Yogadrstisamuccaya of Haribhadra Suri (Study)
by Riddhi J. Shah | 2014 | 98,110 words
This page relates ‘Third: Baladrishti (bala-drishti)—Introduction’ of the study on the Yogadrstisamuccaya: a 6th-century work on Jain Yoga authored by Haribhadra Suri consisting of 228 Sanskrit verses. The book draws from numerous sources on traditional Yoga. Three important topics are stipulated throughout this study: 1) nature of liberation, 2) a liberated soul, and 3) omniscience.—This section belongs to the series “The Eight Yogadrishtis and the nature of a Liberated Soul”.
Chapter 4.3a - The Third: Balādṛṣṭi (balā-dṛṣṭi)—Introduction
Significance of the term Balā:—Bala means power, strength. Balā is its feminine form. Since the understanding possessed by the balā dṛṣṭi beholder is much stronger than the previous two dṛṣṭis[1] , Haribhadrasūri aptly has named it as balā. The understanding of balā dṛṣṭi is compared with the fire particles of wood.
The beholder of balā dṛṣṭi is capable of practicing āsana –the third limb of Pātañjala Yogasūtra. At this stage the subject in question possesses a real love for listening doctrinal matters. Moreover, he is free from the fault of unsteadiness while performing yoga practices[2] .
Footnotes and references:
[1]: