At Yoga Beyond Yoga Sutra 1.18

In Yoga Sutra 1.17,Patanjali explained the various types/stages of Yoga,

Savitarka Samadhi,

Savichara Samadhi,

Ananda Samadhi and

Saasmita Samadhi.

These four belong to Sampraagya or the state attained by being with the Consciousness.

Now Patanjali explains that the real Yoga does not end here.

A Yogi after attaining the Consciousness identification, reaches a stage where he should be able to transcend that stage ,be with the world and yet be with the Consciousness.

Reality description,Advaita,Waves and ocean not differnent

This stage is what is described as Asampragyada Samadhi.

This is the stage where the practitioner of Yoga, though he has attained the Sampragya samadhi,  returns back, as it were, to the day-to-day World and keeps himself engaged in daily activities, yet remaining one with the Supreme.

This is what Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita while discoursing on the Karma, Gnana, and Bhakti Yoga.

On karma Yoga, Krishna explains that when one performs Duty as it has to be performed with out attachment to the fruits thereof, he attains Brahma Nirvana.

The effects of actions do not touch him, he is not caught in the Samskaras or Vasanas(Tendencis extending beyond the present birth).

While talking about Gnana Yoga , Lord Krishna advises that for one who has known that He is Not different from the reality, the Samaskaras leave as  leaves are burnt by a raging Fire.

Under Bhakti  Yoga, in 18.66, Krishna Declares,

‘Leave all actions,take refuge in Me,,I shall take care of your Sins and Grant you Liberation”

“sarva-dharmān parityajyamām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajaahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyomokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ(BG 18.66)”

 

विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः
viramapratyayabhyasapoorvah sanskarashesho anyah

virama = complete cessation;
pratyaya = firmly convinced;
abhyasa poorvah = by the practice;
samskaraseshah = having only impressions remain;
anyah = the other;

By firmly convinced practice of the complete cessation of the mental modifications, the impressions only remain. This is the other samadhi [asamprajnata or non-distinguished].

explanation of the Sutra in the next post.

 

 

Related articles

• Yoga Sutra 1.17 Samadhi Contemplation (ramanan50.wordpress.com)

Savichara Ananda Samdhis Yoga Sutra

The second type of Samadhi described by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutra 1.17  is ‘Savichara Samadhi’

The State of Samadhi attained here is the result of concentrating on Subtle Objects, like the Gods,or the chanting of Pranava OM, where the thoughts in the first case encourages mental picture, while in the later they are produced by the vibrations of the Pranava,

Couple of points.

In Buddhism by the Tibetan Monks, Lamas,, the body is explained have three layers,

Layers of Body, Buddhism.

The Gross Body, which we see,

The Etheric Body, which extends up to one eights of an inch surrounding the Gross body,

The Auric Body,which surrounds the Etheric Body for another one eighth of an inch and,

Aura, which surrounds the whole.

In Indian Philosophy this phenomenon is explained while describing the Five sheaths of the Atman or Reality, the Five sheaths being,

Annamaya Kosa (of Food),

Pranamaya Kosa,(of Vital Breaths)

Manomaya Kosa,(of Mind)

Vigyanamaya Kosa (of Knowledge)

Anandamaya Kosa.(of Bilss)

It is also interesting to note Japas, the practice of chanting a sacred name or Hymn is three-fold.

1.Chanting aloud, the first Stage,

2.Chanting but not aloud; the lips alone should move.

The Mantras give fruits , right from the first stage,

In the second stage, they give results  hundred times more than the first stage (Satham) and in the Third Stage,

They give thousand times more(Sahasrapala)

Savichara Samadhi is practiced after mastering the ‘Savitarka Samadhi’ and understanding the nature of Gross elements.

Ananda Samadhi.

This state is reached by using the Mind, and not Knowledge.

In the earlier Samadhis one uses the Knowledge one has or gains .

But in Ananada Samadhi Chiththa  is focused upon and laziness and actions are dispensed with.

This is the third state.

http://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/savitarka-samadhi-patanjaliyoga/

Related articles

• Identify The Tools of The Mind Patanjali Yoga Sutra 6 (ramanan50.wordpress.com)

Savitarka Samadhi PatanjaliYoga

Samadhi, the State of becoming or returning to our original State of Being,that is of Being, Knowledge and Bliss is explained in Patanjali‘s Yoga Sutra 1.17.

There is a difference between the ‘Nirvana‘, spoken of in Buddhism and The Samadhi of Yoga.

Buddhism advocates Nirvana, a State of Nothingness, Sunyavada.

Both Samadhi and Nirvana are Higher or elevated sense of Consciousness.

Yoga Samadhi is positive in the sense that one reverts to his original state of Being which consists of Being, Knowledge and Bliss.

Nirvana , on the other hand is the negation of all transient attributes and attaining  a State of being Nothing, without attributes.

The difference,please do not read philosophical interpretations in this statement,is akin to being fully satisfied after eating and the feeling of Fullness one has without having eaten.

Types of Brain Waves, Delta for Samadhi( near samadhi)

The Types of Samadhi.

