause). This is done in several ways, such as by inhaling and then suspending exhalation for a period, exhaling and then suspending inhalation for a period, by slowing the inhalation and exhalation, or by consciously changing the timing and length of the breath (deep, short breathing).
5. Pratyāhāra
Pratyāhāra is a combination of two Sanskrit words ' (the prefix प्रति-, "against" or "contra") and ' (आहार, "bring near, fetch").
Pratyahara is drawing within one's awareness. It is a process of retracting the sensory experience from external objects. It is a step of self extraction and abstraction. Pratyahara is not consciously closing one's eyes to the sensory world; it is consciously closing one's mind processes to the sensory world. Pratyahara empowers one to stop being controlled by the external world, fetch one's attention to seek self-knowledge and experience the freedom innate in one's inner world.
Pratyahara marks the transition of yoga experience from the first four limbs of Patanjali's Ashtanga scheme that perfect external forms, to the last three limbs that perfect the yogin's inner state: moving from outside to inside, from the outer sphere of the body to the inner sphere of the spirit.
6. Dhāraṇā
''Dharana'' (Sanskrit: धारणा) means concentration, introspective focus and one-pointedness of mind. The root of the word is ''dhṛ'' (धृ), meaning "to hold, maintain, keep".
Dharana, as the sixth limb of yoga, is holding one's mind onto a particular inner state, subject or topic of one's mind. The mind is fixed on a mantra
A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...
, or one's breath/navel/tip of tongue/any place, or an object one wants to observe, or a concept/idea in one's mind.[Charlotte Bell (2007), ''Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice'', Rodmell Press, , pages 145-151][''The Yoga-darsana: The sutras of Patanjali with the Bhasya of Vyasa - Book 3'']
GN Jha (Translator); Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
Archives, pages 94-95 Fixing the mind means one-pointed focus, without drifting of mind, and without jumping from one topic to another.[
]
7. Dhyāna
''Dhyana'' (Sanskrit: ध्यान) literally means "contemplation, reflection" and "profound, abstract meditation".
Dhyana is contemplating, reflecting on whatever ''Dharana'' has focused on. If in the sixth limb of yoga one focused on a personal deity, Dhyana is its contemplation. If the concentration was on one object, Dhyana is non-judgmental, non-presumptuous observation of that object. If the focus was on a concept/idea, Dhyana is contemplating that concept/idea in all its aspects, forms and consequences. Dhyana is uninterrupted train of thought, current of cognition, flow of awareness.[
Dhyana is integrally related to Dharana, one leads to other. Dharana is a state of mind, Dhyana the process of mind. Dhyana is distinct from Dharana in that the meditator becomes actively engaged with its focus. Patanjali defines contemplation (''Dhyana'') as the mind process, where the mind is fixed on something, and then there is "a course of uniform modification of knowledge". ]Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...
, in his commentary on ''Yoga Sutras'', distinguishes Dhyana from Dharana, by explaining Dhyana as the yoga state when there is only the "stream of continuous thought about the object, uninterrupted by other thoughts of different kind for the same object"; Dharana, states Shankara, is focussed on one object, but aware of its many aspects and ideas about the same object. Shankara gives the example of a yogin in a state of dharana on morning sun may be aware of its brilliance, color and orbit; the yogin in dhyana state contemplates on sun's orbit alone for example, without being interrupted by its color, brilliance or other related ideas.
8. Samādhi
''Samadhi'' (Sanskrit: समाधि) literally means "putting together, joining, combining with, union, harmonious whole, trance". In samadhi, when meditating on an object, only the object of awareness is present, and the awareness that one is meditating disappears.[ Samadhi is of two kinds,] ''Samprajnata Samadhi'', with support of an object of meditation, and ''Asamprajnata Samadhi'', without support of an object of meditation.
Samprajnata Samadhi, also called ''savikalpa samadhi
''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...
'' and ''Sabija Samadhi'',[Swami Sivananda, ''Samprajnata Samadhi''](_blank)
/ref> meditation with support of an object, is associated with deliberation, reflection, bliss, and I-am-ness (YS 1.17).
