Yoga Sutra Study

YSP Study Group 8/28/10 – sutra 1.47

subhash — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:00:46 +0000

Sutra 1.47

निर्विचारवैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः॥४७॥

nirvichaaravaishaaradye.dhyaatmaprasaadaH

nirvichaara = the Nirvichara stage; vaishaaradye = on refinement, on attaining utmost purity; .dhyaatma = spiritual; prasaadaH = lucidity, clarity

Taimni

"On attaining the utmost purity of the Nirvichara stage (of samadhi) there is the dawning of the spiritual light."

Even though sabija samadhi begins with the lower mind, true spiritual light dawns on the consciousness only when the last stage of nirvichara samadhi is reached. Samadhi at the lower levels of the mind leads only to siddhis of a lower kind which may result in a selfish outlook and arrogant attitude. People who begin to dwell on such siddhis may never experience deeper realms of spirituality. However, during the last stages of nirvichara samadhi, buddhi, under the control of atma can shed its radiance on the lower mind and make it purer.

Aranya

"On Gaining Proficiency In Nirvichara, Purity In The Inner Instruments Of Cognition Is Developed."

When "rajas" (activity) and "tamas" (dullness) are removed, "sattva" or enlightening faculty shines in the buddhi – this is called "adhyatma prasada" or purity of the inner instrument. Along with buddhi, all the other sense organs are also sharpened. Whatever is known at this time is the complete truth. Knowledge obtained from inference (anumana) and verbal communication (agama) is knowledge of generalities. In the state of nirvichara samadhi, direct cognition of the ultimate particulars of the object is obtained. This is how sages derived their knowledge which they communicated to others in the form of "sutras".

Discussion

There is some disagreement among the commentators as to the meaning of "adhyatma". Is it limited to purity at the buddhi level only or does the clarity extend all the way up to Purusha? In my understanding, since we are still talking of sabija samadhi, even at the purest level of buddhi, there still remains a seed of the object of contemplation. To get a clear vision of the pure Purusha, we need to go beyond sabija and enter the nirbija or "asamprajnata" samadhi. As a result of "adhyatma prasada" (purity of inner instrument), we are certainly achieving a state of pure intuitive wisdom called "prajna". Once there, it is most likely a matter of time and more ‘abhyasa’ (practice) and ‘vairagya’ (detachment) before one can get into the nirbija samadhi. Vyasa, in his commentary, gives the example of a man who is standing at the top of a hill and seeing other people at the ground level. The implication is that once a person has attained ‘adhyatma prasada’, he has already gone past the ‘kleshas’ or afflictions and can look at others with compassion. He can then become aware of the suffering of others out of compassion while still maintaining a state of detachment.

YSP SG 8/14/10 – Sutra 1.46

subhash — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:52:52 +0000

Sutra 1.46

ता एव सबीजः समाधिः॥४६॥

taa eva sabIjaH samaadhiH

taa = they (the four types of samapattis mentioned before); eva = indeed; sabIjaH = with seed; samaadhiH = meditative absorption

Taimni

"They (stages corresponding to subtle objects) constitute only Samadhi with seed"

An object associated with Prakriti on which samyama is performed is technically a seed, whether it is gross or subtle. So "sabija samadhi" (samadhi with seed) is "objective" samadhi as opposed to "nirbija" samadhi where there is no object of meditation. In "nirbija" samadhi, purusha, who is beyond the realm of prakriti is the "objectless" object of meditation.

Aranya

"These are the only kinds of objective concentration"

The four types of samapattis described use an external object for concentration. Nirvitarka and savitarka relate to gross objects, whereas savichara and nirvichara relate to subtle objects. They are thus known as samadhis with seed.

Discussion

In sutra 1.17 there were four types of samadhi mentioned – based on vitarka, vichara, ananda and asmita. However in this sutra, the reference seems to be only on nirvitarka, savitarka, savichara and nirvichara. There is no mention of samadhis with ananda and asmita. According to Swami Veda Bharati the following correspondence should be used:

Savitarka samapatti = savitarka samadhi
Nirvitarka samapatti = nirvitarka samadhi
Savichara samapatti = savichara samadhi
Nirvichara samapatti = nirvichara samadhi, samadhi with ananda, samadhi with asmita

All these are called "sabija" since they leave a samskara or a seed of bondage. The word "bija" can be looked upon as having two different connotations:

In a fruit, when you peel off the skin, the pulp and any other external matter, what is left is just the seed. In the same manner, seed can be considered to be the deepest essence of an object of meditation.
A seed when planted in a favorable environment can fructify and become a tree. Similarly, a samskara can be considered a seed since it can fructify into an active vritti in the mind given the right triggers.

For these reasons, the above-mentioned samadhis can be termed as sabija samadhi.

YSP Study Group 7/24/10 – sutra 1.45

subhash — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:48:25 +0000

Sutra 1.45

सूक्ष्मविषयत्वं चालिङ्गपर्यवसानम्॥४५॥

sUkShmaviShayatvaM chaali~ggaparyavasaanam

sUkShmaviShayatvaM = the state of samadhi concerned with subtle objects; cha = and; ali~gga = last stage of the gunas (without a symbol); paryavasaanam = extending (up to)

Taimni

"The province of Samadhi concerned with subtle objects extends up to the Alinga stage of the three gunas"

Different objects are subtle to different degrees and the degrees of subtlety have been classified according to the stages of the gunas (as explained later in sutra 2.19). As per the Sankhya philosophy, all objects can be classified in four categories according to the four stages of the gunas. The last stage of the gunas is called "alinga" and hence that is the most subtle object of contemplation for samadhi.

