Yoga-sutras (Ancient and Modern Interpretations)
by Makarand Gopal Newalkar | 2017 | 82,851 words | ISBN-13: 9780893890926
Yoga-sutras 3.12, English translation with modern and ancient interpretation. The Patanjali Yogasutras describe an ancient Indian tradition spanning over 5000 years old dealing with Yoga:—Meditating the mind on the Atma leading to the realization of self. This study interprets the Yogasutras in light of both ancient and modern commentaries (e.g., Vyasa and Osho) while supporting both Sankhya and Vedanta philosophies.
Sūtra 3.12
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 3.12:
ततः पुनः शान्तोदितौ तुल्यप्रत्ययौ चित्तस्यैकाग्रतापरिणामः ॥ ३.१२ ॥
tataḥ punaḥ śāntoditau tulyapratyayau cittasyaikāgratāpariṇāmaḥ || 3.12 ||
(12) There (in samādhi) again (in the state of concentration) the past and the present modifications being similar, it is ekāgratā pariṇāma or mutation of the stabilised state of the mind.
Ancient and Modern interpretation:
Araṇya gives distinction between three as follws -
- nirodha pariṇāma takes place only in the arrested state of mind which is called nirodhabhūmi.
- samādhi pariṇāma is possible only in habituated one-pointed state of mind.
- ekāgratā pariṇāma is possible when there is concentration.
Osho has translated[1] ekāgratā pariṇāma as condition of mind in which object of mind that is subsiding is replaced in next moment by exactly similar object.
Taimni [2] has given example of projection of a cinematographic picture on a screen. The moving picture on a screen is produced on screen at intervals of less than 1/10th of second. This is as per sūtra IV.33 (kṣaṇapratiyogī pariṇāmāparāntanirgrāhyaḥ kramaḥ). It gives illusion of continuity, though there is discontinuity. If all pictures are exactly same, we will have stationary image on screen, which is composed of number of similar (tulya) images following each other so rapidly as to be indistinguishable. If we slow down the speed of projection, then illusion will disappear, and we will be able to see similar images following each other at regular intervals. Ekāgratā Pariṇāma also is composed of similar pratyaya following each other at inconceivably high speed. Being dynamic its called pariṇāma and not avasthā (state).
This is similar to Buddha’s thought of ‘everthing is in continuous flux’.[3]
Even a flame of a candle is getting diminished every moment and new flame is getting born every moment. But because they are so similar that we feel only one flame is burning. Sāṅkhya also opine that all the matter, including citta, born of prakṛti is always changing.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid, p.117
[2]:
Taimni, op.cit., p.299,300
[3]:
“sarva kṣaṇikam kṣaṇikam”—First canon of Gautama Buddha, Majihim Nikaya,Mahasatipthanasutra, 1.1.105, Vipassana-Viśhodhan-Vinyas, Igatpur, First Edition 1995.