The first two associations, deliberation and reflection, form the basis of the various types of '' Samāpatti'':
* Savitarka, "deliberative" (YS 1.42): The citta is concentrated upon a gross object of meditation, an object with a manifest appearance that is perceptible to our senses, such as a flame of a lamp, the tip of the nose, or the image of a deity. Conceptualization (''vikalpa'') still takes place, in the form of perception, the word and the knowledge of the object of meditation. When the deliberation is ended this is called ''nirvitarka samadhi'' (YS 1.43).
* Savichara, "reflective": the citta is concentrated upon a subtle object of meditation, which is not perceptible to the senses, but arrived at through inference, such as the senses, the process of cognition, the mind, the I-am-ness, the chakras, the inner-breath (''prana''), the ''nadis'', the intellect (''buddhi''). The stilling of reflection is called ''nirvichara samapatti'' (YS 1.44).
The last two associations, ''sananda samadhi'' and ''sasmita'', are respectively a state of meditation, and an object of ''savichara samadhi'':
* Sananda Samadhi
''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...
, '' ananda'', "bliss": this state emphasizes the still subtler state of bliss in meditation;
* Sasmita: the citta is concentrated upon the sense or feeling of "I-am-ness".
According to Ian Whicher, the status of ''ananda'' and ''asmita'' in Patanjali's system is a matter of dispute. According to Maehle, the first two constituents, deliberation and reflection, form the basis of the various types of ''samapatti''. According to Feuerstein,
Ian Whicher disagrees with Feuerstein, seeing ''ananda'' and ''asmita'' as later stages of ''nirvicara-samapatti''. Whicher refers to Vācaspati Miśra (AD 900-980), the founder of the Bhāmatī Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...
who proposes eight types of ''samapatti'':
* ''Savitarka-samāpatti'' and ''Nirvitarka-samāpatti'', both with gross objects as objects of support;
* ''Savicāra-samāpatti'' and ''Nirvicāra-samāpatti'', both with subtle objects as objects of support;
* ''Sānanda-samāpatti'' and ''Nirānanda-samāpatti'', both with the sense organs as objects of support
* ''Sāsmitā-samāpatti'' and ''Nirasmitā-samāpatti'', both with the sense of "I-am-ness" as support.
Vijnana Bikshu
Vijñānabhikṣu (also spelled ''Vijnanabhikshu'') was a Hindu philosopher from Bihar, variously dated to the 15th or 16th century, known for his commentary on various schools of Hindu philosophy, particularly the Yoga text of Patanjali. His scho ...
(ca. 1550-1600) proposes a six-stage model, explicitly rejecting Vacaspati Misra's model. Vijnana Bikshu regards joy (''ananda'') as a state that arises when the mind passes beyond the ''vicara'' stage. Whicher agrees that ananda is not a separate stage of samadhi. According to Whicher, Patanjali's own view seems to be that ''nirvicara-samadhi'' is the highest form of cognitive ecstasy.
Asamprajnata Samadhi, also called ''Nirvikalpa Samadhi
''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...
''[Sri Swami Sivananda, ''Raja Yoga Samadhi''](_blank)
/ref> and ''Nirbija Samadhi'', is meditation without an object,
/ref> which leads to knowledge of ''purusha
''Purusha'' (' or ) is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means the cosmic being or self, awareness, and universal principle.Karl Potter, Presuppositions of Indi ...
'' or consciousness, the subtlest element.
Soteriological goal: ''Kaivalya''
According to Bryant, the purpose of yoga is liberation from suffering, caused by entanglement with the world, by means of discriminative discernment between ''Purusha
''Purusha'' (' or ) is a complex concept whose meaning evolved in Vedic and Upanishadic times. Depending on source and historical timeline, it means the cosmic being or self, awareness, and universal principle.Karl Potter, Presuppositions of Indi ...