Aranya

The subtle forms of various elements, called "tanmatra", are paired as follows: earth – smell; water – taste; fire – sight; air – touch; space – sound. Ahamkara (ego) is subtler than tanmatra, and buddhi (intellect) or Mahat-tattva is subtler than ego. The subtlest of them all is the unmanifest "prakriti". Purusha, even though subtle, cannot be considered in the same class since it is not the material cause but the efficient cause of the first element, intellect (buddhi).

The word "linga" means an indicator or a symbol for some object. A linga is an indicator of its cause and ultimately merges back into its cause. "Alinga", by contrast, has no cause to merge into and has no indicator or symbol. In this sutra, the unmanifest prakriti is termed as Alinga and represents a state of equilibrium of the three gunas – sattva, rajas and tamas.

The tanmatras – sense of smell, taste etc – are the subtle sensations of subtle objects received through the senses. Once received by the mind, they become the modifications in the mind (vrittis).

Discussion

It is perhaps worthwhile to recap here how the manifest phenomenal universe evolved from the unmanifest "moola prakriti". As per the Sankhya philosophy, Purusha and Prakriti are two independent entities, Purusha being the conscious principle whereas Prakriti is the inert creative force. Prakriti requires the presence of Purusha for the creation of the phenomenal world. In the unmanifest state, the three gunas – sattva, rajas and tamas – are in perfect equilibrium. When the equilibrium is disturbed, the process of evolution begins. The first element to evolve is Buddhi/Mahat (intellect). The process of evolution is depicted in the diagram below (borrowed from swamij.com).

In different stages of samadhi – vitarka, vichara, ananda and asmita – one moves from gross to subtler elements. The most subtle element that can be used as an object of meditation is buddhi/mahat (pure intellect) which is a reflection of the pure I-sense (asmita). Vyasa, in his commentary, called Mahat as "linga-matra" which means "indicator only". All the other elements which are grosser than Asmita have been termed as "linga" as they indicate to something subtler which is also the cause of that gross element. For example, the tanmatras (sense of smell, touch etc) are subtle compared to earth, water etc but gross compared to "Ahamkara" (ego). In that sense a tanmatra is Linga as it indicates toward the Ego as its cause. Also, one can move from Linga to its cause and use that as an object for samadhi. Mahat, on the other hand, has been mentioned as "linga-matra" which means that even though it has a casue, "moola prakriti" in this case, one may not use that cause as an object of meditation.

YSP Study Group 7/17/10 – Sutra 1.44

subhash — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:48:41 +0000

[Note: this is a continuation of the discussion from the last session on sutra 1.44]

Sutra 1.44

एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषया व्याख्याता॥४४॥

etayaiva savichaaraa nirvichaaraa cha sUkShmaviShayaa vyaakhyaataa

etayaiva = by this alone; savichaaraa = samadhi involving reflection; nirvichaaraa = samadhi not involving ‘vichara’; cha = and; sUkShmaviShayaa = involving subtle objects; vyaakhyaataa = is described or explained

Aranya

"By this (foregoing) the Savichara and Nirvichara engrossments, whose objects are subtle, are also explained"

When the concentration on the subtle elements is conditioned by time, space and causation, it is called "savichara" samapatti. When the concentration is not affected by any mutation due to time or space, it is called "nirvichara". When there is any verbal reflection on the object, it becomes "savichara".

In "savichara" samadhi, the reflection is on the object as a complete unit. However, it involves the use of ‘memory’ for its reflection. In "nirvichara", the memory element is completely absent. Only the illumination of the subtle element, dissociated from any reflective thought, but associated with the latent impression of this type of samapatti only, is present in the mind.

Samapatti Examples

Savitarka: take the sun as the gross object of contemplation. Even though the mind has the sun alone as the object, its characteristics like "it is round", "it is far away", "it is very bright" etc. are also cognized.

Nirvitarka: While concentrating on the sun, only its luminosity will be realized, shutting out all other characteristics. The mind becomes unaware even of itself, e.g. "I am meditating on the sun". In this type of contemplation, the yogi sees all gross objects purely as a combination of sense elements – light, touch, taste etc. This may lead to the yogi achieving the state of ‘vairagya’ (detachment).

Savichara: While contemplating on the sun, the yogi calms the mind and the senses and focuses on the light "tanmatra" – the subtle sense element related to sight. In this case, the samadhi is conditioned by words, objects and their knowledge and affected by time, space and causation. Also, all pleasure and pain etc associated with such objects disappears. Other subtle elements like the ego, intellect and the pure I-sense can also be used as objects of meditation.

Nirvichara: In this case, the mind is full only of the object without any association with verbal concepts and without an idea of time and space.

