Part 8.4 - Introduction to Yoga Philosophy

[Full title: A Comparative Study of different Indian Philosophies (d) Darsanas system of Indian Philosophies (4): Yoga Philosophy]

In ancient Vedantic days, the importance was given to the process of self realization to get rid of bad effects of all mental problems like greed, anger and ego. Each young child in an asrama (residential school) used to follow a strict discipline of getting up early for education, practice of postures and exercise, breath control and other spiritual practices like mantra- chanting, japa- meditation. Such routine was termed as Yoga afterwards.

The oldest reference to Yoga is found in Kathopanisad^[1] (1000 B.C.) where adhyatmayoga is described with target of supreme-being. Few more Yoga Upanisads are amrta-bindu, amrta-nada-bindu, nada-bindu, dhyana-bindu, tejobindu, hamsa, yoga-cudamani, yoga-tattva, yoga-kundali and sandilya upanisads. All these scriptures explore different aspects of the Yogic process.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says:

“This immeasurable constant (self) must be seen as singular. The self is taintless, unborn, great, constant and beyond space (and time).”^[2]

The Kathopanisad says^[3]

“The sage relinquishes joy and sorrow realizing by means of the Yoga of the deep self (adhyatman). The God who is difficult to see, hidden, immanent, stationed in the cave (heart), dwelling in the deep, the primordial (purana)”,

The Kathopanisad says^[4]

“The self can”t be attained through study, or by thought, or by much learning. It is attained by the one whom it chooses. The self reveals its own form”.

Bhagavadgita has given some of the most popular definitions of Yoga, they are:

yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam |^[5]

Yoga is dexterity in action. This action is out of calmness and with full of awareness. It also means action is done with maximum efficiency. This perfection is also result of performing actions in a detached way, without overly being anxious about the outcome of the action. This leads to karmayoga.

samatvaṃ yoga ucyate |^[6]

“Yoga means equanimity”. One who can maintain equanimity of mind in all situations like Lord Krsna is Yogi.

Sage Vasistha defines Yoga as:

manaḥ praśamanopāyaḥ yoga ityabhidhiyate |^[7]

Yoga is a skilful method to calm the mind.

Controlling mental fluctuations (cittavrttis) is Yoga as per sage Patanjali, who was one of the greatest philosophers and a compiler of all Yogic principles.

The person if succeeds in diverting one’s mind from worldly thoughts and can focus on his own consciousness and then, universal consciousness, can get rid of all pains, sufferings and then, can enjoy fruits of bliss. Yoga study helps in doing this. To gain control over mind with various Yogi c practices, one can improve concentration and memory, relax mind to develop focus on object of meditation. This accelerates his journey on spiritual path to know and realize his own spirit. One can develop and experience a great discriminative power to reduce intensity of greed, anger, desires ego, jealousy and other klesas (afflictions). As these are the sources of suffering, he can take himself away from them, towards liberation.

Many Yoga philosophies got emerged from the roots of Vedas, Samkhya and other basic principles being followed by various ancient Indian rsis (monks) of that time. Svatmaram, Goraksanatha and Gheranda are some of them. For the purpose of this thesis, major portion is restricted to Patanjala Yoga principles and practices.

Maharsi Patanjali has prescribed practice of astangayoga, practice for liberation and a great journey towards samadhi to minimize our mental fluctuations. This journey takes us to total bliss. He has also given treasure of other different practices for different types and levels of persons like astangayoga, kriyayoga, abhyasa-vairagya, cittaprasadana, pratipaksabhavana and other meditative practices by which one can identify one’s own problems in the form of klesas or distracting vrttis and then, start gaining control over them by practices.

There is a general belief that Samkhya is the basis of Yoga. Only difference being the concept of Isvara introduced by Patanjali in his Yogasutras. One of the Niyamas is Isvarapranidhana, means surrendering to the God, the ultimate. This indicates that this philosophy believes in existence of God. But, here world is not created by this Isvara, He is like another purusa except that he is visesa (unique) purusa. Two different entities like purusa and prakrti are brought together by Isvara. Hence Yoga darsana is at times called sesvara-samkhya (meaning Samkhya with Isvara).

Though yoga practices are meant for spiritual upliftment, most of the people in the world use them for physical development and mental peace. Basically, it is totally secular, not confined to or devoted to any religion and makes us a true human being. Lots of resistance still prevails with many of religious institutions, but many of them have started practice of Yoga for self development.

We may also say that Patanjali’s sole concern was individual. His doctrine tells us how to introduce philosophy in day to day life and get rid of sorrow and suffering attaining liberation or Kaivalya.

The main aim here, in this thesis is to identify and analyse all those meditative and spiritual techniques prescribed by Sage Patanjali and compare with spiritual techniques given in Jain Philosophy. Yoga is comparable with any religious principles as mentioned by Taimini in his book Science of Yoga.^[8]

If we study Yoga technology, we find that no effort has been made to link up the facts of Yogic philosophy with doctrines which are considered to be religious. But this does not mean that there is no relation between them. In fact, a religious man can see, if he studies the subject of Yoga with an open mind that all the ideas of Yogic philosophy can be interpreted in religious terras, and the consciousness which the Yogi seeks to uncover within the folds of his mind is nothing but that Supreme Reality which is commonly referred to as God.

God is recognized by every religion with any philosophical background to be a “Mighty Being” whose consciousness transcends the manifested Universe. He is considered to be hidden within every human heart. He is supposed to transcend the mind. Basically, these ideas are the same as those of Yogic philosophy. The main difference lies in the assertion by Yogic philosophy that this Supreme Reality or Consciousness is not merely a matter for speculation or even adoration but can be discovered by following a technique which is as definite and unfailing as the technique of any modern Science. Yoga thus imparts a tremendous significance to religion and places the whole problem of religious life and endeavour on an entirely new basis. So, it is difficult to understand how any religious man can reject its claims without giving them due consideration.

Yoga philosophy and its meditative techniques are discussed in details independently in a separate chapter.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

F. Georg, The Yoga Traditions, The Yoga Traditions, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt.Ltd., Delhi, 2002, pp.181-184

[2]:

ekadhaivanudrastavyametadaprameyam dhruvam, virajah para akasadaja atma mahan dhruvah / Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, 4.4.20

[3]:

tam durdarsam gudham anupravistam guhahitam gahvarestham puranam adhyatma-yogadhigamena devam matva dhiro harsasokau jahati/ 2.12, Commentary on Kathopanisad, Swami Chinmayananda, Central Chinmay Mission Trust, Bombay, 1989, p.74

[4]:

nayam atma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya, na bahuna srutena: yamaivesa vrnute tena labhyastasyaisa atma vivrnute tanum svam/ Kathopanisad, 1.2.23

[5]:

Bhagavadgita, II.50

[6]:

Ibid, II.48

[7]:

Laghuyogavasistha, edited by Vasudeva Sharma Panasikara, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1985

[8]:

I.K.Taimni, The Science of Yoga, The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai, 2005, p.371