Sutras of Patanjali

Yoga Defined

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1 Invocation to Sage Patanjali

योगेन िचत्तःय पदेन वाचां | मलं शरीरःय च वैद्यके न || योोोऽपाकरोत्त ंं ूवरं मुनीनांं | पतञ्जिलं ूाञ्जिोििलरानतोऽिःम || yogena chittasya padena vAchAM | malaM sharIrasya cha vaidyakena || yo.apAkarottaM pravaraM munInAM | pata~njaliM prA~njalirAnato.asmi || "I respectfully bow down with folded hands and offer my salutations to Sage Patanjali, the highest among the Munis (sages), who has presented the remedies for removing the impurities of the body through his treatise on Ayurveda, of language through his treatise on grammar (Patanjala Mahabhashya) and the impurities of the Chitta (mind field) through his treatise on Yoga ()."

2 Yoga defined

Here now is the expp/position/discipline of Yoga ()(1.1) • Here, now (Atha): Authority of teacher, Qualification of student, Auspicious Commencement of subject • ‘Yoga’: derived from root ‘yuj’ meaning either ‘’ (natural state of the spiritual self) or ‘union’ depending upon context • Five states of the mind: disturbed (scattered), somnol/dlllent/dull, partiillally distracte d, one‐poidinted, fully controlled • Disturbed mind = disequilibrium of the three gunas 3 Yoga defined (cont.)

Yoga is the control of the modifications (vrittis) of the mind‐field (chitta) (1.2) Mind‐field: cognitive mind + intellect + ego + storage (i(memories, iiimpressions, unfu lfille d didesires ) Modifications (vrittis) caused by the three gunas – sattva (purity), rajas (activity), tamas (stagnation) Vritti: when the intellect takes on the same form as the object perceived, it is called a vritti Control: dissolution of the gunas into their source, leading to final stage of ‘samadhi’

4 Yoga defined (cont.)

Then ttehe seer rests in its own tuetrue natur e (.3)(1.3) • Then: when the mind’s fluctuations are controlled • Sankhya philosophy: Purusha (pure ), prakriti (matter) • Seer = pp///urusha/soul/atma/self: ever‐pp,ure, ever‐ free, unblemished, untouched, without regard to time, space or association with matter • Own true nature: total isolation (kaivalya) – ‘seer’ is totally detached from the intellect

5 Yoga defined (cont.)

Otherwise, one remains identified with the modifications of the mind‐field (1.4) Otherwise: when the fluctuations of the mind are not controlled Identification with the mind‐body complex makes the self appear to be limited Ego, the main cause of this identification Patanjali’s warning: control the mind and remain ever peaceful, joyful; or allow the mind to control you which results in suffering

6 Modifications of the Chitta (Vrittis)

The mental modifications are fivefold and are painful or not‐painful (1.5) • Painful vrittis are caused by ‘kleshas (afflictions) (ch. 2)’ and cause further ‘kleshas’ – leading to accumulation of Karma and continuous bondage • Unafflicted vrittis are driven by ‘sattva’ guna and help cleanse the mind • Impressions (samskaras) are the intangible and inactive state of vrittis, and vrittis are tangible and active outcome of samskaras 7 Vrittis – Correct Cognition

These aaere corr ect cognit io n , miscon ceptio n, fatasy,antasy, sleep and memory (1.6) Correct cognition is based on direct ppperception, valid inference and verbal testimony (1.7) Direct perception: the vritti produced in the mind when an object is perceived through the senses †It determines the ‘specific’ –you see a man and you know it is John †All the senses must experience the object the same way at all times

8 Vrittis ‐ Inference

• Inference: cognizes the generic nature primarily – You hear footsteps and you infer a man is walking • Verbal testimony: the vritti of acquiring the meaning through words spoken by an accomplished person who has seen or inferred the subject matter – Includes knowledge revealed through scriptures

9 Vrittis ‐ Misconception

Misconception is illusory knowledge based upon what is other than itself (1.8) • It is misconception because it can be refuted, contradicted and annulled by correct cognition – Someone with double vision sees two moons – can be refuted by the sight of a single moon • Ignorance is the cause of the five afflictions (kleshas) (ch. 2) –ignorance, I‐am‐ness, attachment, aversion, fear of death

10 Vrittis ‐ Fantasy

Fantasy (imaginary cognition), empty of substance, is engendered by words and concepts (1. 9) • Not a result of Correct Cognition or Inference; only driven by words without an actual object – The word ‘time’ is not an object but creates a vritti – concept of time, when heard

11 Vrittis ‐ Sleep

Sleep is the modification engendered by the absence of mental contents (1.10) Sleep is a vritti because you can look back and say, “I sltlept well” etc. No other vrittis are present during deep sleep (dream may be thought of as ‘imaginary cognition’ ) An obstruction in the path of meditation and needs to be avoided Dominated by the guna ‘tamas’ Consciousness remains active during sleep

12 Vrittis ‐ Memory

Memory is the not letting go of an object or image of subjective experience (1.11) Memories are a result of all the five vrittis Like other vrittis, memory may result in pleasure, pain or stupefaction Cognition creates impression (samskara) which manifests as memory in the mind Intelligence records the process and instrument of cognition (e.g., a sound or a sight); the actual form (the actual words or object) form the memory

13 How to achieve Nirodhah (Practice and Detach)hment) The restraint of these mental modifications comes through assiduous practice (abhyasa) and dispassionate detachment (vairagya) (1.12) Practice (abhyasa) is the continuous effort to abide in a steady state (1.13) Stillness is the one‐pointedness of the mind when it is without rajasic and tamasic vrittis One who is neither pleased or displeased on receipt of sensory input which is pleasant or unpleasant is called calm (has steady mid)ind) Effort: zeal and enthusiasm, courage, steadfastness and pp,atience, pursuit of spy,pirituality, and attitude of service

14 Practice

This is indeed firmly goudedgrounded when it is persistently exercised for a long time, without interruption, and with earnest, reverential attention and devotion ()(1.14) Interruption in practice allows accumulation of negative vrittisnegating earlier gains Reverence entails ascetic practice (tapas), control over sexual passion, knowledge and unflinching faith Long time could mean multiple lives

15 Dispassionate Detachment

Detachme nt (vaaagyairagya) is ttehe con sci ousn ess of perfect mastery in one who has ceased to crave for objects, seen or unseen (1.15) Perceptible objects of attraction may include persons of opposite sex, food, drink, music etc Imperceptible attractions may include paradise or heaven, achievement of ‘’ etc. CiddConsidered the lower form of ‘vairagya’ and has these steps: initial effort, ascertainment, pertains to a single sense (ie, mind) only, perfect mastery

16 Supreme Detachment

That is the supreme dispassion when there is cessation of all craving for the attributes (gunas), owing to discernment of the Self (purusha ) (()1.16) • This level of control leads to final stages of ‘samadhi’ • Complete discriminative power (viveka) has been established • The ‘gunas’ have merged back into their source (prakriti)

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