Discussion

In Savitarka samadhi, our perception is colored by our memory as well as space-time limitations. Some of the famous visual illusions can be used to illustrate some of these concepts. In the picture above, the two parallel lines are the same length; however, the upper line appears to be shorter than the other one. In Savitarka, even though our mind is completely filled with this image, but due to awareness of space and other objects surrounding the horizontal line, we misjudge the actual length of the lines. A similar example is depicted in the second picture below.

When we migrate to Nirvitarka samadhi, we are able to focus entirely on the horizontal lines without any interference from the other lines. That way, we are able to know that they are the same length.

During our discussion, we came upon a few other expressions which are used in modern literature on psychology and have a meaning quite similar to Samadhi.

Gestalt

Gestalt is a German word and has the following connotation:

"A physical, biological, psychological, or symbolic configuration or pattern of elements so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its parts. "

"Essence or shape of an entity’s complete form"

"The whole is greater than the sum of the parts"

Grok

The word "grok" was used in the book "stranger in a strange land" by Robert A. Heinlein. Its meaning is almost identical with the concept of "nirvitarka" or "nirvichara" samadhi as described in the sturas above.

"Grok means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of the observed—to merge, blend, intermarry, lose identity in group experience. It means almost everything that we mean by religion, philosophy, and science "

YSP Study Group 6/19 and 6/26/10

subhash — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:41:27 +0000

Sutra 1.43

[Discussion on this sutra continued during the meetings on 6/19/10 and 6/26/10]

स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का॥४३॥

smRutiparishuddhau svarUpashUnyevaarthamAtranirbhaasaa nirvitrakaa

smRuti = memory; parishuddhau = on clarification; svarUpa = own form or essential nature; shUnya = devoid of; iva = as if; artha = real meaning; mAtra = only; nirbhaasaa = shining, appearing as; nirvitrakaa = samadhi characterized by absence of Vitarka

Discussion (cont.)

Since some of the members had missed the previous discussion on the sutra, and also we had a couple of new members, we decided to re-read the commentary by Aranya and continue with the discussion.

Vyasa, in his commentary, makes a reference to those who believe that all objects experienced are unreal, insubstantial or false. We felt that this reference is to some concepts in Buddhism and also possibly to Advaita Vedanta where all material objects are considered ‘unreal’. Vyasa states that if we were to follow this line of thinking, then all knowledge would be false and we would have access to no object of meditation. Because we are able to bring into focus an object from the material word, we are able to understand its true nature through the process of meditation and samadhi as explained in this sutra.

An interesting observation is made by Sw. Satyananda (of Bihar School of Yoga) in his commentary. Because the memory has been purified before reaching the state of ‘nirvitarka’ samadhi, a yogi loses any connection with the memory temporarily. As such, there may not be any impression of the ‘nirvitarka’ samadhi left in the memory and the experience can not be recalled at a later time. Connection with the memory may still be available for people who have reached a very high state of consciousness.

Sutra 1.44

Taimni

In this sutra Patanjali simply states that the mental processes in ‘savichara, nirvichara’ and higher states of samadhi are identical to those found in the ‘savitarka, nirvitarka’ samadhi. As we learned in sutra 1.17, ‘savichara’ involves concentration on subtle objects. The process of perceiving material objects is done through the faculty of the five senses. But at higher spiritual planes, perception takes place through a single entity called ‘pratibha’ which performs the functions of all five sense-organs. These higher faculties can overcome the limitations of the intellect in getting to know an object in its true reality.

YSP Study Group 5/8/10 and 5/22/10 (Sutra 1.43)

subhash — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:08:40 +0000

Sutra 1.43

[Discussion on this sutra continued during the meeting on 5/22/10]

Taimni

"On the clarification of memory, when the mind loses its essential nature (subjectivity), as it were, and the real knowledge of the object alone shines (through the mind), Nirvitarka Samadhi is attained."

While in Savitarka Samadhi, the modification of yogi’s mind (vritti) comes under the category of ‘smriti’ (memory). This vritti is a reproduction in the mind of something that has been experienced before. The term ‘smriti parishuddhau’ in the sutra refers to purifying this memory in the mind. In this state, the mind loses its own ‘subjectivity’ and hence is termed ‘swarupa shunya’ (devoid of its own subjectivity) in the sutra. As a result of this purification, the object of concentration shines through in its true essence, without the confusion of ‘shabda, artha, jnana’ (word, its essence and its general knowledge) mentioned in the previous sutra. This state of the mind is defined as ‘nirvitarka’ (without vitarka) in the sutra.

After the attainment of Nirvitarka Samadhi, the "purusha" gets involved in bringing about the further stages of samadhi as explained in the remaining sutras of this chapter. Purusha’s involvement is needed because in nirvitarka, the lower mind has completely fused with the object of concentration. This view is a departure from the philosophy of Samkhya according to which ‘purusha’ is merely a ‘drashta’ (a spectator) and not a participant in any activity.

Aranya

"When the memory is purified, the mind appears to be devoid of its own nature (i.e. of reflective consciousness) and only the object (on which it is contemplating) remains illuminated. This kind of engrossment is called Nirvitarka Samapatti."

In "nirvitarka samapatti", a state in which the mind is free from verbal thinking, the true nature of the object contemplated upon is revealed. It is a state with true perception where the other modes of "pramana" (right knowledge) – inference and testimony, which are themselves based on direct perception – are absent.