Some people refer this as Super Consciousness or Supra Consciousness, which is incorrect as Consciousness is One and our lack of realizing it does not make it Super.

Yoga never calls anything as Super or Supra.

In Samadhi we return to our original State of Being.

Savitarka Samadhi,

Savicara Samadhi,

Ananda Samadhi,

Saasmita Samadhi

Savitarka Samadhi.

‘Tarka’ means ‘questioning, logic’

Samadhi attained by the path of questioning is Savitarka Samadhi.

This is the first step or type of Samadhi.

Our minds wander after many objects at the same time and we pay attention to one of them for a brief span of time, at the same time, being aware of the other things as well, both physical and mental.

To rein in the Mind it is essential to reduce the number of objects we pay attention to , to attain better efficiency.

This becomes easy when we fix our mind on a single object  at a given time.

When one thinks of some thing to the exclusion of the others, his concentration and his control over the reactions the object produces increases.

At this stage one can exercise control over the object.

The object will be focus of attention to the total exclusion of everything else,(this will be explained in detail when we discuss Pratyahara, Dhyana and Dharana).

One increase efficiency by performing to his full potential. thus enabling a better result.

As the number of objects being attended to are less here, so are the impressions in the Mind and later reflected in Chithi.

So we are reducing the Chitha Vrutthi being spoken of in the second Sutra of Patanjali.

Yet there is a pitfall here in this state of Savitarka Samadhi.

Being able to concentrate on a single object  provides one with not so normal powers of being able to dominate the object and literally bend it to one’s Will.

This is the core of the so-called paranormal abilities like Clairvoyance, Clairaudience , Kinetasis  , which form a part of Asthta Siddis  or Ashtama Siddhis.

Ashtama or Astha Siddhis.

• Aṇimā: reducing one’s body even to the size of an atom
• Mahima: expanding one’s body to an infinitely large size
• Garima: becoming infinitely heavy
• Laghima: becoming almost weightless
• Prāpti: having unrestricted access to all places
• Prākāmya: realizing whatever one desires
• Iṣṭva: possessing absolute lordship
• Vaśtva: the power to subjugate all^[3]

The practitioner gets lost in these Yoga Sadhana by being enamored of these powers and loses the goal of Self Realization.

So this Samadhi, though the first step,is not of Higher order.

Patanjali warns that this  Samadhi would increase attachment to Objects and increase one’s attachment to objects and consequently multiply the Chitha Vrutti, instead of reducing it.

Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhi

 

 

 

 

http://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/yoga-sutra-1-17-samadhi-contemplation/

Related articles

• Yoga Sutra 1.17 Samadhi Contemplation (ramanan50.wordpress.com)

Yoga Sutra 1.17 Samadhi Contemplation

In this Sutra, Patanjali talks about the characteristics of Samadhi‘ (Becoming the Being, more correctly to revert to the original State of Being).

Samadhi is ‘ a non-dualistic state of consciousness in which the consciousness of the experiencing subject becomes one with the experienced object.’

After discussing Knowledge, instruments of Knowledge,Patanjali goes straight down to Samadhi.

But the narration of the Sutras are not being followed by him here  in the order Astanga Yoga is to be practiced.

The reason is that, like all Vedic Mantras, these slokas are not made after deliberation, noting points to write.

These are Revelation,Apauresheyam,not created by Man and are Anaadhi(Timeless)

The sound waves are intuitively grasped by the Seers and are expressed.

At the mundane level, anything creative is born this way, be it Newtons’ Laws or the Dramas of Shakespeare, they are expressed spontaneously with out deliberation).

As this is good place as any let me say a few words about the Eight Limbs of Yoga-Ashtanga(Eight Limbs)

The Eight Limbs or steps of Yoga Are.

Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi.

Yama

Niyama,

Asana,

Pranayama‘

Pratyahara,

Dharana,

Dhyana  and

Samadhi.

These are the eight steps to be followed in that order.

Now I find people have Meditation Courses(?) as if it is an ordinary text-book subject  straight without going through the earlier steps of Yama, Niyama, Asana,Pranayama(some times they teach you Asanas as though it is a simple physical exercise and Pranayama is just a matter of regulating Breathing).

This is incorrect and has no sanction from Patanjali’s Yoga.

I am also amused by the people who tell me that they are doing meditation half an hour Daily.

If one were to Meditate and achieve it for 30 seconds, I tell people, He/She would have become a Ramana Maharishi.

Jumping to Meditation is akin to joining Post Graduate Course without going through LKG to Degree.

And Yoga, I repeat, is not a Physical exercise., though Physical fitness is a spin-off of Yoga.

It is a Spiritual exercise,has to be practiced over years by following the Rules of Ashtanga Yoga.

I ca guarantee those who do not follow the correct procedures to develop backache,Spinal Problems and in extreme cases, mental disturbances.

Please do not take Yoga lightly for we are dealing with something very fragile as Mind and something that is an expression of Ourselves, Consciousness.

Yama.

The Five Don’ts.

• Ahimsa - Non-violence
• Satya - Truthfulness
• Brahmacharya - Control of the senses and celibacy
• Asteya - Non-stealing
• Aparigraha – Non-covetousness and non-acceptance of gifts

Each of these require a detailed analysis.