'', the witness-consciousness, and '' prakriti'', the cognitive apparatus including the muddled mind and the '' kleshas''. The eight limbs are "the means of achieving discriminative discernment," the "uncoupling of puruṣa from all connection with prakṛti and all involvement with the citta." Bryant states that, to Patanjali, Yoga-practice "essentially consists of meditative practices culminating in attaining a state of consciousness free from all modes of active or discursive thought, and of eventually attaining a state where consciousness is unaware of any object external to itself, that is, is only aware of its own nature as consciousness unmixed with any other object."[
The Samkhya school suggests that ''jnana'' (knowledge) is a sufficient means to ''moksha'', Patanjali suggests that systematic techniques/practice (personal experimentation) combined with Samkhya's approach to knowledge is the path to moksha.][Edwin Bryant (2011, Rutgers University)]
''The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali''
IEP Patanjali holds that ''avidya'', ignorance is the cause of all five kleshas, which are the cause of suffering and saṁsāra. Liberation, like many other schools, is removal of ignorance, which is achieved through discriminating discernment, knowledge and self-awareness. The ''Yoga Sūtras'' is the Yoga school's treatise on how to accomplish this. ''Samādhi'' is the state where ecstatic awareness develops, state Yoga scholars, and this is how one starts the process of becoming aware of ''Purusa'' and true Self. It further claims that this awareness is eternal, and once this awareness is achieved, a person cannot ever cease being aware; this is moksha
''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriology, ...
, the soteriological
Soteriology (; el, σωτηρία ' "salvation" from σωτήρ ' "savior, preserver" and λόγος ' "study" or "word") is the study of religious doctrines of salvation. Salvation theory occupies a place of special significance in many religio ...
goal in Hinduism.
Book 3 of Patanjali's ''Yogasutra'' is dedicated to soteriological aspects of yoga philosophy. Patanjali begins by stating that all limbs of yoga are a necessary foundation to reaching the state of self-awareness, freedom and liberation. He refers to the three last limbs of yoga as ''samyama'', in verses III.4 to III.5, and calls it the technology for "discerning principle" and mastery of ''citta'' and self-knowledge. In verse III.12, the Yogasutras state that this discerning principle then empowers one to perfect ''sant'' (tranquility) and ''udita'' (reason) in one's mind and spirit, through intentness. This leads to one's ability to discern the difference between ''sabda'' (word), ''artha'' (meaning) and ''pratyaya'' (understanding), and this ability empowers one to compassionately comprehend the cry/speech of all living beings.[''The Yoga-darsana: The sutras of Patanjali with the Bhasya of Vyasa - Book 3''](_blank)
GN Jha (Translator); Harvard University Archives, pages 108-126''The Yoga Philosophy''
TR Tatya (Translator), with Bhojaraja commentary; Harvard University Archives, pages 108-109 Once a yogi reaches this state of ''samyama
''Samyama'' (from Sanskrit संयम saṃ-yama—holding together, tying up, binding, integration) is the combined simultaneous practice of Dhāraṇā (concentration), Dhyāna (meditation) and Samādhi (union).
Description
Samyama is a to ...
'', it leads to unusual powers, intuition, self-knowledge, freedoms and kaivalya
Kaivalya ( sa, कैवल्य), is the ultimate goal of aṣṭāṅga yoga and means "solitude", "detachment" or "isolation", a '' vrddhi''-derivation from ''kevala'' "alone, isolated". It is the isolation of purusha from prakṛti, and libe ...
, the redemptive goal of the yogi.
See also
* Seven stages (Yogi) — the seven stages of progress in the Vyasa commentary on the ''Yoga Sutras''
* Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana.
The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: ri ...
* Dhyana in Buddhism
In the oldest texts of Buddhism, ''dhyāna'' () or ''jhāna'' () is a component of the training of the mind (''bhavana''), commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions, "burn up" the ...
Notes
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Further reading
* TR Tatya (1885)
The Yoga Philosophy
with Bhojaraja commentary; Harvard University Archives;
* GN Jha (1907)
The Yoga-darsana: The sutras of Patanjali with the Bhasya of Vyasa
with notes; Harvard University Archives;
* Charles Johnston (1912)
''The Yogasutras of Patanjali''
* I.K. Taimni (1961)
''The Science of Yoga: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali''
* Chip Hartranft (2003)
The Yoga-Sûtra of Patañjali. Sanskrit-English Translation & Glossary
(86 pages)
{{Hindudharma
Hindu texts
Sutra literature
Ancient yoga texts