Chapter VIII - Final emancipation or beatitude

The object of Yoga, as already said, being the emancipation of the soul from the miseries of the world, and its attainment to a state of highest felicity, it is to be seen what this state of felicity is, which it is the concern of every man to know, and which the Yogi takes so much pains to acquire. The Vedantic Yogi, as it is well known, aims at nothing less than in his absorption in the Supreme Spirit and loosing himself in infinite bliss. But it is not so with others, who are averse to loose the sense of their personal identity, and look forward to a state of self existence either in this life or next, in which they shall be perfectly happy. The Yogis of India have various states of this bliss which they aim at according to the faith to which they belong, as we shall show below.

The Vedantic Yogi has two states of bliss in view; viz., the one inferior which is attained in this life by means of knowledge  ~~, and the other superior, obtainable after many births of gradual advancement to perfection  ~~

The Charvakas say, that it is either independence or death that is bliss.  ~~

The Madhyamikas say, it is extinction of self that is called liberation  ~~

The Vijnani philosophers—have it to be clear and elevated understanding  ~~

The Arhatas have it in deliverance from all veil and covering  ~~

The Mayavadis say, that it is removal of the error of one's separate existence as a particle of the Supreme spirit  ~~-~~

The Ramanujas called it to be the knowledge of Vasudeva as cause of all,  ~~

The Madhyamikas have it for the perfect bliss enjoyed by Vishnu  ~~

The Ballabhis expect it in sporting with Krishna in heaven  ~~

The Pasupatas and Maheswaras place it in the possession of all dignity  ~~

The Kapalikas place it in the fond embraces of Hara and Durga  ~~

The Pratyabhijnanis call it to be the perfection of the soul.  ~~

The Raseswara Vadis have it in the health of body produced by mercury  ~~

The Vaisesikas seek it in the extinction of all kinds of pain  ~~

The Mimansakas view their happiness in heavenly bliss  ~~  ~~

The Sarvajnas say that, it is the continued feeling of highest felicity  ~~

The Panini philologers find it in the powers of speech  ~~  ~~

The Sankhyas find it in the union of force with matter  ~~  ~~

The Udasina Atheists have it as consisting in the ignoring of self identity  ~~

The Patanjalas view it in the unconnected unity of the soul  ~~

The Persian Sufis call it azadigi or unattachment of the soul to any worldly object.