Based on direct perception, knowledge of an object is stored in the memory along with its name. By practice, however, it is possible to think of the object without its name. This is called ‘purifying the memory’ and represents true knowledge of an object. Words may represent non-existing things. For example, in the expression, "time is beginningless and endless", there is no possibility of direct perception of time or its nature. Similarly, "Brahman is real and of the nature of consciousness" merely uses words which cannot be perceived or help in realizing Brahman. Only the knowledge gained without the use of words and being the nature of the object is the true knowledge.

"Swarupa shunya" (devoid of its own nature) in the sutra implies that the notion, ‘I am the knower’ or ‘I know’ is not there any more – only the object remains. In contrast, we saw that in ‘savitarka samadhi’ the knowledge is mixed with the words denoting the object. In ‘nirvitarka’, even if words are uttered, they appear only as pure sound, without any associated meaning. In ‘nirvitarka’ the complete assemblage of all the associated characteristics becomes available without association of the name.

Discussion

Let us take an ‘apple’ as an example of a gross object of meditation. The name ‘apple’ represents the ‘shabda’ or the word. Its color (red), shape (roundish), smell (sweet), texture (soft), taste (sweet and sour) etc all represent the common knowledge ‘jnana’ associated with an apple. The ‘artha’ or the true essence of an apple could refer to its subtle taste or smell (without a name) or some other characteristic like its nutritional value etc. In ‘savitarka samadhi’, all these names and various characteristics of an apple will remain in the mind. Even though there is no other ‘object’ in the mind, the mind goes back and forth among these ‘shabda’, ‘artha’ and ‘jnana’ for the apple. In ‘nirvitarka’ samadhi, the mind becomes completely devoid of any names or any other characteristic which can be recalled from memory. The mind in this samadhi is totally absorbed in any one of the essential qualities of the apple only with no verbal association.

YSP Study Group 4/17/10 (Sutra 1.42)

subhash — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:08:55 +0000

Sutra 1.42

[Discussion on this sutra continued during the meeting on 5/8/10]

तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः संकीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः॥४२॥

tatra shabdArthaj~jAnavikalpaiH saMkIrNaa savitarkaa samaapattiH

tatra = there; shabda = word; Artha = real meaning; j~jAna = ordinary knowledge; vikalpaiH = alternating between different alternatives due to confusion; saMkIrNaa = mixed up; savitarkaa = a state of samadhi characterized by vitarka (gross object); samaapattiH = absorption

Taimni

"Savitarka Samadhi is that in which knowledge based only on words, real
knowledge and ordinary knowledge based on sense perception or reasoning are present
in a mixed state and the mind alternates between them."

Sutras 1.42-1.51 discuss various aspects of ‘samadhi’. The word Samadhi does not represent a specific state of mind but a range of super-conscious states of mind which lead to ‘kaivalya’. Attainment of Samadhi can lead a yogi into higher realms of consciousness.

Sutra 1.17 explained four stages of samadhi, called ‘samprajnata samadhi’, each operating at progressively subtler levels. These are also called ‘sabija’ (with seed) samadhi. For example, we need to peel off several layers of matter before we can get to the seed of a fruit. In the same manner we have to perform ‘samyama’ (sutra 3.4) on an object (seed) by traversing different layers of consciousness before we can realize the essence (seed) of that object. Chapter 3 deals extensively with the subject of ‘samyama’ and what the various ‘vibhutis’ (powers) are that can be achieved. Some general conclusions that can be drawn from a study of various objects of concentration as explained in Chapter 3 are:

If two things are related as cause and effect then by performing Samyama on the effect it is possible to have knowledge of the underlying cause or vice versa, as for example in III-16.
If certain phenomena leave an impression on any medium it is possible to come into touch with the phenomena by reviving the impressions through Samyama as for example in III-18.
If a particular principle in nature finds expression in a particular phenomenon then by performing Samyama on the phenomenon, it is possible to know directly the underlying principle, as for example in III-28 or III-29.
If a particular object is the expression of an archetype then by performing Samyama on the object it is possible to have direct knowledge of the archetype as for example in III-30.
If a particular centre in the body is an organ of a higher vehicle, faculty etc. then by performing Samyama on the centre direct contact is established with the vehicle, faculty etc. as for example in III-33 or III-35.
If a thing exists in several degrees of subtlety, one derived from the other in a series, then by performing Samyama on the outermost or least subtle form it is possible to gain knowledge of all the forms, step by step, as for example in 111-45.

These examples show that ‘samyama’ in ‘sabija samadhi’ really implies passing from external (gross) layers to the internal ‘subtle’ layers until one can reach the ‘divine mind’. To reach the deepest layer of consciousness, the divine consciousness, one has to go past the seed and reach the state of ‘nirbija samadhi’ (seedless).

In the sutra 1.42, three characteristics of an object are mentioned – shabda (word), artha (true knowledge) and jnana (ordinary knowledge) and the confusion that exists among these three states while trying to meditate on the object. Let us look at a ‘rose’, a gross object, for example. Here shabda refers to the name ‘rose’, artha refers to the true essence of the rose and jnana to the common understanding of a rose based on the five sensory inputs and the past impressions of roses in the mind. By doing ‘samyama’ on the object, as explained in sutra 1.41, the pure and real knowledge of the object will shine through as one is able to clearly separate out the three characteristics.

Aranya

"The Engrossment, In Which There Is The Mixture Of Word, Its Meaning (i.e. The Object) And Its Knowledge, Is Known As Savitarka Samapatti."

When meditating on a ‘cow’, for example, when there is mingling of the word (cow), the object meant (the animal itself) and the idea of the cow, it is called Savitarka Samapatti. Even though the three – shabda, artha and jnana, are distinct entities, there exists a confusion in the mind and the mind has a sense of ‘sameness’ among the three.

Discussion

Some examples of the objects of concentration as given by Taimni are:

Cause and effect: In Samkhya, the concept of "satkaryavada" is used to explain cause and effect. According to this philosophy, an effect is always inherent in the cause in a potential form. Given the right conditions, the effect will manifest. At the highest level, the "moola prakriti" or the unmanifest prakriti is cause of this creation which is the effect. A common example from daily life is milk and yogurt. In this case, the effect "yogurt" is inherent in the cause "milk".
Impressions (samskaras): We can look at "anger" as an example of an impression left in our sub-conscious. If we meditate on this impression, we may be able to go deep into the cause (s) that resulted in anger and thus handle similar situations more effectively in future.
Principle in Nature: Newton came upon the theory of gravitational force. People had seen apples falling from trees from times immemorial. However, it was Newton, who was able to "meditate" on this phenomenon deep enough to come up with his famous theory.
Archetype: Anger can once again be taken as an example of an archetype as an emotion universally present in all human beings.

Taimni mentions "divine mind" as the subtlest of internal layers. He has not defined the term in his commentary. However, our understanding is that the divine mind is the pure intellect or the pure intuitive wisdom which is not influenced by the ego. Once you reach that stage, you are in close proximity of understanding the reality of "purusha".

YSP Study Group 3/27/10 (Sutras 1.40 and 1.41)

subhash — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:16:45 +0000

Sutra 1.40

परमाणु परममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः॥४०॥

paramaaNu paramamahattvaanto’sya vashIkaaraH

paramaaNu = the smallest atom; parama + mahattvaantaH = extending up to the greatest – infinity; asya = his (yogi’s); vashIkaaraH = mastery.

Taimni

"His mastery extends from the finest atom to the greatest infinity"

In this sutra, Patanjali refers to the powers that a yogi can attain through the practice of yoga. The subject of yogic powers (siddhis) is dealt with in great detail in Chapter 3 (Vibhuti Pada).

Aranya

"When the mind develops the power of stabilising on the smallest size as well as on the greatest one, then the mind comes under control."

Meditating between the two extremes of the minutest (like an atom) and the infinitely great, the mind acquires the power of holding on to any object it desires. This represents stability and perfect mastery of the mind (‘vasikara’). We can look upon ‘tanmatra’ (the five internal sense elements) as the minute atom of gross elements like sound etc. How this is perfect mastery is achieved is presented in the following sutra.

Discussion

Some commentators have indicated that the infinite could mean ‘akasha’ or space/ether which further could imply the cosmic physical space or the vast expanse of the internal space of consciousness. The smallest could mean not just minute in physical size but getting deeper into the essence of any object. An example of how one can get a deeper meaning out of a mundane observation is provided by Newton’s theory of gravitation. Falling objects are observed by everybody and are taken for granted. It was Newton who was able to attach a deeper significance to a falling object and thus was able to come up with the gravitational theory which has become one of the most significant findings of science in recent times.

Sutra 1.41

क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनतासमापत्तिः॥४१॥

kShINavRutterabhijAtasyeva maNergrahItRugrahaNagrAhyeShu tatsthatada~jjanatAsamApattiH

kShINavRutteH = of the one whose fluctuations of the mind have been attenuated; abhijAtasya = of the well-polished; iva = like; maNeH = of the gem; grahItRu = perceiver; grahaNa = perception; grAhyeShu = (and) perceived objects; tatstha = on which it rests; tada~jjanatA = taking the color/form of that; samApattiH= fusion

Taimni

“In the case of one whose Citta-Vrttis have been almost annihilated, fusion or entire absorption in one another of the cognizer, cognition and cognized is brought about as in the case of a transparent jewel (resting on a coloured surface).”

In order to understand this sutra, we need to understand the underlying philosophy upon which it is based. According to this philosophy, the material universe is manifested as a result of progressive condensation of consciousness. At the highest level is pure consciousness which is purely subjective. At lower levels of manifestation, there exists a subjective-objective relationship between the higher and lowers layers. Each layer is ‘objective’ to the parent layer and ‘subjective’ for the child layers. In essence, then, there are three entities which are referred to in this sutra as grahitra, grahana, and grahya which can be translated as perceiver (subjective), perceived (objective) and perception (process of manifestation). Realizing that in this process, One has become three, it is easy to see how these three can merge back into a single entity. The fusion of these three entities leads to the experience of samadhi.

