Sūtra 2.11

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 2.11:

ध्यानहेयास् तद्वृत्तयः ॥ २.११ ॥

dhyānaheyās tadvṛttayaḥ || 2.11 ||

dhyāna—by meditation. heyāḥ—that are destroyed, tad—their. vṛttyaḥ—modifications.

11. Their modifications are destroyed by meditation.—62.

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]

When, however, they exist as retaining their seed-power, their modifications are destroyed by meditation. The modifications of the afflictions which are essential are attenuated by the Yoga of action; and having been so attenuated, are destroyed by the high intellection of meditation, so that they are rendered potential, i.e., their seed-power is, as it were, burnt up. As the gross dirt of clothes is at first shaken off, and then the fine dirt is washed off by effort and appliance, so the gross essential modifications need but small antagonistic efforts, whereas the potential ones need very powerful antagonists.—62.

The Gloss of Vachaspati Mishra

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

Well then, when the afflictions have been attenuated by the Yoga of action, to what sphere should the effort of the Puruṣa be directed, in order that they may be destroyed? For this reason says ‘When, however, they exist as retaining their seed-power, &c.’

Differentiates them from the barren ones and reads the aphorism:—‘Their modifications are destroyed by meditation.’ Explains:—‘The modifications of the afflictions, &c.’ They are called essential, because even though attenuated by the Yoga of action, they are further capable of destruction by being rendered incapable of producing effects and losing their very nature by means of the mind resolving back into its cause.

Mentions the limit of the effort of the Puruṣa in the sphere of intellection:—‘So that they are rendered potential.’

Explains potentiality:—‘Their seed-power has, as it were, been burnt up.’ Gives an illustration of the same:—‘As the gross dirt of clothes, &c.’

Effort means washing, &c. Appliance means the use of washing ingredients. The illustration and the illustrated are analogous only so far as they possess grosser and finer dirt, and not in their removability by effort, because it is impossible in the potential afflictions, which disappear along with the mind resolving back into its cause.

Those that require but little effort for their removal are said to need small antagonistic ingredients. Those that require the agency of very powerful causes for removal, are said to need very powerful antagonists. High intellection is described as small, because it is lower in comparison with the resolving of the mind into its own cause.—11.