Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – Chapter 1: (Types of Engrossments, cont.; Sutras 1.44-1.46)

Yoga Sutra (1.44) – etaya eva savichara nirvichara cha sukshma-vishaya vyakhyata. Etaya means by this or by these; Eva is also; savichara means investigation accompanied by subtle thoughts (sa = with, vichara = subtle thoughts); Nirvichara is investigation devoid of subtle thoughts (nir = without, vichara = subtle thoughts);  Chais and; Sukshma means subtle; Vishaya is objects; Vyakhyata means explained, described or defined.

Translated this means… In the same way that these adsorptions (engrossments) characterized by gross objects (savitarka samapattih), and by subtle objects (nirvichara samapattih), and is known as savichara and nirvichara samapattih (Samadhi).

In this sutra, Patanjali refers back to his discussion of savitarka and nirvitarka samadhi described in the two previous sutras (1.42 – 1.43) as he distinguishes the deeper types of concentration (savichara and nirvichara samadhi).  To understand the distinction between these, we must think about the differences between “gross objects” and “subtle objects” of concentration as defined through traditional yoga philosophy.

When practicing this sutra, each of the subtle objects is to be encountered, examined, understood, with an attitude of non-attachment; they are to be seen as “not-self.” As these obstacles are removed, the student moves closer to the goal, the realization of the true Self.

Yoga Sutra (1.45) – sukshma vishayatvam cha alinga paryavasanam. Sukshma is subtle; Vishayatvam means object or having as objects; Cha is and; Alinga means without characteristics, undefined or unmanifest; Paryavasanam is extending up to or ending at.

Translated this becomes… Having such subtle objects extends all the way up to un-manifest prakriti.

Swami Satchidananda says of this sutra “the mind has the power to go to the very root of the un-manifested nature.”  Which begs the question – what is this “un-manifested nature?”  Christopher Isherwood describes it as “Prakriti…the elemental, undifferentiated stuff of matter; the energy by which all phenomena are projected,” and he says that “as the meditative mind turns inward, it probes through the gross outer coverings of things to their subtle essences…”

Yoga Sutra (1.46) – tah eva sabijah samadhih. Tah is these, those or they; Eva means only; Sabijah means with seed, seeded; Samadhih (from Samadhi) deep absorption in meditation, ecstasy.

This sutra is translated to mean… These four previously mentioned varieties of absorption (engrossment) are the only types of concentrations (samadhi) which are objective, and have a seed for an object.

These represent the only four types of meditation on a gross object regardless of the school/system of meditation that is practiced. This sutra summarizes the previous four:

1. 1. Savitarka samapattih with gross thoughts (sutra 1.42)
2. 2. Nirvitarka samapattih without gross thoughts (sutra 1.43)
3. 3. Savitarka samapattih with subtle thoughts (sutra 1.44)
4. 4. Nirvitarka samapattih without subtle thoughts (sutra 1.45)

Patanjali insists that most people are unaware of things such as desire and aversion and how they constantly shape their subconscious minds, affecting every thought and action.  Those who are dedicated and have seriously committed to yoga practice may become aware of their inner stumbling blocks, thereby gaining an opportunity to check these forces before they arise into action, sustaining belief in them. With meditation, these underlying “seeds” may be constantly pulling us back from both the process and object of our focus and this may continue until we reach a level of contemplation that allows our most basic inner nature (the “Self”) to become fully realized. Until we reach that level, Patanjali says that we will only reach a temporary union with anything nearing truth. Our ego-based self-identity will constantly draw us back into the whirlwind thoughts springing up from our subconscious conditioning. To overcome this “sliding back,” persistence, practice and patience are necessary.