The simile given in the sutra refers to a crystal in relation to a colored paper. The purer the crystal, stronger is its fusion with the color of the paper. In a crystal which is free from any impurities, the fusion of the crystal and the color of the paper is complete and the two are indistinguishable. It is the same with the mind which has various tendencies, and samskaras as its ‘impurities’. To purify the mind, Patanjali has proposed the Yamas, Niyamas, and Vairagya. Further cleansing is done through the practice of Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara. Finally, all the mental images can be controlled through the practice of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

In Sabija samadhi, even though other defects have been eliminated, the seed still remains. To arrive at the whole truth, even this seed has to be given up in Nirbija samadhi. That is the reality of pure consciousness or Purusha.

The word ‘kshina’ in the sutra implies ‘attenuated’ or ‘weakened’ not ‘annihilated’. This again refers to the ‘sabija samadhi’ where the seed still remains.

Aranya

(discussed 4/10/10)

"When the fluctuations of the mind are weakened, the mind appears to take on the features of the object of meditation-whether it be the cogniser (Grahita), the instrument of cognition (Grahana) or the object cognised (Grahya)-as does a transparent jewel, and this identification is called Samapatti or engrossment."

Aranya

"Weakened fluctuation" refers to the state of the mind when all modifications but one have disappeared. As an example, a clear crystal influenced by the color of an adjacent article appears to be tinged by it. Similarly the mind engrossed in an object (cognizer, cognized, cognition) appears to take on its nature. The cognized object can be subtle or gross. The means of cognition refers to the organs of the body. The cognizer refers to the Empiric Self. This absorption of the mind is called "samapatti".

The state of ‘samapatti’ is arrived at when the mind is made one-pointed using any of the techniques described in the previous sutras. In subsequent sutras, four different types of samapatti have been described:

Savitarka – concentration on gross objects with the help of words. Cognized objects include gross external objects like animals, pot, flower etc, five gross elements, Instruments of cognition include organs of perception (ear, nose etc), organs of action (hands, feet etc), and the five pranas. Here, while talking of Sabija (with seed) samadhi, the cognizer is not the Purusha.
Savichara – concentration on subtle objects with the help of words (five subtle elements like sound, color etc; internal organs including intellect, ego and memories; the cognizer or the pure I-sense)
Nirvitarka – concentration on gross objects without the help of words
Nirvichara – concentration on subtle objects without the help of words, on bliss or on pure I-sense

Discussion

For this sutra, like in a few of the previous sutras, we noted that Taimni and Aranya have interpreted the sutra differently. According to Taimni, in the state of ‘samapatti’, a fusion of the perceiver, perception and the perceived takes place. That is, they lose their individual identity. This fusion takes place in all stages of ‘samapatti’ as defined above. As per Aranya, based on Vyasa’s commentary, ‘samapatti’ means the absorption of the mind in any one of the three entities – perceiver, perceived and perception. This is defined with reference to the four stages of ‘samapatti’ as stated above. I read the commentary by Swami Veda Bharati who essentially presents the same interpretation as Aranya.

YSP Study Group 3/13/10 (sutras 1.38 and 1.39)

subhash — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:29:05 +0000

Sutra 1.38

स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा॥३८॥

svapnanidraaj~jaanaalambanaM vaa

Taimni

"Also (the mind) depending upon the knowledge derived from dreams or
dreamless sleep (will acquire steadiness)."

Nidra (deep sleep) and swapna (dream) refer to subtler vehicles into which the consciousness passes during sleep. Only partial contact is maintained with the physical body to enable it to carry on its normal physiological activities. Even though we all get into this state, only a few with psychic abilities can bring back a vague knowledge of their experience in that state. For a normal person, only chaotic dream images are produced as a result of interaction between the images in the mind during dream state and those received through the subtler vehicle. In the case of deep sleep, even higher subtler planes are encountered and the brain becomes empty. Only the mind stays active at a higher plane. Through proper training and practice, it is possible to bring back memories from the higher planes of dream and deep sleep states into the brain. These images are not chaotic and the knowledge can actually be carried over to the waking sate. It is this knowledge that is referred to in this sutra and contemplating on it is helpful in bringing the mind to a steady state.

Aranya

"Or by taking as the object of meditation the images of dreams or the state of dreamless sleep (the mind of the Yogin gets stabilised)."

In dream, external knowledge is shut out and ideas in the mind appear as vivid. People with certain disposition can actually contemplate upon these vivified images. This can be done in three ways:

To form a mental image of the object and think of it as real
With practice, in dream also one is aware that one is dreaming. One can contemplate upon the desired object in dream and can continue this focus even on waking up.
When a good feeling or idea is felt in dream, on waking up the same feeling should be contemplated upon

In deep sleep, both mental and external objects are obscured by Tamas and a hazy idea of inactivity remains. Contemplating on this hazy image, steadiness of the mind can be achieved.

Discussion

Taimni, as we have seen before, is heavily influenced by his occult background. His interpretation of consciousness residing at subtler planes during dream and sleep states obviously represents that influence. On reading some of the other commentaries (from the book by Veda Bharati), I did not find any such reference subtler, higher planes during sleep. For the most part, the commentators mention that a ‘sadhaka’ who is on a spiritual path is likely to have dreams of an uplifting or spiritual nature. They recommend using memory of such dreams as objects of contemplation to achieve steadiness of the mind. It is also clear that not everyone has the ability to bring back such distinct uplifting images from their dreams since most dreams seem chaotic and disjointed. Only people with special ability can use this technique effectively.

