Yogadrstisamuccaya of Haribhadra Suri (Study)
by Riddhi J. Shah | 2014 | 98,110 words
This page relates ‘Fifth: Sthiradrishti (sthira-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 4.5a - The Fifth: Sthirādṛṣṭi (sthirā-dṛṣṭi)—Introduction
The only word Haribhadrasūri uses to define the fifth sthirā dṛṣṭi is mahodayā[1] . It is mahodayā because it yields the best result namely liberation[2] . He further describes the fifth dṛṣṭi at full length. As the fifth dṛṣṭi beholder has obtained right faith (samyagdarśana), by cutting the knot of intense aversion and attachment, he stays at the vedyasaṃvedyapada. It is the technical term used by Haribhadrasūri in his treatise Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya. The term will be explained in detail in the fifth chapter of the thesis. The subtle understanding (sūkṣma bodha) comes with the right faith. Therefore, Haribhadrasūri says that the fifth dṛṣṭi is endowed with the subtle understanding[3] . The subtle understanding means to comprehend multidimensional perception of an object with subtlety.
Significance of the term sthirā:
Haribhadrasūri’s choice of the name sthirā for fifth yogadṛṣṭi is very appropriate. The feminine word sthirā means stability/fastness. Since its beholder possesses the understanding which is stable in nature, the fifth yogadṛṣṭi is rightly named as the sthirā dṛṣṭi.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
........................................................................|
tat punaḥ pañcamī tāvad, yogadṛṣṭirmahodayā || 153 ||
–Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya
[2]:
pañcamī tāvad yogadṛṣṭiḥ sthirākhyā, kiṃ viśiṣṭetyāha–mahodayā-nirvāṇaparamaphaleti yo'rthaḥ || 153 ||
–Auto-commentary on Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya
[3]:
etadeva viśeṣyate–sūkṣmabodhasamanvitaṃ–granthibhedād vedyasaṃvedyapadopapatteriti || 154 ||
–ibid.