YOGA

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OUTLINE

3. Samkhya: Yoga Psychology and Philosophy

1. A Conceptual Outline

Yoga as unknown path: meanings and aspects

Why do I use the phrase, “unknown path?” Always becoming; perceptive, open, observing... Intuition

The ideas and systems are intermutable. The Indian systems, just as the Western, are included in the animal and the primal. [This is a limit to the aspect of always becoming and unknown-ness.]

There is a connection with Western "Knowledge" as in epistemology - the theory of knowledge. But knowledge, in its ultimate form, cannot be separated from the (whole) being… Perhaps what Heidegger means by "there can be no theory of theory" is that real Knowledge involves the whole being (person, culture and so on) and that is all there is: there is no getting out of the being and its relations. Of course, there can be theories of formal knowledge.

"Yoga:" yoke, unite [Sanskrit=Skr root yuj: unite;] Samkhya [the Samkhya Sutra of Kapila.] Samkhya and Yoga are regarded as the two aspects of a single discipline; Samkhya "enumerating knowledge" is a dualistic theory of human nature describing the theoretical dynamics of bandha (bondage) and release while Yoga describes and prescribes the practical dynamics of release… There are relationships among the different schools of Indian Philosophy with permutations of ideas defining the relationships even among what seem to be diametrically opposite views. A similar situation obtains in Western Philosophy. This situation exists because although there are systems, the systems are integrated with life. Seen as a way of life the distinctions between systems; and between System and life break down.

Concept: citta vrtti nirodha [Skr: Patañjali,] disciplining the activity of consciousness. A "methodology" for expanding: individual-to-universal consciousness through the "four layers" of man or manas [Skr] = man [Eng] = mind. Yoga usually refers to classical techniques for attaining the end of universal consciousness. I am interested in this but also in using the ideas in a fluid way in my experiments of ideas. Therefore, by Yoga I may also mean any way to approach the goal of realizing the ultimate in reality and truth. So, we can also talk of experimental Yoga and so on.

I believe a distinction between ultimate and what is accessible to man to be unnecessary. Limits are temporal; and even though there are temporal limits, I do not know what they are. That something is experimental to me does not mean that it is or is not or has or has not been known.

Pâtañjala Yoga; also: Astânga Yoga - eight-fold path.

Patañjali's work is Pâtañjala Yoga Sutra; Vyâsa's commentary is the "most ancient and profound."

Kaivalya - Absoluteness - the highest goal of life. Pâtañjala/Astânga Yoga is a "method" for attaining this goal; and also discusses sufficient conceptual background including nature and modifications of mind and impediments to growth.

Modes of Yoga: Karma or Kriyâ, Jñâna, Râja, Mantra, Bhakti, Kundalini…Hathayoga

Many of these are variations or parts of Pâtañjala. All are associated with some aspect of Indian Philosophy. Karma, Jñâna, Bhakti, and Râja are the "four paths." They emphasize different aspects of practice and are said to be appropriate for different types of persons.

"Yoga" is omitted below; thus for "Karma" read "Karma Yoga."

Karma: Yoga of action; expounded in Mimânsâ. Also: Yoga of or through work. Karma Yoga is an example of transmutation of sense and meaning that occurs through emphasis, use and choice of explicit or implicit worldview. Thus, emphasizing the mental discipline conducive to Yoga through work, Karma becomes Râja; alternately work as devotion is Bhakti. These are classical and not idiosyncratic mutations. Kriya: Yoga of purification = tapas-svâdhyâya-Isvara Pranidhâna; see Pâtañjala Yoga. Jñâna: Vedânta. Râja: the psychological aspect of Pâtañjala. Sometimes identified with Pâtañjala Yoga. Mantra: one approach to dhyâna (meditation) which is part of Râja. Bhakti: Yoga of devotion. The Tantric Kundalini: an approach to the ascent of the Kundalini up the spine through the six padmas (lotuses) or cakras ("centers") to the final âjñâ (command) padma between the eyebrows at which Isvara is seen. The Kundalini is the sleeping serpent at the base of the spine and is a metaphor for sakti - the divine power. Hatha: the behavioral and physical part of Pâtañjala.

Details Needed:

1. Resources: general and mine. A Yoga vocabulary with terms from Samkhya.

2. Background in Indian Philosophy.

Essence

Periods; texts and schools

3. Patañjali's Astânga Yoga. Relevance to the nature of Purusha, mana, or psyche.

4. Role in my life: (a) By examining history the concepts of Yoga and Indian Philosophy are seen to be fluid; I want to have entire fields of fluidity at my fingertips to draw upon in B/E including the equation d = " (b) the specifics learnt by others' experience, and (c) I see my entire process as in B/E as Yoga.

2. Astânga Yoga[1]

Ethical Preparation

1. Yama: restraint

Ahimsâ	Not hurting
Satya	Truth
Asteya	Not stealing
Brahmacarya	Control of senses
Aparigraha	Non possessiveness

2. Niyama: observance

Sauca	Purity
Santosa	Contentment
Tapas	Zeal
Svâdhyâya	Study
Isvara Pranidhâna	Surrender to the real

Discipline of the Body

3. Asana: posture [as conducive to the spiritual goals]

Examples/concepts:

Sukhâsana	Easy
Svastikâsana	Auspicious
Padmâsana	Lotus
Sidhâsana	Accomplished
Dhyânasana	Meditative

4. Prânâyama: observance and flow of vital force

The main prâna:

Prâna	Inspiration
Apâna	Excretory
Samâna	Assimilative
Udâna	Energetic
Vyâna	Contractile

5. Pratyâhâra: withdrawal of senses

Samyama[2]

6. Dhâranâ: concentration

7. Dhyâna: meditation

8. Samâdhi:

Sabija "With seeds"…of attachment in latent form. Truth realized but sense of separateness of "I" from truth maintained

Nirbija "Seedless" complete unity. I or self = Truth.

3. Samkhya: Yoga Psychology and Philosophy

“There is no theory like Samkhya, no practice like yoga”

Purusha

Spirit, the knower of Prakriti

Prakriti

Everything else, other than Purusha – the filed of mind and matter, the field of phenomena, whatever has name and form

Gunas

The forces that make up Prakriti, the three basic states of energy

Tamas – inertia

Rajas – activity

Sattva – equilibrium

The Gita

The Gita is Brahmavidya Yogashastra – a text on the supreme science of yoga

Gñana [Jñana] yoga	The yoga of knowledge, knowing one is Atman
Bhakti yoga	“Love”, devotion, identifying with Ishvara in love – the way of the Christian, Judaic and Islamic mystics
Karma yoga	Selfless Action: identifying with the with the whole of life through action
Raja yoga	Stilling the mind and merging with the self; meditation

Shraddha	That which is placed in the heat All the beliefs held so deeply we never think to question them “A person is what his Shraddha is” – Gita “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” – Bible “You are the result of all that you have thought” – Buddha Right Shraddha [Gita] Faith in spiritual laws, in Atman = Brahman Wrong Shraddha There is no more to life than physical existence…

The Gita places destiny in human hands

4. Yoga Vocabulary

Abhyâsa	Practice
Advaita	Not two
Ahimsa paramo dharma	Non-violence is the highest dharma
Atman	The ultimate self of Sankara's Vedantic monism (Advaita)… divine core of personality; indistinguishable from Brahman
Brahmacarya	"To walk in Brahman"
Brahman	In Vedanta: the ultimate… Godhead; Isvara is its phenomenal form
Brahmavidya	Supreme science
Citta	Mind[3]
Devas	Deities
Dhâranâ	Concentration
Dharma	The law that maintains the unity of creation
Dhyâna Meditation
Japa	Repetition of mantra
Karma	The law that maintains the unity of creation
Man	Mind. Has five states: avidyâ - ignorance or error, vikalpa - fantasy, nidrâ - sleep, vidyâ - correct knowledge, smrti -memory. The first three are klista - afflications or klesa, the remaining two are aklista. Avidya has four sources: amsitâ - self absorption, râga - attachment, dvesa - hatred, and abhinivesa - fear of death. Four stages: ksipta - wandering, mudha - forgetful, viksipta - changeful between steady and distracted, ekâgra - one pointed, nirudha - restrained. Four layers of man: body, consciousness, individual unconsciousness, atman.
Moksa	Spiritual liberation – life’s supreme goal
Prakrti	Unconscious principle or substance The elements [guna] of prakrti are sattva - light, rajas - activity, tamas - dark or heavyness. In balance they form prakrti; out of balance they are vikrti
Prâna	Pratham + ana [animation] the original or primal force or energy or na: prâna, apâna, samâna, udâna, vyâna, nâga, kurma, krkala, devadatta, dhananjaya
Prânâyâma	Control of vital force
Samâdhi	In which individual awareness becomes the one awareness; the experience of Atman = Brahman, the state called Moksa
Samahitam	State in which all questions are answered
Samsara	Cycle of birth and death
Samyana	Combined state of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi
Shruti	Heard
Sidhi	Uncommon power esperienced in the smooth flow of meditation; a distraction on the way to samadhi
Sri Krishna	“The Lord”, inner, true self
Tat tvam asi	Thou art that [Atman = Brahman]
Vairâgya	Detachment
Vayu	Thread of prāna
Yoga	Union with the ultimate; realizing Atman = Brahman The disciplines for obtaining yoga
Yoga Sutra	The yoga sutra of Patanjali = 196 aphorisms in 4 sections [sutra literally is thread…an aphoristic codification of the school of thought]
Yogâcâra	Form of Buddhism combining yoga and good conduct [âcâra]