We talked about ‘lucid’ or ‘vivid’ dreams where the dreamer is actually aware that he or she is dreaming. Even though in dreams, physical laws do not apply (for example, one can walk through a wall or can fly without wings), in vivid dreams such laws begin to take effect. It is possible to use images from such vivid dreams as objects for contemplation. A mention was made of Andrea Rock who is a famous researcher in the field of dreams. I was able to download her book, "The mind at night – The New Science of How and Why We Dream" from the internet. I have uploaded it to my own site for ease of access (I am assuming that I am not breaking any copyright laws since I got it freely from the net!). It is a large scanned file and might take a few seconds to come up.

Surprisingly, neither of the two commentators made a reference to sutra 1.10 which describes sleep as one of the five vrittis. In that sutra, we are asked to control the vritti that appears as a result of deep sleep. In the present sutra, we are using the knowledge from the state of sleep as a focal point of contemplation. It will be nice if someone can clarify this apparent contradiction.

Sutra 1.39

यथाभिमतध्यानाद्व॥३९॥

yathAbhimatadhyAnAd vaa

Taimni

“Or by meditation as desired.”

After giving multiple choices, Patanjali, in this sutras, says that the ‘sadhaka’ may adopt any method of meditation according to his predilection. As long as the method helps achieve steadiness of the mind, any method can be used. Also, the method should be in accordance with one’s own temperament. Someone with clairvoyant tendencies may like to adopt the method given the previous sutra (sutra 1.38) relating to sleep and dream states. It is OK to do a little experimentation to find the right method but trying one method after another will defeat the purpose of contemplation.

Aranya

"Or by contemplating on whatsoever thing one may like (the mind becomes stable)."

If the mind can be stabilized on one thing for any length of time, it can be stabilized on other things as well. On attaining stability of the mind by contemplation on any one object, one can get engrossed in the ‘tattvas’ (elements) and gradually attain ‘kaivalya’.

Discussion

Swami Veda Bharati, based on the commentary by other authors summarizes some of the other methods of meditation that can be applied:

Meditating on one’s own chosen deity – e.g., Lord Siva, Christ etc.
Any external objects of meditation should ultimately be internalized. For example, if one is fond of pilgrimage and enjoys meditating on it, then finally he needs to internalize the experience and remember that all sacred places of pilgrimage are within oneself.
Meditation of various Chakras, the Kundalini Shakti etc.
The science of Tantra provides other means of meditation like using ‘mantra’, ‘yantras’ or ‘mandalas’ etc.

Being One with the Universe

subhash — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:34:57 +0000

by Kailasam Iyer

You hear this expression “being one with the Universe” or “feeling one with the Universe” with the implication of an identity, resonance, compatibility, what is good for the Universe is good for me and vice versa type of cuddling in all sorts of socio, political, economic, religious interactions. What does this mean? Why is it felt sometimes and not others? Why do some people feel it and not others? When you eat a moderate amount of healthy food in the evening and if it is all digested before you go to sleep, chances are you will sleep well and wake up with a smug smirk on your face. You are in tune with your perceived universe or in other words the universe is a friendly place or the universe is cozy to you as a cocoon. The feeling is entirely subjective and transitory. Where does this feeling come from and why doesn’t it stay permanently? OR is there a way to latch on to it permanently? The answer lies in our understanding of what we mean by “the Universe” and who we are.

The Universe is what it is. What we make of it changes. Before Kepler, people truly believed that the earth was at the center and that all the heavenly bodies revolved around it. Our concept of the material universe is undergoing revisions all the time. All you have to do is to think about Dark Matter and it blows your mind. Which brings me to consciousness.

We are, when we are awake, continuously aware of a universe with things, lives, and activities (our own, others’, etc.), and the interactions among them. This “our” universe is pure awareness and is conditioned by what our individual homeostatic state is and the way and degree to which we are separated from it. Our individual homeostasis is an external manifestation of a combination of genetic and epigenetic factors. At any given moment in the history of the Universe, a human being is the repository of evolutionary memory, anthropological, historical, cultural, social memories, and memories associated with individual experiences. The interplay between these memories and the activities of our senses give rise to perceptions which were generally and broadly pigeonholed by our Gurus under the three gunas. An instant ago is memory; an instant from now is the unpredictable ( only because it is intractable) future; this instant is the present and at this instant, the perceived universe is created for the consciousness. Our faculties ( the hardware and the software of our machinery) and our capacities ( what we have eaten and how and how much of it has been converted to ATPs and hormones according to our genetic codes) perceive and react to “our” universe through the lenses of the three gunas which are emergent properties of an instantaneous arrangement of the state of our being. It is no exaggeration to say that our individual universe is created by our gunas for our consciousness at every instant of our lives. The characteristics of whichever guna is dominant at any given instant will determine our perceived universe and we will react to it according to the dictates of that guna. The degree of our compatibility we feel with the universe depends on the separation we feel away from our homeostasis. In homeostasis, the organism is in tune with “its universe”; away from homeostasis, the organism does everything it can ( whether it succeeds or not) to bring itself back to homeostasis. The organism has no choice. Homeostasis or a desire for it is not absence of needs; it is a dynamic state of having the basic needs met. Think of the thermostat in your house set at a temperature. When the actual temperature is different from the set temperature, the difference is sensed as a voltage to start the HPAC unit. The HPAC unit is shut off when the difference disappears. This servomechanical drive operates at the most fundamental unit of life, the cell. To me, this is the real meaning of our sanskaras. The emergent property of the composite of all the different kinds of memory that we are a repository of at any given instant decides what our homeostasis is. In my case, these days, I am not in my homeostasis until I can figure out the NY Times puzzle every day and I am not able to do it many days. There is a certain inevitability to this OR is there? Prof. V. S. Ramachandran says we don’t have free will but we do have free won’t; but there is always a price to pay. In homeostatic state, the organism is in harmony with the perceived universe.

What is the relation between the perceived universe and the Universe as it is? There is no perceived universe without a Universe ( with its beings and activities) to perceive. Memories are records of “past” perceptions. The signals which are emitted by the Universe are sensed, perceived, and interpreted by our prakriti (of which we are a manifestation) for our consciousness which is an emergent faculty of the of the physico-chemical state of our brain.

So, how and when can we know the Universe as it is? Our homeostatic state is not fixed in concrete. The requirements of homeostasis can be minimized further and further by dint of practice and vairaghyam to a level of bare sustenance of life force when the focus can be on an unadulterated vision of the Universe. The first step is to quiet our senses which would eliminate the biases of the metaphoric wakeful state. Secondly, we need to “forget” everything we know ( all our memories) which would get rid of our biases in our metaphoric dream state. Thirdly, we need to still our drives to keep our heart humming and blood flowing through our veins at an abject lowest level to achieve the metaphoric deep sleep state. From this state ( a thin layer on a substrate) we can glimpse the substrate. Beyond this “deep sleep” state, we can experience the completely self-free and bias-free Atman. Reading about it is not enough; experiential knowledge is what matters. This knowledge is the ultimate goal of pursuing any and all of the dharshanas, Yoga included. This is the real meaning of Arjuna’s Atman ( a manifestation of Krishna) viewing the Vishvarupam ( a dynamic continuum of past, present, and future of the Universe) of Krishna with the aid of a special vision ( a gift of Krishna). This is the perch from which the being gets a view of the Universe as it is OR this is when the perceived universe is mapped onto the Universe-as-it-is completely and identically. This is not euphoria but a transformational epiphany. The fact that this is a brain state does not detract one iota from its potential to create a retrievable memory state which is called upon to guide the being in its “wakeful” state. Two things happen when you are in possession of this knowledge. One, you remember this when you get back to the wakeful state and you have an equanimity that you did not have before. Two, you know how to get back to be in touch with Atman when you need to for the purpose of viewing the Universe as it is. How do I know this? I don’t. People whom I believe have written about this. Personally, I have never gotten past sensory delights. But I constantly reflect on the genius of our ancestors who identified this brain state and delineated pathways to it.

If we are smugly satisfied with just calming the mind and experiencing the temporary delight, we are missing out on the possibility of experiencing the permanent Anandham of nischalanam. When we come out of this temporary calm and delight, we are in no better shape to see the Universe as it is than when we went into it. That is why a samadhi pill is a contradiction in terms. This bias-free and activity-free Anandham is the base on which our lives and experiences are built for the consciousness to be aware of and what I think the neuroscientists refer to as the awareness of awareness. Dean started to talk about this when he mentioned his technique for calming down. He “observes” the peregrinations of his Self through the emotion/thought space. We have all experienced this. Think about the time you were in the middle of an experience. Our sense of self is in the experience. Our consciousness is evaluating the quality and the usefulness of the experience for future reference in negotiating the travails of life ( survival) and decides to create/forget memory for retrieval. Almost always, if you pay attention, you are aware of an additional layer which is an awareness of this consciousness. There is this quiet fly on the wall observing and not doing anything. If you can latch on to this awareness of awareness and stay with it without any reference to your needs, wants, and desires you may be in samadhi. Researchers say that this faculty is unique to humans and is the latest in the evolving cortex. I am not so sure; when I look at my daughter’s dog Miss Money Penny on those occasions when I make her do something she doesn’t want to do, she looks at me quizzically to convey the thought that by a very simple change in the quirk of nature, our positions could be interchanged. What I don’t know is whether Penny has that faculty or I am anthropomorphising our dog.

We refer to Thyagaraja Swamigal as the Nadha Brahmam for a very specific reason. His vision of Sri Rama in Kana Kana Ruchira, Annamacharya’s vision of Lord Venkatesvara in his kirtanai, Muthuswami Dikshitar’s vision of Kamalambal, Hendel’s Messiah, Beethovan’s Ninth, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio are expressions of a perceived identity and their contribution to our attempts at perceiving that identity. I think Sunitha is aware of this and we ought to get her to talk about it. It is not the repetition and concentration on one syllable. It is the complete surrender to paravasham (possessed by ANOTHER) through absorbing arrangement of fundamental sounds.