Yoga Sutra Study

Sutra 2.2

समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च॥२॥

samaadhibhaavanaarthaH kleshatanUkaraNaarthashcha

samaadhi = meditative absorption; bhaavana = bringing about; arthaH = for the purpose of; klesha = afflictions; tanUkaraNa = weaken; arthah = for the purpose of; cha= and

Taimni

"(Kriyga Yoga) is practiced for attenuating kleshas and bringing about Samadhi"

The two results of practicing kriya yoga – attenuation of kleshas and attainment of Samadhi – can be considered initial and ultimate stages of yoga practice. However, these two are connected and complementary. When the kleshas are attenuated, it is easier to practice samadhi and reach the final goal of kaivalya.

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Sutra 2.1

तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः॥१॥

tapaHsvaadhyaayeshvarapraNidhaanaani kRuyaayogaH

tasya = of that; api = also; nirodhe = on suppression; sarva = of all; nirodhaat = by suppression; nirbIjaH = seedless; samAdhiH = samadhi

Taimni

"Austerity, self-study and resignation to Ishvara constitute preliminary yoga"

Since these three elements of Kriya Yoga are the same as the last three of the five Niyamas, the question is why Patanjali decided to place these at two different places. The main reason is that these three serve as a preparation ground so that the yogi is ready to take on other elements of a yoga practice. For a yoga aspirant, a mere intention to follow a yogic path is not enough – there needs to be adequate preparation before one can jump into a full yogic way of life. These three provide that launching pad for the aspirant.

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– by Kailasam

The Buddha diagnosed the symptoms of the Human Condition ( anxiety over birth, death, old age, and disease) and hypothesized that attachment was the cause. Sage Pathanjali pursues the diagnosis even further and proposes that the root cause is the lack of true knowledge ( agnanam). This lack is at the level of day to day life in the form of misapprehension of the true nature of the phenomenal universe and its activities as well as at the level of not knowing the true nature of our “Self”.

The antidote is, again, at two different levels; a) clearing the mind of biases and prejudices of all kinds to be able to reflect without distortion what is sensed. Ordinarily, we do not have unmediated access to the phenomenal world which includes ourselves. Our knowledge is based on processed and interpreted information. Until and unless the processing and interpreting is curbed, we can not know anything for what it is. b) The Truth and Its Operating Principle ( Satyam/Riti) which is at the core of the beginning, during, and the end of all can be approached and experienced by a clear mind and from that state of experiential knowledge one can become conscious of consciousness itself.

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Sutra 1.51

तस्यापि निरोधे सर्वनिरोधान्निर्बीजः समाधिः॥५१॥

tasyaapi nirodhe sarvanirodhaannirbIjaH samAdhiH

tasya = of that; api = also; nirodhe = on suppression; sarva = of all; nirodhaat = by suppression; nirbIjaH = seedless; samAdhiH = samadhi

Taimni

"On suppression of even that owing to suppression of all (modifications of the mind) ‘seedless’ samadhi "is attained)."

Having attained the last stage of the ‘sabija’ (with seed) samadhi, called ‘asmita’, the yogi now needs to transcend the realm of Prakriti altogether to attain Self-realization.
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Sutra 1.50

तज्जः संस्कारोऽन्यसंस्कारप्रतिबन्धी॥५०॥

tajjaH saMskaaro.nyasaMskaarapratibandhI

tajjaH = born of it; saMskaaraH = impression; anya = (of) other; saMskaara = impressions; pratibandhI = preventer, stands in the say of

Taimni

"The impression produced by it (sabija samadhi) stands in the way of other impressions."

While the mind is in the state of sabija samadhi, an impression of the bija (seed) alone is being created in the mind. In this state of concentration, it is impossible for other thoughts to intrude upon the mind and create more impressions. In ordinary life experience, when we are fully engrossed in one activity, it is not easy for other thoughts to get into the mind. However, if we relax the level of concentration before the state of nirbija samadhi is reached, then we are leaving the door open for other thoughts to come into and distract the mind.
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Sutra 1.48

ऋतम्भरा तत्र प्रज्ञा॥४८॥

Rutambharaa tatra praj~jaa

Rutambharaa = truth-bearing; tatra = there (mental purity mentioned in the previous sutra); praj~jaa = higher state of consciousness, intuitive wisdom

Taimni

"There, the consciousness is truth and right-bearing"

The word "ritambhara" is made up of two words – ritam (right) – bhara (bearing) or right/truth-bearing. A distinction needs to be made between "ritam" and "satyam" both of which mean "truth". Satyam refers to the supreme divine reality that manifests as the truth or existence of all things in the universe. Ritam, on the other hand, refers to the ordered course of things both in their material and moral aspects.  Ritam is thus the cosmic order and the eternal laws – natural, moral and spiritual. Ritambhara prajna is the unerring perception of the truth underlying manifestation.

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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.
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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:

1. Savitarka samapatti = savitarka samadhi
2. Nirvitarka samapatti = nirvitarka samadhi
3. Savichara samapatti = savichara samadhi
4. 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.

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.

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[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".

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