Niyama, Five Do’s:

• Saucha – Purity, cleanliness
• Santosha – Contentment
• Tapas – Austerity
• Swadhyaya – Self-study, study of scriptures
• Ishwara Pranidhana – Surrender to God’s will.
• I shall post on each of these as we go along at the appropriate places.

In Sutra 1.17, Patanjali speaks of Samadhi as one which is accompanied or coexistent with or fully conversant with  Contemplation.

Right Contemplation is what is required,one with the sole intention of realizing the Self.

This will be dealt in Detail when we discus Pratyahara, Dhyana and Dharana, the various levels of Concentration.

Yoga Sutra 1.17

वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारुपानुगमात्संप्रज्ञातः
vitarkavicharanandasmitaroopanugamat sanprajnatah

vitarka = reasoning;
vichara = reflecting;
ananda = rejoicing;
asmita = pure ego;
anugamat = accompanied by the forms of;
samprajnatah = distinguished;

yoga sutra 1.17

Samprajnata samadhi [distinguished contemplation] is accompanied by reasoning, reflecting, rejoicing and pure I-am-ness.

The concentration called right knowledge is that which is followed by reasoning, discrimination, bliss, unqualified ego.

The realisation of the unconditioned being is at times associated with logical reasoning or examination, deep a-rational enquiry, an experience of bliss or of pure I-am-ness. Yet even at those times there is consciousness of the subject-object relationship, and knowledge of the physiological and psychological states, experiences and deeds.

http://yogasutras.us/yoga-sutra-1-17/

Related articles

• Indifference Better Yoga Sutra 1.16 (ramanan50.wordpress.com)

Think Out Your Emotions

I have started writing on Yoga Sutra of Patanjali about 16 days back.

Then suddenly I decided to write on Isa Upanishad a couple of Days back.

While dealing with the Isavasya(Isa Upanishad) Upanishad, I thought of writing on performing Actions without attachment in detail.

Some how it got postponed.

Now I find that Isa Upanishad also speaks on the subject in the sloka I have commented upon.

Hence I decided not to postpone this subject and this post.

(As I was writing on Isa Upanishad, I wanted to write on Nirvana Shadgam of Adi Sankaracarya. I misplaced the Text ; I found it to-day and posts will follow)

Emotions.

Action arises out of desires,

Desires of Feelings,

Feelings of satisfaction of instincts.

We can not help acting on our instincts. they are our Swabhava,Nature’ impelled by Gunas.(Refer my posts on Yoga sutra nd Gunas)

We continue seeking the objects that give us satisfaction and happiness.

When we interact with the Object for the first time, we do not have a preconceived notion that it would give us Pleasure.

We come to know of it after we experience them.

So the feelings of Joy oy pain do not reside in the object but in our perception of OUR enjoyment of them.

To remain detached, it is useless to address the issue to these objects, but we need to address the instrument of enjoyment, ourselves.

If we can think out our experiences after our experience of the Object, we will be able to outwit our propensity for enjoyment.

Mere removal of Objects will not drive way your desires, they will haunt your memory and your mind will seek them.

Remaining amidst sense Objects and remain unaffected is true renunciation.

There is this story of Rishyasrunga , a Great Seer, in Ramayana.

Rishyasrunga was a Celibate, A Naishtika Brahmachari.

A Niashtika Brahmachari is one whose semen does not flow downwards, that is, it is not discharged.

This is possible only when all the thoughts of Sex are not present , even unconsciously in the Mind.

Rishyasrunga was living in a Forest alone.

It is a common Belief that if a Naishtika  Brahmachari steps into  a Town. it would Rain.

A Kingdom was undergoing severe Drought.

The King decided to bring Rishyasrunga to the Kingdom so that it might Rain.

Rishyasrunga was brought to the Kingdom and it rained.

But on seeing women Rishyasrunga was infatuated with women and his thoughts wandered.

He was advised by Sage Vasishta that to be a true Yogi one should be able to remain amidst the sense objects and be self-controlled.

He did so.

When we perform action for the second time, we should distinguish between three types of Action.

Action, Inaction and Non Action.

Action is what we do everyday, with specific goals and the results, with passion.

Inaction is doing nothing.

Non action is performing an action because it has to be performed without any specific goal.

Nor with a desire to derive pleasure out of it.

This is the essence of karma Yoga.

Is this possible?

Yes.

Actions arise out of emotions, we can not do anything as we are in the process of performing an Action.

Once the performance of Action in over, we can think about it.

We can know the futility of pleasures,they are transient, not in our control, may go away from us.

Now if one thinks about these  regularly by reviewing the actions he has performed a Mindset forms to desist from performing these actions in future when the occasion arise.

This performance with out Attachment , where one does not seek the results, but performs to his fullest potential is Karma Yoga.

And this a Path to Self Realization or the practice of Detachment.

http://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/who-owns-the-world-isa-upanishad-1/

 

Related articles

• Indifference Better Yoga Sutra 1.16 (ramanan50.wordpress.com)
• How To Be ‘Aware’ Yoga Sutra 1.7 Patanjali (ramanan50.wordpress.com)