Results 1 to 10 of 33

Thread: A bit more light on yoga

Threaded View

  1. #21
    Join Date
    September 2006
    Age
    71
    Posts
    7,705
    Rep Power
    223

    Re: A bit more light on yoga

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~

    namasté


    If you recall, back in post 19 we were reviewing samādhiḥ and its definition found in chapter 3…
    Yet patañjali-muni sets the stage for this in chapter 1:
    ता एव सवीजः समाधिः॥४६
    tā eva savījaḥ samādhiḥ||46

    • eva – indeed , truly , really - some say ‘only’
    • savījaḥ is sa+vījaḥ - sa = meditation, knowledge, and is also a name for viṣṇu or śiva + vījaḥ (vīja) is another way of writing bīja or seed.
    • samādhiḥ - we know as absorption , sometimes too called samāpatti defined as conclusion, coming together, assuming the original form.
      • sama + āpatti = wholeness, fullness, even-ness + occurring, happening. Hence samādhiḥ is sama + āpatti because it occurs or happens in wholeness, fullness of one’s own Self.

    • tā - I left this term to the end… many do not give this simple word much thought. Yet it helps ( me) appreciate how insightful patañjali’s brevity is in using words in the most economical way.
      • Some say tā = ‘they’, others say it means ‘constitute’ and still others suggest ‘these’. I take no issue with this¹. How do others get to these definitions? By the term eta or etā which is defined as ‘variegated color’ ( 2nd derivative of the term). It suggests ‘varying’ or a variety and this applies to the sūtra-s patañjali is talking of prior to this one. You did not miss anything, they were not reviewed as yet.
      • Hence we can see then that a variety of things could be called collectively ‘these’ or ‘they’ – it makes perfect sense. Yet this term eta also means ‘shining, brilliant’; and the the term ‘tā’ also means a jewel, virtue. So, if we collectively look at this, tā means ‘those’ jewels, ‘those’ gems of brilliance ( mentioned in the past sūtra-s).

    What then does the sūtra say?
    Truly, indeed, those gems of meditation (sa) with seed (vījaḥ or writing it as bīja) ~brings about~ samādhiḥ.
    Some say those (gems) bring about or ~support for~ one pointed ( as a seed is condensed) samādhiḥ.

    Two questions must be asked:
    a. What are ‘those’ etā gems (tā)
    b. And what if any does it have to do with what you said yajvan in your last post:
    This then is a good subject that we can turn back onto patañjali’s instruction/darśana for guidance...

    Point a.
    Let’s start with ‘those’ etā, that are previously mentioned by patañjali ( chapter 1, starting with the 17th & 18th sūtra-s and going forward to
    the 46th sūtra just reviewed above). There are two major categories of samādhiḥ:



    • saṃprajñāta – with distinction
    • asaṃprajñāta – without distinction

    To make this simpler think of saṃprajñāta as ‘ with support’ and asaṃprajñāta as ‘without support’. I can get more granular when the conversation demands it, but for now this will be a good entry point.

    But what does this mean ? Saṃprajñāta ‘with support’ are those appoaches ( means, or methods or upāya-s¹) that are engaged in to bring about the calming and balancing ( some say arresting) of the mind… to bring about engrossment or absorption (sama + āpatti ) and a one pointed mind. Yet in this case the one pointedness is on the means, method or upāye that one is engaged in.
    One may use a mantra, a notion to contemplate on, japa or ajapa, one can use the pure intellect, feeling of joy, others can rest in the sense of presence or ‘I’ feeling. But ‘I’ feeling of what? Just ‘I’ and nothing else. Not many are aware of this as it is so intimate and part of one’s being, it is rarely separated out to be considered.

    Point b.
    What if any does this have to do with past posts i.e patañjali’s instruction/darśana for guidance?
    Saṃprajñāta samādhiḥ leads to (grooms) asaṃprajñāta samādhiḥ. Said another way :
    why not, on day one, of practicing saṃprajñāta samādhiḥ spill into asaṃprajñāta samādhiḥ ? For some rare types this could be the case . Yet for most abhyāsa and abhyāśa are instituted… that is, practice (abhyāsa) and reach (abhyāśa); We practice an approach (upāya or method) and many reach (abhyāśa) or extend to expand one’s practice. Yet within this practice past impressions (vasāna-s) continue to surface. Yet here is my point. In posts 19-20 above a ‘cleaning process’ was discussed. This saṃprajñāta samādhiḥ is the cleaning process that patañjali reviews. It is that approach that brings steadiness of mind ( 13th sūtra) and removes kliṣṭa-s ( 5th sūtra).

    More on asaṃprajñāta samādhiḥ in an upcoming post as a bit more information is needed.
    Now to really gain insight, it would be good to outline the 4 sub-categories of saṃprajñāta – with distinction, in the next post.

    इतिशिवं
    iti śivaṁ

    words

    • upāya – to reach one’s aim; an approach, method, technique
    • kliṣṭa - afflictions , distress
    • tā - some too can see this as tān or them; others as tanā - 'uninterrupted succession , one after another' suggesting the past offerings.
    Last edited by yajvan; 29 March 2016 at 10:43 AM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. A bit more light...
    By yajvan in forum New to Sanatana Dharma
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 08 August 2014, 02:09 PM
  2. The Light of SHIVA
    By atlast in forum Shaiva
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09 June 2014, 09:02 PM
  3. I See The Light<3
    By NayaSurya in forum Canteen
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 15 October 2011, 12:49 PM
  4. Concentrate on the Light
    By Spiritualseeker in forum I am a Hindu
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 17 January 2010, 06:04 PM
  5. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 17 May 2006, 03:40 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •