Part 4.6 - Methods of Purification of Mind (citta-prasadana)

[Full title: The Concept and Content of Patanjali Yogadarsana (6): Methods of Purification of Mind (citta-prasadana)]

The problem of antarayas (obstacles) as mentioned above can be solved with various remedies and options by purification of citta and stabilization of mind as suggested by Patanjali in sutras 1.32 to 1.39 and 2.33. All these techniques are optional and complementary to each other. As per choice and comfort level of the aspirant, one can adopt any one or more than one of following eight practices:

1. Focus on one principle

Constant practice of meditating on one principle or the truth (ektatvabhyasa) helps to remove those obstacles mentioned above. One of the principles suggested by Patanjali is pranava or Om japa. When this concentration of purpose has been developed to sufficient degree with energy and perseverance, hurdles are removed naturally^[1]. In order to make this possible and successful, the other techniques mentioned below are adopted.

2. Right attitude (citta-prasadana)

The mind gets purified and tranquilled to great extent if a correct attitude of friendliness and not envy or jealousy is cultivated towards happiness and well being of people having all comforts of life. And attitude of compassion towards misery and hardship, gladness towards virtue and indifference towards vice and sin^[2]. Have a heart to help those who are unhappy and going through lows and highs of the life. Do not create any doubts towards virtuous people but join them, make them your role models and take joy in them. For vicious persons, develop neutral tranquilities, do not judge them and try to change them or take the middle path. Fault finding attitude drains out all our energy. Violent reactions and cold indifference are not expected for a spiritual life. Instead of suppressing the negative tendencies and uncontrolled reactions forcefully, a positive attitude will bring peacefulness and success in attaining other techniques of mind cleansing. This is very difficult for a layman, but for the true spiritual aspirant, it is possible with all the efforts.

3. Develop opposite thoughts (pratipaksa-bhavana)

Similar technique as above is pratipaksabhavana (developing opposite thoughts) which is prescribed in sadhanapada (yogasutra 2.33 and 2.34)^[3]. The technique is constant pondering over opposites when mind is distracted by negative thoughts. When such distracting thoughts become unproductive with these practices, the aspirant gets power to progress in Yoga journey. Addictions and undesirable habits also can be managed with this technique. Undesirable tendencies are transformed into desirable ones like replacing violence and hatred by love, dishonesty by uprightness and so on. Modern psychology and education system uses similar principle for character building. This practice ensures the equilibrium of mind and freedom from entanglements which aspirant needed for the steady pursuit of his object. The result or the effect of the practice could be judged from his introspective observations on amount of implementation of disciplinary ethical practices termed by Patanjali as Yama-Niyama (yogasutra 2.35 to 2.45).

4. Breath control

Cittaprasadana (purification of mind) is also achieved by forceful expiration and retention of breath or controlled inhalation^[4]. Controlling breath leads to partial control of mind. This results into cleansing of mind from distracting thoughts in long term.

5. Experiencing a subject by choice for long time

The sense-objective manifestation being produced by a tendency of mind full of a subject becomes the cause of steadiness of the mind^[5].

Create an activity of the mind which is visayavati (possessing the subjects). Here, the subject is in the mind itself. The aspirant can direct his attention to the tip of the nose and sensitize the smelling sense. He can imagine the smell fragrance of flower of his choice like Rose. Try to perform this contemplative imagination concentratedly for 30 minutes or more daily. The aspirant will have an actual experience of smell directly from the flower itself. The object which can be felt by touch or taste can also be produced in the same manner. Mind remains absorbed in this experience for long time (manasah sthitinibandhini). Thus, the practice is used to train the mind to remain steady on an object (visayvati pravrtti) for long time.^[6]

6. Concentrating on griefless illuminating inner light

Various methods are made available by Patanjali for establishing partial contact between the lower and the higher vehicles. One of them like japa on mantra, one is meditating on various objects is already discussed and some purely depend upon artificial aids. One more technique is prescribed in Yogasutra (1.36).

One can concentrate on inner light which is beyond sorrow^[7] or a griefless illuminating light and obtain steadiness, utter sense of peace, sereneness and tranquility of mind. Most of the time the object i.e. vision of a flame like illumination or jyoti is artificially created by suggesting the mind repeatedly. This experience is pleasurable as the contact of object is disconnected after purification of mind and no grief remains.

7. Contemplation on a detached person

Cittaprasadana can be attained by the state of transcended attachment of citta as suggested in next sutra.^[8] Mind is given a subject for contemplation as one in which the passion has disappeared like a saintly person. Mind is fixed on those who are free from any desire and attachment. It is a universal law of life that we tend to reproduce in our life the ideas which constantly occupy our mind, especially when we deliberately choose some virtues and meditate on them. Here, the object of meditation may be one’s master, diety, a spiritual teacher or divine incarnations. Few examples of such vitaragis are Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrsna Paramahamsa, Mahavira, Buddha and Jnanesvara.

8. By fixing the mind upon a dream or sleep

Contemplate upon a dream experience or the experience of deep sleep^[9].

The knowledge acquired during dream is meditated upon. Dream about a divine symbol brings a real joyful experience. According to one of the Indian philosophies Vedanta, we are more close to our atman (soul) during dreamless sleep. When we return to waking consciousness, we should try to hold that experience and joyful peace and dwell within it. The sleep can be with dream created automatically or sometimes with repeated instructions or it can be deep sleep with dreams without any impression, so not remembered. This pleasant experience of sleep or after sleep can be used to create and maintain the steadiness of mind. It is possible that through special training and practice, a memory of experiences undergone in these subtler worlds of dream and sleep states can be brought down into the physical brain. Knowledge obtained in these circumstances is reliable. This provides one method of overcoming the conditions of viksepas or distractions.

9. Contemplate on any favourite object

One has to fix his mind upon any divine form or symbol or any object that appeals to one as good.^[10] This option indicates Patanjali’s vision and universal applicability of his prescription. Here we fashion our own pictures and symbols of goodness and project them upon the outside world, it may be crude or childish, may not appeal to others. All important is our attitude towards it, how truly and purely we worship^[11]. The real drsta perceives an object which is visesa (particular).

All these practices or methods prescribed so far by Patanjali are merely means to a definite end. Any other method which purifies our mind and makes it steady and one-pointed can also be adopted.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

tatpratiṣedhārthamekatattvābhyāsaḥ || Ibid., 1.32

[2]:

maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṇāṃ sukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇyaviṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaścittaprasādanam || Ibid., 1.33

[3]:

vitarkabādhanepratipakṣabhāvanam || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 2.33
vitarkahiṃsādayaḥ kṛtakāritānumoditālobhakrodhamohapūrvakāmṛdumadhyādhimātrāduḥkhājñānānantaphalā iti pratipakṣabhāvanam || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 2.34

[4]:

pracchardanavidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 1.34

[5]:

viṣayavatī vā pravṛttirutpannā manasaḥ sthitinibandhinī || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 1.35, Baba Bengali, Yogasutra of Patanjali, Motilal Banarsidass Pvt.Ltd., Delhi, 2005, p.18

[6]:

P.V.Karambelkar, Patanjala Yogasutra, Kaivalyadham, Lonavla, 2012, p.110

[7]:

viśokāvā jyotiṣmatī || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 1.36, Swami Prabhavananda, Patanjali Yogasutra, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, 2010, p.43

[8]:

vītarāgaviṣayaṃ vā cittam || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 1.37

[9]:

svapnanidrājñānālambanaṃvā || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 1.38

[10]:

yathābhimatadhyānādvā || Patanjali Yoga Sutra, 1.39

[11]:

Swami Prabhavananda, Patanjala Yogasutra, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, 2010, p.47