Sūtra 1.2

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.2:

योगश् चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥ १.२ ॥

yogaś cittavṛttinirodhaḥ || 1.2 ||

yogaḥ—yoga. citta—of the mind, mental. vṛtti—of the modifications, changes, various forms. nirodhaḥ—restraint.

2. Yoga is the restraint of mental modifications.

The Sankhya-pravachana commentary of Vyasa:

[English translation of the 7th century commentary by Vyāsa called the Sāṅkhya-pravacana, Vyāsabhāṣya or Yogabhāṣya]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

The following aphorism was composed with the object of formulating its definition:—

‘Yoga is the restraint of mental modifications.’

Because the word, ‘all’ is not put in before (mental modifications) the Cognitive also is termed Yoga.

The mind is possessed of the ‘three qualities,’ showing as it does the nature of illumination, activity and inertia. Mental Essence manifesting as illumination loves power and objects of sense, when mixed up with disturbing energy (rajas) and inertia (tamas). The same pierced through by inertia (tamas) approaches vice, ignorance, and absence of desirelessness and supineness. The same shining all round with the veil of forgetfulness removed, but affected by a touch of disturbing energy, approaches virtue, knowledge, desirelessness, and masterfulness. The same becomes itself when the least impurity of disturbing energy (rajas) is removed. It then shows forth only the distinction of nature between the Essence of objective being and the conscious principle (puruṣa), and approaches the state of trance called the Cloud of Virtue (dharma-megha). This the thinkers call the Highest intellection. (Param prasaṅkhyānam).

The power of consciousness changes not. It goes not from object to object. The objects are shown to it. It is pure and infinite. This phenomenon (of the knowledge of the distinct nature of the two) is, however, of the nature of the Objective Essence, and is the opposite thereof. On this account the mind freed from attachment to that too, restrains even this form of manifestation. In that state it is possessed of residual potencies alone. That is the seedless trance. It is called the ultra-cognitive because nothing is cognized in that state.

This is the two-fold Yoga, the restraint of mental modifications.

The Gloss of Vachaspati Mishra:

[English translation of the 9th century Tattvavaiśāradī by Vācaspatimiśra]

The second aphorism is introduced by the words,

‘This aphorism was composed, &c.’

The word ‘its’ refers to the two descriptions of Yoga, mentioned in the previous aphorism.

“Yoga is the restraint of mental modifications.”

That particular state of the mind in which the manifestations of real cognition, &c., have been restrained, is the state of Yoga.

The question arises, is not this definition bad, inasmuch as it does not cover the Cognitive Trance, in which that class of mental modifications which are of the very nature of its essence (sattva) are not restrained?

For this reason the Commentator says:—“Because the word ‘all’ is not put in, &c.” If the restraint of all the mental modifications were mentioned, the definition would not cover the Cognitive Trance. The restraint of mental modifications, however, which checks the operation of the vehicles of affliction, action and fruition, comprehends that too. In the Cognitive Trance also, the mental modifications caused by disturbing Energy (rajas) and inertia (tamas) are restrained. In fact, the Cognitive trance is the restraint of these modifications.

Why then does the one mind come into relationship with the wandering and other (more than one) planes? Further, what is the object of restraining the modifications of the mind so conditioned? To meet this apprehended questioning, the Commentator first takes up the cause of the mind thus coming into relationship with different conditions (planes).

‘The mind is possessed of the three qualities:—

The Essence (sattva) is there, because it has the nature of illumination. Disturbing Energy is there, because of its possessing the nature of activity. The quality of darkness (tamas) is there, because of its possessing the nature of inertia.

The mention of the nature of illumination is suggestive. All the other qualities, therefore, of the Essence of things (sattva), such as brightness, lightness, joy and others are indicated.

By activity other qualities of disturbing Energy, such as remorse and sorrow, etc., are indicated.

Inertia is the characteristic modification of the quality of Tamas, the opposite of the quality of activity. By the mention of inactivity are indicated heaviness, interception, helplessness, etc.

The meaning is that the mind although one, passes into more conditions than one, because it is made up of the three qualities (guṇas) and its modifications are various, because the ‘qualities’ being unequal, fall into a variety of combinations.

Now the Commentator illustrates so far as may be, these very planes of the mind, the wandering and others, possessing as they do differences of sub-states:—“Mental Essence, &c.”

Mental Essence means the Objective Essence (sattva) which has evolved as mind. By saying that the mental essence has the nature of illumination, it is shown that the mind has the quality of Essence (sattva) for its chief factor.

When in the mind, the disturbing Energy and Inertia (rajas and tamas) are a little less predominant than its own Essence, but equal to each other, then to it are dear power and the objects of sense, such as sound, &c. The mind, on account of the Essence being its ruling factor, desires to dwell upon reality. But because the reality is veiled by Inertia (tamas) it mistakes the attainments of Attenuation (Aṇimā), &c., for the reality; and desires to dwell and dwells upon them for a moment. Being pushed away, however, by Energy (rajas), even from this resting place, it finds not the rest sought after even there, but gets only a liking for them. As to sound, &c., why its love of them is well established as a matter of course, ever inclining as it does towards them by its own nature. It is the occasionally steady mind that is thus described.

While explaining the wandering mind, the author indicates the Forgetful mind also by words beginning with, ‘The same pierced through thereafter by Inertia, &c.’

