Sūtra 1.41

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.41:

क्षीणवृत्तेर् अभिजातस्येव मणेर् ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनता समापत्तिः ॥ १.४१ ॥

kṣīṇavṛtter abhijātasyeva maṇer grahītṛgrahaṇagrāhyeṣu tatsthatadañjanatā samāpattiḥ || 1.41 ||

kṣīṇa—disappearing, powerless. vṛtti—modification of the mind. Kṣīṇa vṛtteḥ—of that (mind) whose modifications have become powerless, have disappeared, abhijātasya—of a transparent. iva—like. maṇeḥ—of a crystal. Grahītṛ, the knower. grahaṇa—knowing. grāhya—the knowable all these three, tat-stha—remaining in it, what is presented to it. tadañjanatā—taking the tinge of that object, being coloured by that object, the power of appearing in the shape of any object, samāpattiḥ—the power of thought-transformation, concentration and oneness.

41. Becoming like a transparent crystal on the modifications disappearing, (the mind acquires) the power of thought-transformation (samāpatti), the power of appearing in the shape of whatever object is presented to it, be it the knower, the knowable or the act of knowing.

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]

Now what is the nature of the power of thought-transformation which the mind acquires, when it has thus obtained rest? This is described:—‘Becoming like a transparent crystal on the modifications disappearing, the mind acquires the power of thought-transformation,—the power of appearing in the shape of whatever is presented to it, be it the knower, the knowable, or the act of knowing.’

‘On the modifications disappearing’:—When the notions are at rest, (not in active work).

‘Like a transparant crystal’:—This is the statement of an analogy. As the crystal becomes coloured by the colour of the object placed beside it, and then shines according to the form of the object, so the mind is coloured by the colour of the object presented to it and then appears in the form of the object.

Coloured by subtle elements placed in contact, it becomes of the nature of the subtle elements and shines out in the shape of the subtle elements.

Similarly, coloured by the distinctions of the world coming into contact with it, it becomes of the nature of those distinctions, and shines out in the form of the world.

Similarly, is this to be understood in the case of the acts of knowing, i.e., the powers of sensation. Coloured by the acts of knowing taken as objects of thought, it becomes of the nature of the acts of knowing, and shines out in forms which show the nature of the acts of knowing.

Similarly, coloured by the enjoying Puruṣa, taken as the object of thought, it puts on the nature of the enjoying Puruṣa, and shines out -in the form which shows the nature of the enjoying Puruṣa.

Similarly, coloured by the released Puruṣa taken as object of thought, it becomes of the nature of the released Puruṣa, and shines out in the form which shows the nature of the released Puruṣa.

This then is Samāpatti, thought-transformation,—the mind showing itself like a transparent crystal, in the form of the object it comes in contact with, be it the knower, the knowable, or the acts of knowledge.

The Gloss of Vachaspati Mishra

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

Now the question is what is the nature and what are the objects of the Cognitive trance, when the mind has thus obtained rest? The Commentator introduces the next aphorism:—“This is described, &c.” Reads the aphorism:—‘Becoming like a transparent crystal, &c.’ Explains it:—The words, ‘when the notions are at rest,’ describe the mind as existing in the state, in which that class of mental modifications which have their origin in the qualities of disturbing energy and inertia (rajas and tamas) have been destroyed by habitual practice and desirelessness. By this it is meant to be explained that Mental Essence (sattva) being by nature pure, is not overpowered at the time, by disturbing energy (rajas) and inertia (tamas).

He explains the analogy:—‘As the crystal, &c.’

‘The object placed beside it’ is the upādhi, the attributive substance such as the Japā flower, &c.

‘Coloured by proximity,’ taking up the light thereof.

The form of he object placed beside, ‘is the red, blue or other colour of its own.’

‘Shines out,’ means, ‘shows the qualities of that form.’

He applies the analogy:—‘Similarly, coloured by the object, &c.’

The object of knowledge (grāhya) is the same to which the mind is at the time turned (ālambana). It is coloured thereby when the object passes into it. Thus is the knowable distinguished from the knower and the act of knowing.

‘Becomes of the nature of the object,’ means, ‘as if it has put on the quality of knowability having thus covered up its own mental form. For this reason shines out in the form of the knowable object itself.’

The subtle and the gross are colours from the objective world only. The commentator divides them therefore into two:—‘Coloured by the subtle, &c.’ The distinctions of the world consist in its being self-conscious and not self-conscious, and of the differences of objects, such as the animals, cows, etc., and the mineral substances, such as the jar, etc. By this the two trances which are accompanied by philosophical curiosity and meditation are shown.

Similar is the case with the acts, the means of knowledge, the powers of sensation (indriyas). They are so called because knowledge is obtained through their instrumentality.

The commentator renders the same plainer:—‘Coloured by the acts of knowledge, &c.’ Being an act of knowledge, but taken as an object of knowledge, it is here mentioned as having both these qualities at the same time.

‘Coloured by that,’ i.e., pierced through and through by that, and having covered up its own mental form it appears as if it were the means, the external instrument of knowledge.

By this has been described the Cognitive trance which is accompanied by elation.

The one which is accompanied by egoism is now alluded to. ‘Coloured by the Enjoying Puruṣa, &c.’ The Enjoying Puruṣa means, he in whom the notion of the ‘I am’ resides.

Because the quality of being a Puruṣa is common to the released Puruṣa, such as Śuka and Prahlāda too, they too have to be taken here as objects of trance. For this reason, the commentator says ‘Similarly, coloured by the released Puruṣa, &c.’

Coming to the end, he explains the words ‘tastha tadañjñatāt,’ appearing in the—form of the object it comes into contact with.

The thought-transformation called the Cognitive Trance consists in the assumption by the Mental Essence of the forms of the knower, the knowable and the act of knowledge, and the consequent showing of itself in the shape of the phenomenon which has entered therein, when the dirt of the rajas and the tamas has been removed by the increased power of contemplation, and when it is directed towards, i.e., fixed upon, these objects of knowledge.

Here the order of the reading of the words, ‘the knower, the act of knowledge and the knowable,’ in the aphorism is not to be regarded, because it is contrary to the natural succession of the objects of knowledge. Similarly in the Commentary too the mentioning of the subtle elements first in order, is not to be regarded. All is thus beautiful.—41.