Based on the basic definition of Yoga that ‘Yoga is cessation of the Modification of Chththa,there are two levels of Samadhi.
One where one goes beyond the Objects and the impressions of them(Samprajnata samadhi) and one where the Objects disappear and only the impressions remain(asamprajnata or non-distinguished) asamprajnata or non-distinguished .
‘I am Reality” Veda
Asamprajnata or non-distinguished Samadhi is reached by Dhyana, while Ssamprajnata or distinguished Samadhi is reached by Dharana‘ ahigher of Contemplation of which Patanjali will speak later.
The process is scientific.
In our daily Life, we have too many objects assail our senses.
We chose a particular Object to focus and stay focused on.
This, the Modern Psychology describes as ‘Span of Attention’
In this way we concentrate on one object to get information.
From a myriad of objects, to in the effort to attain the level of removing all impressions, one must first reduce the number of objects being focused.
virama = complete cessation;
pratyaya = firmly convinced;
abhyasa poorvah = by the practice;
samskaraseshah = having only impressions remain;
anyah = the other;
By firmly convinced practice of the complete cessation of the mental modifications, the impressions only remain. This is the other samadhi [asamprajnata or non-distinguished].
He explains the Non Duality of Reality in these Six Verses.
The essence of the Vedas are found in three Mahavaakyas(Great Revelations)
They are,
‘Aham Brahmasmi’ (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)
′
tat tvam asi – “Thou art That” (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda) prajñānam brahma – “Prajñānam is Brahman” or “Brahman is Prajñānam” (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)
The Core meaning is That There is One Reality and We Are a part of it,nay we are It.
( note , one sloka each from each Veda: Atharva also has one)
I shall be posting blogs on each of them.
The interpretations of the three Acharyas differ, resulting in the three main systems of Indian Thought.
They are.
Advaita of Adi Sankara, Non Dualism, Monism,
Visishtadvaitam- of Ramanuja, Qualified Monism and
Dwaidha of Madwacharya, Dualism.
Shankaracharya, in these verse, not only gives us the essence of the Vedas, but also explains the Evolution of the Universe through the Eighteen Principles.
The World , to be known, has two elements or two things.
The Observer and The Observed.
We are the Observers and all other things are the ‘Observed’
On our side, The Observer, we have the following .
The five sense organs,Eyes,Ears, Nose, Mouth and Skin (body, tactile)-5
Five acts of perception, seeing,tasting etc.(Eyes register Image, they do not experience; to explain one may have eyes but can not see;the act of seeing is different from ‘seeing’) -5
Mind(the activity of the Brain),-1
Buddhi, distinguishing faculty, differentiating between The Right and The Wrong)-1
Ahanagara, the feeling of ‘I’, Mine”-1
The Five elements,Earth,Water,Fire,Air and Ether-5
Total 18
The Sloka.
Nirvana Shatkam 1
Mano-Buddhy-Ahangkaara Cittaani Naaham
Na Ca Shrotra-Jihve Na Ca Ghraanna-Netre |
Na Ca Vyoma Bhuumir-Na Tejo Na Vaayuh
Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||1||
Meaning:
1.1: Neither am I the Mind nor Intelligence or Ego,
1.2: Neither am I the organs of Hearing (Ears), nor that of Tasting (Tongue), Smelling (Nose) or Seeing (Eyes),
1.3: Neither am I the Sky, nor the Earth, Neither the Fire nor the Air,
1.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva,
This constitutes the elements for(of) the Observer.
What about the ‘Observed?’
Explanation in the next post along with Samkhya explanation for these principles, for Samkya is a heterodox system which does not believe in the Vedas
In the Vedic text, ‘Ekam‘ means that there is only one and that one is the Pati (Lord). You who say ‘There is one ