MEDITATION ACCONRDING TO PATANJALI
The diffused ravs of the sun, when gathered to a point by a convex lens, can start a devastating fire.
The diffused ravs of the sun, when gathered to a point by a convex lens, can start a devastating fire.
A powerful searchlight can reveal any object, towards which it is turned on. In the same way, when the forces of the mind, normally diffused or even confused, are gathered together and concentrated, can give us knowledge and power.
However, this concentration of mind involves a very arduous proc- ess. As in the case of any other science art or craft, this also has to be learnt from competent teachers and practised asssiduously. One of the all-time great teachers of this science and art, is the sage Patanjali. His "Yoga Sutras" is a basic text embodying a systematic treatment of this subject.
As in the case of other Indian Philosophical systems here also kaivalya or liberation is et forth as the goal of life. But unlike, in those systems, Patanjali cares little for philosophical disquisitions and goes straight to the practical means of achieving it. M ind being the chief means in this process, he has dealt with the subject of its composition, function and control. According to him, the mind is as much a product of the three gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas) as the body or the external physical objects, though it has much finer vibrations. It normally functions in the form of vrittis (waves or modifications).
Swami Vivekananda compares the mind to a lake. When the water of the lake is absolutely calm and steady, one can see the reflection of one's face in it, or a piece of stone lying at its bottom. When the water is disturbed by waves, this will to be possible. In the same way when our mind is rising in the from of vrittis, we will certainly have a vision of our true self,. If and when, as a result of practicing yoga, we successfully eliminate all the vrittis, we will certainly have a vision of our true self, the spirit behind our mond,our personality.
Patanjali defines yoga as citta-vrittinirodha, suppression of the modifications of the mind. Since these vrittis are innumerable,will it ever be possible to control them and suppress them ? Patanjali being endowed with a practical and scientific attitude, assures us that it is possible to do so. How ? Though, individually, there apperar to be any umber of these vrittis cate gorywise there are only five! He classifies them as ; Pramana (tru cognition), viparyaya(fals congition),vikalpa(verbal congitions), nidra (deep sleep) and smriti (memory).
According to Patanjali for abtain realization there eight parts in yoga which constitute the discipline
However, this concentration of mind involves a very arduous proc- ess. As in the case of any other science art or craft, this also has to be learnt from competent teachers and practised asssiduously. One of the all-time great teachers of this science and art, is the sage Patanjali. His "Yoga Sutras" is a basic text embodying a systematic treatment of this subject.
As in the case of other Indian Philosophical systems here also kaivalya or liberation is et forth as the goal of life. But unlike, in those systems, Patanjali cares little for philosophical disquisitions and goes straight to the practical means of achieving it. M ind being the chief means in this process, he has dealt with the subject of its composition, function and control. According to him, the mind is as much a product of the three gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas) as the body or the external physical objects, though it has much finer vibrations. It normally functions in the form of vrittis (waves or modifications).
Swami Vivekananda compares the mind to a lake. When the water of the lake is absolutely calm and steady, one can see the reflection of one's face in it, or a piece of stone lying at its bottom. When the water is disturbed by waves, this will to be possible. In the same way when our mind is rising in the from of vrittis, we will certainly have a vision of our true self,. If and when, as a result of practicing yoga, we successfully eliminate all the vrittis, we will certainly have a vision of our true self, the spirit behind our mond,our personality.
Patanjali defines yoga as citta-vrittinirodha, suppression of the modifications of the mind. Since these vrittis are innumerable,will it ever be possible to control them and suppress them ? Patanjali being endowed with a practical and scientific attitude, assures us that it is possible to do so. How ? Though, individually, there apperar to be any umber of these vrittis cate gorywise there are only five! He classifies them as ; Pramana (tru cognition), viparyaya(fals congition),vikalpa(verbal congitions), nidra (deep sleep) and smriti (memory).
According to Patanjali for abtain realization there eight parts in yoga which constitute the discipline
(1) YANA:self restraint ;
(2) NIYAMA: fixed rules;
(3)ASANA: Posture;
(4)PRANAYAMA: Breathing control or sense withdrawal;
(5) DHARANA: Concentratio;
(6)DHYANA: Contemplation or Meditation;
(8) SAMADHI:Samadhi.
Meditation should not be practised hastily.
Meditation should not be practised hastily.
By this slow and spontaneous method, every stage of raja yoga clears the way for net higher stage and hence all these parts are interdependent.
It is one complete path leading the yogi upawards.
The eight parts are made just to keep the yogi in alert.
Yama and they are universal.
The yogi should practice all these stages are slowly as midst of others for sometime.
Since grouip of peaople or society always exploiting the yogi from his spiritual atmosphere, it is best advised that the yogi sould be conditioned in the presence of the Guru.
Contemplatiob or Dhyana is unbroken flow of the mind towards the selected object. Continuous observance of cocntration is Dhyana. In dharana, if the consciousbess vecomes contibuous without break, this dharana is changed to dhyana, in which there is continuous flow of consciousness. If you see and concentrqte on a particular object,that should bot vbe your aim,but you must think also that you are practising dhyabna and this is very important ascpect. Sometimes you are subject to see and concentrate ob some objects, at the same time having the awareness on dhyana, and this is called sakshibhava. At tiems, wiothout your knowledge, during concentraion,the mind slips away and this should not occur. Thus dhyana includes two aspects 1.Continuous flow of consciousnes of the single object; and 2.the awareness of dhyana. And these two aspects always go together.
When agaibn dhyana becomes perfect and the mind is so deeply absorbed in the object that it loses itself and has no awareness of itself, the state attained is called samadhi. In ths state, only the object of meditation wil. Be shining in the mind and the yogi is not even aware of the thought process involved in it. Even the ego-sense is completely subjugated.
Contemplatiob or Dhyana is unbroken flow of the mind towards the selected object. Continuous observance of cocntration is Dhyana. In dharana, if the consciousbess vecomes contibuous without break, this dharana is changed to dhyana, in which there is continuous flow of consciousness. If you see and concentrqte on a particular object,that should bot vbe your aim,but you must think also that you are practising dhyabna and this is very important ascpect. Sometimes you are subject to see and concentrate ob some objects, at the same time having the awareness on dhyana, and this is called sakshibhava. At tiems, wiothout your knowledge, during concentraion,the mind slips away and this should not occur. Thus dhyana includes two aspects 1.Continuous flow of consciousnes of the single object; and 2.the awareness of dhyana. And these two aspects always go together.
When agaibn dhyana becomes perfect and the mind is so deeply absorbed in the object that it loses itself and has no awareness of itself, the state attained is called samadhi. In ths state, only the object of meditation wil. Be shining in the mind and the yogi is not even aware of the thought process involved in it. Even the ego-sense is completely subjugated.
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