When Inertia flows into the mind and conquers Energy, then the Energy, having become incapable of driving the veil of the darkness of Inertia away from the Essence of the mind, it is rendered lazy by the Inertia, and approaches vice, &c. Ignorance is Untrue knowledge. Further, the knowledge in deep sleep is described as depending upon the notion of the absence of all other modifications. Therefore the state of forgetfulness (the Muḍhā Bhūmi) is also indicated. The absence of masterfulness or supineness is the non-fulfilment of one’s wishes everywhere. The meaning is that the mind becomes pervaded by vice, &c.

By the words, ‘The same when the veil of forgetfulness, &c.,’ the author means that, when the same mental Essence shines out in its own nature, then the mind approaches virtue, knowledge, desirelessness and masterfulness. Forgetfulness is inertia (tamas) and the same is the veil. When the veil is removed, it becomes as above described. It is for this reason that it illuminates all the specialized, the unspecialized, the undifferentiated phenomenal and noumenal states and the Puruṣa.

Inasmuch as notwithstanding this, it may not be capable of manifesting virtue and masterfulness on account of the absence of activity, the Commentator says ‘When it is affected by a touch of rajas, &c.’ The meaning is that because Energy is the cause of activity, virtue, &c., exist in that state.

This gives a comprehensive description of the mental Essence of the two classes of Yogis who have reached the stage of Cognitive Trance, the Madhubhūmikas and the Prajñājyotiṣas of the middle path. Now the author describes the state of mind of the fourth class of Yogis, the Dhyānis or thinkers who have passed the domain of things to be known:—

‘The same mind becomes itself, when the least impurity of disturbing Energy is removed.’ It is for this very reason that it becomes fixed in its own nature. Purified of the dross of disturbing Energy and Inertia (rajas and tamas) by the device of heating it with the re-agents of practice and desirelessness, the gold of the Essence of the will-to-know becomes established in its own' nature, and becomes the master of the senses and their objects, It has thus fulfilled much of its work, but goes on working; as its great work with the achievement of the knowledge of the distinction between the Objective Essence and consciousness. The author says:—

“The same becomes itself when the least impurity of disturbing Energy is removed. It then shows forth only the distinction of nature between the Essence of Objective Nature and the conscious principle, and approaches the state of contemplation called the Cloud of Virtue.” The Cloud of Virtue will be described later. He describes here a term better known among the Yogis This the thinkers, &c.” The thinkers call the mind showing forth the distinction of the natures of the Objective Essence and the Conscious Principle, and having the Cloud of Virtue as the other end, by the name of the Highest Intellection. The mind is here spoken of as an abstraction, because the characteristic and the characterized are intended to be spoken of as one.

The Commentator now shows that the power of consciousness is the good and the faculty of discriminative knowledge is not the good. This is with the object of introducing the īnhibitive Trance (Nirodha Samādhi), which restrains the mental modifications of discriminative knowledge, and brings about the perfect freedom of the conscious principle:—

“The power of consciousness changes not, &c.”

Impurity consists in identifying the self with pleasure and pain and forgetfulness. Pleasure and pain both cause pain to him who discriminates. Hence they too are to be given up like pain. Even the very beautiful gives pain having an end. Therefore that also has to be given up by him who discriminates. This impurity and end do not exist in the power of consciousness or the Puruṣa. Hence is it said to be pure and infinite.

But how is this power of consciousness pure when it takes the forms of pleasureable, painful and forgetful objects, sounds, &c., while cognizing them? And how again is it infinite, when it takes up that form and also gives it up? To meet this the author says:—

‘The objects are shown to it.’

It is so described because the objective sounds, &c., are shown to it. It might be impure and finite if it took the forms of the objects in the same way as does the will-to-be. It is in fact the will-to-be that takes the forms of the objects, and presents them to the consciousness, which follows its forms. Thence is it said that the Puruṣa cognizes.

The doubt again arises, how can an object be known if the power of consciousness do not take possession of the will-to-be appearing as an object? If it does take possession, how can it be said that it has not taken the form of the object? For this reason says the author:—

“It goes not from object to object.”

Going from object to object means motion, and the teaching is that consciousness does not move. But then how does it take possession of that form? For this reason he says:—

“The power of consciousness changes not.”

The three-fold change, indicated by characteristic, differentia and condition, does not exist in consciousness, that it may put on the form of action and thereby change in conjunction with the will-to-be. It will be described further on how it cognizes, even though it moves not.

Thus it is established that the power of consciousness is the good. It has been said that the manifestation of discriminative knowledge is not the good, being as it is of the nature of the will-to-be. For this reason it is the opposite of the power of consciousness.

When even the manifestation of discrimination also is to be given up, what is to be said of the other modifications which are full of shortcomings? This is the meaning. Hence for this reason, the discussion of the Inhibitive Trance is properly introduced. Therefore the author says:—

“On this account the mind tends to turn from it, &c.” The meaning is that it checks the indulgence of discriminative knowledge too, by the Higher desirelessness, which the illumination of knowledge itself.

Now he describes what the aspect of the mind is when all its modifications have been restrained:—

“In that state, &c.” That state means the state of Restraint (Nirodha). The nature of restraint or inhibition is described “It is the seedless.”

The vehicle of actions with that of afflictions is the seed of life-state, life-period and life-experience. The seedless is that which has gone beyond that.

Now the author gives another name of the same which is better known to the Yogis and which is descriptive of the mental state, the ultra-cognitive.

“Nothing is cognized in that, &c.”

He summarizes:—“This is the two-fold Yoga, the restraint of the modifications of the mind.”