by Octavian Sarbatoare
(BA Usyd)
About Yoga Sutras and its author
Patanjali, the author of the Yoga Sutras treatise is largely believed
to have lived around year 200 B.C.E. Based on the comparison of the Sanskrit style of text, scholars like Dasgupta, Liebich, Garbe identify the author of
YS to be the same Patanjali, the grammarian, author of Mahabhasya, a treatise on grammar. Other scholars like Woods and Jacobi believe that there was another
Patanjali who has written the work around the 5th c. C.E or later. The issue of Buddhist influence and interpolation is also considered by scholars like Keith A. B. and Hauer. (Eliade,1954, p. 363). The best known first English versions were done by Woods (The Yoga system of
Patanjali, Harvard Oriental Series, 1914) and Rama Prasada (Patanjali,s
Yoga Sutras, Allahabad, 1910). (Ibid., p. 364).
YS, usually translated as Yoga Aphorisms, set the foundation of Raja
Yoga, the 'Royal Yoga', a classical of Yoga systems. The well-known work is usually addressed as
Ashtanga Yoga, the Yoga of eight steps/ limbs (Skr. anga) containing the celebrated classification of eight-fold paths of Yoga i.e.
yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi.
Content of Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali
The work is divided into four chapters (padas), Chapter I (51 sutras) known as
Samadhi, Chapter II (55 sutras) known as Sadhana, Chapter III (56 sutras) known as
Vibhuti, Chapter IV (34 sutras) known as Kaivalya, as shall be explained below.
In the first chapter Yoga is defined and some of obstacles to achieve Yoga are enumerated. A couple of classifications are brought into attention and various kinds of
samadhi are briefly explained. The classical Sanskrit definition of Yoga as
Yogacittavrittinirodha is translated by Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1989, p. 35) as: "To block the patterns/ modifications of consciousness is yoga". Swami Vishnu-Devananda (1999, p. 140) translates the same
sutra as: "Yoga is restraining the activities of the mind". The above definitions are quite similar for the fact that
cittavritti means both pattern of consciousness and activity of the mind. Furthermore,
YS enumerates the five-fold kinds of vrittis/ cittavrittis, namely
pramana, viparyaya, vikalpa, nidra and smriti, giving their definitions in following
sutras as correct knowledge, incorrect knowledge, imagination, sleep and
memory respectively. The two essential qualities for success in Yoga are mentioned to be
abhyasa, constant practice and vairagya, the detachment from the material experience
that is seen primarily in its inner aspect. The issue of
cittavrittis becomes fundamental for the fact that by controlling, blocking or restraining the
cittavrittis the state of yoga is achieved through samadhi in its various aspects as experience of awareness.
Various kinds of samadhi (Lit. 'union with the Lord') are mentioned. However, there are only two categories of
samadhi viz. sabija ('with seed') and nirbija ('without seed').
Sabija samadhi in its own turn is of six kinds, viz. samprajnata, asamprajnata, savitarka, nirvitarka, savicara, nirvicara,
depending on the object of experience of awareness. Chapter I ends up in
sutra 51 by clarifying that seedless awareness (nirbija samadhi) is obtained by blocking of all
cittavrittis.
Chapter II known as Sadhana pada focuses on the practice (sadhana) itself,
the obstacles (kleshas) to the practice and various fruits of practices. The first six parts (out of eight) of yoga discipline are presented along with their fruits. The five
kleshas are of utmost importance being seen as obstacles/ afflictions binding down the human being for not attaining its potential that of union (Yoga) with the Divine known as
Ishvara. The five obstacles enumerated are avidya ('ignorance'), asmita
('the I-feeling or Egoism'), raga ('attachment/ passion'),
dvesha ('anger/ aversion'), abhinivesha ('will to live/ clinging to
life/ fear of death'). Furthermore, the chapter presents the methodology of how to gradually remove these obstacles and other theoretical considerations of the Yogic practice. The last part of this chapter presents the paths/ steps of
Raja Yoga.
The first step known as yamas, largely translated as moral codes of conduct, is of five kinds viz.
ahimsa ('non-violence'), satya ('truthfulness'),
asteya ('non-stealing, honesty'), brahmacarya ('continence'),
aparigraha ('lack of greed'). The five niyamas as inner disciplines are presented as being
shauca ('purity' - both physical and mental), santosha
('contentment'), tapas ('austerity'), svadhyaya
('study'), ishvarapranidhana ('devotion to God'). The chapter ends us with the presentation of steps three to six of the eight-fold paths as being
asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, i.e. 'posture', 'regulation of the
breath', 'withdrawal of sense experience', 'concentration', respectively.
Chapter III clarifies the last two limbs of Yoga path as being dhyana
('meditation') and samadhi ('awareness') and introduces the notion of
samyama in sutra 4 as being the simultaneous practice of the last three Yoga limbs i.e.
dharana, dhyana and samadhi. The notion of samyama becomes fundamental for the fact that all
vibhutis known also in yoga as siddhis, the supernormal abilities, are subject to the practice of
samyama. The chapter goes much in detail on what could be obtained by practicing
samyama on various objects, ideas, phenomena, etc. These powers vibhutis / siddhis are of great variety like, the knowledge of the future, of previous births, of
other people's minds, of solar system, of stars, etc. It also states how invisibility could be achieved, levitation or conquest of nature (prakriti) itself. Most of leading
Yoga teachers do agree that these unusual abilities are not to be taken
per se as the defiance of the laws of physics by a yogi, but they have to be seen as powers of the mind for the fact that the mind can stretch
anywhere, and thus taking many forms. Yoga itself is seen as the empowering of the mind,
insofar as the mind is deeply analysed in chapter IV.
Chapter IV clarifies the issue of liberation (kaivalya) and how this could be achieved by the mind.
Vasanas known also as samskaras are to be seen as subtle mental forms or subtle mental impressions,
those becoming resident in the mind as latent potentialities that have karmic effects.
Vasanas accumulate and give rise to the will to live (abhinivesha) as one of the five
kleshas. However, these Vasanas could disappear through the elimination of four factors namely
hetu ('cause'), phala ('effect'), ashraya
('support of an experience') and alambana ('object of an
experience') (ref. sutra 11). Thus, citta ('higher
mind') becomes pure and capable to reflect both the drashta ('observer/
witness') and the drishya ('what is seen/ observed'). Sutra
29 defines the only form of nirbija samadhi that is dharmamegha
samadhi. This chapter ends up in
sutra 34 by defining liberation (kaivalya) itself: "Kaivalya is that state in which the
gunas ('qualities') merge in their cause, having no longer a purpose in relation to
purusha ('Pure Consciousness'). The Soul is established in its true nature, which is Pure Consciousness." (Vishnu-Devananda, Swami, 1999, p. 207).
Conclusion and the place of Yoga Sutras within the Yoga systems
The Yoga treatise YS is the foundation work on the Raja Yoga system. The work systematically presents the basis of this kind of Yoga, considering the definition of Yoga itself, various kinds of awareness
(samadhi), the practice (sadhana), various supernormal powers (vibhutis) and the attainment of liberation (kaivalya). The gradual progress on the Yoga path is shown in the eight-fold paths/ steps necessary to attain the goal.
However, this system of Yoga has to be seen as being just one kind of Yoga. Along with it there is
Bhagavad Gita ('The Song of the Lord') a synthesis of the main Yoga systems viz.
Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Although issues of Hatha Yoga
('physical Yoga') are mentioned by the asana, pranayama steps, YS does not go into much
detail as other
classical works on Hatha Yoga like Hathayogapradipika, Gheranda Samhita and
Shivasamhita do.
There are other varieties of Yoga like Mantra
Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Vedic Yoga based on yajna or Laya Yoga that are not mentioned in the
YS. Although many other issues regarding the Yoga systems are not covered by
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the work remains without doubt a classical in the field and a continuous source of inspiration in the future for its never ending interpretation of the original Sanskrit text.
References
Eliade, M. Le Yoga, Immortalité et Liberté, Payot, 1954.
Satyananda Saraswati, Swami. Four Chapters on Freedom, Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, Bihar, India, 1989.
Vishnu-Devananda, Swami. Meditation and Mantras, Motilal Banarsidas Publishers, Delhi, India, 1999.
List of abbreviations
Skr. - Sanskrit
YS - Yoga Sutras
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