Portion of Yoga-Sūtras
Samādhi Pāda
themes:
contemplation, seedless contemplation, nirbījaḥ samādhi
synopsis:
expounds direct instruction on how to practice Yoga,
which pertains to action in reaching the goal,
beyond mere philosophy and words alone
aim of this portion -- the necessary practices and the obstacles one may meet along the path, offering removal of obstacles and description of the results obtained from Yogic practices
Portion on Contemplation
Atha Yogānuśāsnam.
Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ.
Tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe’vasthānam.
Vṛtti sārūpyam itaratra.
Vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ.
Pramāṇa viparyaya vikalpa nidrā smṛtayaḥ.
Pratyakṣānumānāgagmāḥ pramāṇāni.
Viparayayo mithyājñānam atadrūpa pratiṣṭham.
Śabdajñānānupātī vastu śūnyo vikalpaḥ.
Abhāva pratyayālambanā vṛttir nidrā.
Anubhūta viṣayāsaṃpramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ.
Abhyāsa vairāgyhām tannirodhaḥ.
Tatra sthitau yatno’bhyāsaḥ.
Sa tu dīrgha kāla nairantarya satkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ.
Dṛṣṭānuśravika viṣaya vitṛṣṇasya vaśīkāra saṃjñā vairāgyam.
Tat param Puruṣa khyāter guṇavaitṛṣṇyam.
Vitarka vicārānandāsmitānugamāt saṃprajñātaḥ.
Virāma pratyayābhyāsa pūrvaḥ saṃskāraśeṣo’nyaḥ.
Bhavapratyayo videha prakṛtilayānām.
Śraddhāvīryasmṛtisamādhiprajñāpūrvaka itareṣām.
Tivrasaṃvegānāmāsannaḥ.
Mṛdu madhyādhimātratvāt tato’pi viśeṣaḥ.
Īśvarapraṇidhānādvā
Kleśa karma vipākāśayairaparāmṛṣṭaḥ Puruṣaviśeṣa Īśvaraḥ.
Tatra niratiśayam sarvajñabījam.
Sa pūrveṣām api guruḥ kālenānavacchedāt.
Tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ.
Tajjapas tadartha bhāvanam.
Tataḥ pratyak cetanādhigamo ‘pyantarāyābhāvaś ca.
Vyādhi styāna saṃśaya pramādālasyāvirati bhrāntidarśanālabdhabhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni cittavikSepāste’ntarāyāḥ.
Duḥkha daurmanasyāṇgamejayatva śvāsa praśvāsā vikṣepa sahabhuvaḥ.
Tat pratiṣedhārthamekatattvābhyāsaḥ.
Maitrī karuṇā muditopekṣāṇām sukha duḥkha puṇyāpuṇya viṣayāṇam bhāvanātaś citta prasādanam.
Pracchardanavidhāraṇābhyām vā prāṇasya.
Viṣayavatī vā pravṛttirutpannā manasaḥ sthitinibandhanī.
Viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī.
Vītarāgaviṣayam vā cittam.
Svapnanidrājñānālambanam vā.
Yathābhimata dhyānād vā.
Paramāṇu paramamahattvānto’sya vaśīkāraḥ.
Kṣīṇa vṛtter abhijātasyeva maṇer grahītṛ grahaṇa grāhyeṣu tatstha tadañjanatā samāpattiḥ.
Tatra śabdārtha jñāna vikalpaiḥ saṃkīrṇā savitarkā.
Smṛti pariśuddhau svarūpa śūnyevārtha mātra nirbhāsā nirvitarkā.
Esayaiva savicārā ca sūkṣmaviṣayā vyākhyātā.
Sūkṣma viṣayatvam cāliṇga paryavasānam.
Tā eva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ.
Nirvicāra vaiśāradye ‘dhyātma prasādaḥ.
{R]tambharā tatra prajñā.
Śrutānumāna prajñābhyām anya viṣayā viśeṣārthatvāt.
Tajjaḥ saṃskāro’nya saṃskāra pratibandhī.
Tasyāpi nirodhe sarva nirodhān nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ.
Now the exposition of Yoga is being made.
The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.
Then the Seer (Self) abides in Its own nature.
At other times [the Self appears to] assume the forms of the mental modifications.
There are five kinds of mental modifications which are either painful or painless.
They are right knowledge, misconception, verbal delusion, sleep and memory.
The sources of right knowledge are direct perception, inference and scriptural testimony.
Misconception occurs when knowledge of something is not based upon its true form.
An image that arises on hearing mere words without any reality [as its basis] is verbal delusion.
The mental modification supported by cognition of nothingness is sleep.
When a mental modification of an object previously experienced and not forgotten comes back to consciousness, that is memory.
These mental modifications are restrained by practice and non-attachment.
Of these two, effort toward steadiness of mind is practice.
Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and in all earnestness.
The consciousness of self-mastery in one who is free from craving from objects seen or heard about is non-attachment.
When there is non-thirst for even the guṇas (consistuents of Nature) due to the realization of the Purṣa (True Self), that is supreme non-attachment.
Saṃprajñāta samādhi is accomplished by reasoning, reflecting, rejoicing and pure I-am-ness.
By the firmly convinced practice of the complete cessation of the mental modifications, the impression only remain. This is the other samādhi [asaṃprajñāta samādhi].
Those who merely leave their physical bodies and attain the state of celestial deities, or those who get merged in Nature, have rebirth.
For the others, this asaṃprajñāta samādhi could come through faith, vigor, memory, contemplation and/or by discernment.
To the keen and intent practitioner this [samādhi] comes very quickly.
The time necessary for success further depends on whether the practice is mild, medium or intense.
Or [samādhi is attained] be devotion with total dedication to Īśvara.
Īśvara is the supreme Puruṣa, unaffected by any afflictions, actions, fruits of actions or by any inner impressions of desires.
In Īśvara is the complete manifestation of the seed of omniscience.
Unconditional by time, Īśvara is the teacher of even the most ancient teachers.
The word expressive of Īśvara is the mystic sound OM. [OM is God’s name name as well as form.]
To repeat it with reflection upon its mean is an aid.
From this practice all the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the inner Self.
Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from the ground gained—these distractions of the mind-stuff are the obstacles.
Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body and disturbed breathing.
The practice of concentration on a single subject [or the use of one technique] is the best way to prevent the obstacles and their accompaniments.
By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.
Or that calm is retained by the controlled exhalation or retention of the breath.
Or the concentration on subtle sense perceptions can cause steadiness of mind.
Or by concentrating on the supreme, ever-blissful Light within.
Or by concentrating on a great soul’s mind which is totally freed from attachment to sense objects.
Or by concentrating on an experience had during dream or deep sleep.
Or by meditating on anything one chooses that is elevating.
Gradually, one’s mastery in concentration extends from the primal atom to the greatest magnitude.
Just as the naturally pure crystal assumes shapes and colors of objects placed near it, so the yogi’s mind, with its totally weakened modifications, becomes clear and balanced and attains the state devoid of differentiation between knower, knowable and knowledge. This culmination of meditation is samādhi.
The samādhi in which name, form and knowledge of them is mixed is called savitarkā samādhi, or samādhi with deliberation.
When the memory is well purified, the knowledge of the object of concentration shines alone, devoid of the distinction of name and quality. This nirvitarkā samādhi, or samādhi without deliberation.
In the same way, both savicārā (reflective) and nirvicārā (super non-reflective) samāadhi, which are practice upon subtle objects explained.
The subtlety of possible objects of concentration ends only at the undefinable.
Each of the above kinds of samādhi are sabīja (with seed), which could bring one back into bondage or mental disturbance.
In the purity of nirvicāra samādhi, the supreme Self shines.
This is [R]tambharā prajñā, or the absolute true consciousness.
This special truth is totally different from knowledge gained by hearing, study of scripture or inference.
The impression produced by this samādhi wipes out all other impressions.
When even this impression is wiped out, every impression totally wiped out and there is nirbīja [seedless] samādhi.