Summary of The Samadhi Pada of the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali
At the beginning of the
Samadhi Pada, in two succinct sutras, we are
given the essence of the whole matter of Yoga practice: yogaḥ
cittavṛtti nirodhaḥ (I.2) and tadā draṣṭuḥ
svarūpe avasthānam (I.3). These two sutras are the
whole of yoga, really speaking: what is to be done, and what happens if it is
done. These two things are mentioned in these two short statements: yoga is the
control of the mind, and then there is the establishment of the purusha in his own nature. This is
yoga. But though it is such a short statement of a great problem, the methods
to be adopted in the achievement of this purpose have to be explained in
greater detail.
Therefore, the analysis of the
mind has to be made in order that we may know how the mind can be controlled.
We say that the control of the mind is yoga; but, what is ‘mind’? How does it
function, and what are the modifications which we are trying to control through
the process of yoga? The nomenclature of the various vrittis, or the modifications of
the mind, is given subsequently so that we may have an idea as to what are
those vrittis which we have to tackle or
grapple with – the klishta klesas
and the aklishta klesas, as Patanjali puts
it – that is, the transformation of the mind in respect of an object, which
causes pain and sometimes does not cause pain. Both these are vrittis; both these are
modifications which have to be stopped in order that there can be a reflection
of the purusha-consciousness in the mind.
How can this be achieved? How are we going to tackle the mind? How do we subdue
the modifications?
We are told that there are two
principal methods, vairagya and abhyasa: abhyāsa
vairāgyābhyāṁ tannirodhaḥ (I.12). The masterstroke of Patanjali’s method
may be said to be what is called the double attack on the mind, namely, vairagya and abhyasa, the detachment of the mind
from objects of sense – not only objects of sense, but even conceptual objects
– and the habituation of the mind to a steady practice on a given concept of
the nature of Reality. Then Patanjali explains what the practice is.
Patanjali proceeds very
systematically, giving us a detailed account of the practice which follows – the
immediate withdrawal of the mind from the objects by means of the practice of vairagya. We are given the methods
of meditation, the samadhis or the samapattis, as they are called – savitarka, nirvitarka, savichara, nirvichara, sananda and sasmita – the processes by which
the mind rises gradually, stage by stage, from the grosser to the subtler
levels in its communion, in its meditations. But, one should not imagine that
this is an easy process. The author immediately mentions to us that there are
serious obstacles; nine obstacles are mentioned, which are also accentuated by
certain other subsidiary obstacles.
One has to be cautious,
therefore, in spite of the fact that there is a great energy put forth towards
the direction of yoga, because these obstacles are very strong. Hence, a
detailed statement is made of what these obstacles are and how they can be
overcome. Methods are prescribed, subsequently, by giving certain techniques of
lower forms of meditation on lesser degrees of reality, so that there is not a
direct attack upon the mind but a gradual control effected through stages, so
that one does not feel the pain of the restrictions that are imposed upon one’s
own self – the mind. Then, a conclusion is brought about towards the end of the
Samadhi Pada by describing the higher states of the communion of the mind with
Reality – the samapattis, or samadhis, rising from what they
call the sabija, or the samprajnata samadhi, to the higher
state of absolute samadhi – nirbija. This is the content,
essentially, of the Samadhi Pada, and we are told that the teachings given in
this section are meant for the highest type of aspirant, not for beginners.
Excerpts from:
Summary of The Samadhi Pada of The Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali - The Study and
Practice of Yoga by Swami Krishnananda
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