Part 15 may be viewed by clicking on: The Teachings of Yoga (Part 15: Types of Engrossments)

*For part 14, click on: The Teachings of Yoga (Part 14: After the Mind is Stable)

*For part 13, click on: The Teachings of Yoga (Part 13: Stabilizing/Clearing the Mind, cont.) Links to parts 7 through 12 may be found at the bottom of part 13. Links to parts 1 through 6 may be found at the bottom of Page 7

*Rae Indigo is ERYT500.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – Chapter 1: (Types of Engrossments; Sutras 1.42-1.46)

Yoga Sutra (1.42) – tatra shabda artha jnana vikalpah sankirna savitarka samapattih. Tatra means there, among these; Shabda is sound, word or name; Artha means object, form or meaning; Jnana is knowledge or idea; Vikalpah means conceptualization (with options); Sankirna is mixed with or distorted; Savitarka Samapattih is a specific form of samapatti (Savitarka is sa = with + vitarka = gross thoughts; Samapattih is Samadhi, engrossment, absorption or state of enlightenment).

Translated this means…This specific type of such an absorption (samapattih) is one in which there is a mixture of three things, a word or name given to the object, the meaning or identity of that object, and the knowledge associated with that object; this absorption (engrossment or state of enlightenment) is known as savitarka samapattih (associated with gross objects). Swami Satchidananda interprets this sutra as: “The samadhi in which object, its name, and conceptual knowledge of it are mixed is called savitarka samadhi, the samadhi with examination.”

In his commentary Vacaspati Misra implies that at its root this sutra is about the confusion of unity with diversity. Because of our preconceptions, that which we believe is an understanding of unique phenomena is actually a combination of three diverse elements (name, form, and knowledge). We know that the world really is a complex series of objects and interactions, but if we want to more fully comprehend our true surroundings, we need to gain a better understanding of each of the individual components.

After the practitioner has the initial ability to allow the typically noisy, chattering conscious mind to become still, there comes an opportunity for them to discriminate between these three different aspects of how a mental object is constructed. These three are:

1. 1. The given Name that represents the object.
2. 2. The specific Object being observed.
3. 3. The inherent Nature of that category of object.

After sufficient practice, the meditator gradually comes to realize that all of our attractions, aversions and fears, as well as our conceptions, perceptions and opinions are all mental constructs. This process of discrimination will continue to get ever more subtle until the final discernment between the subtlest aspect of mental process and pure consciousness (or Purusha) is achieved.

Yoga Sutra (1.43) – smriti pari-shuddhau svarupa-shunya iva artha-matra nirbhasa nirvitarka. Smriti is memory or previous impression; Pari-shuddhau means purged or upon purification (pari = upon; shuddhau = purification); Svarupa-shunya is empty of its own nature (shunya = devoid, empty of; svarupa = its own nature) Iva is as if or as it were; Artha-matra means only the object (artha = object; matra = only); Nirbhasa is luminous, radiant or shining brightly; Nirvitarka means without a gross thought (nir = without; vitarka = gross thought.

Translated as… When the memory (or accumulations of previous impressions) is purified, the mind then appears to be devoid of its own nature and only the object on which it is contemplating appears to shine forth; this type of absorption (or engrossment) is known as nirvitarka samapattih. Swami Vivakananda translates this sutra thusly: “The Samadhi called without reasoning (comes) when the memory is purified, or devoid of qualities, expressing only the meaning (of the meditated object).”

Nirvitarka is the concentration on a gross object in which the extraneous gross level activities in the mind have subsided due to the memory having been purged or purified. This is the second of four types of absorption (engrossments) on a gross object (sutras 1.42 thru 1.46). Take note that with savitarka, there was not only meditation on the object, but also there were the other streams of gross thoughts in the mind (sutra 1.42), though these were not distracting because of vairagya (non-attachment). Here, in nirvitarka (sutra 1.43), these thought patterns have subsided.

Stay tuned “Types of Engrossments”, cont.; Sutras 1.44-1.46.

Part 14 may be viewed by clicking on: The Teachings of Yoga (Part 14: After the Mind is Stable)

*For part 13, click on: The Teachings of Yoga (Part 13: Stabilizing/Clearing the Mind, cont.) Links to parts 7 through 12 may be found at the bottom of part 13. Links to parts 1 through 6 may be found at the bottom of Page 7

*Rae Indigo is ERYT500.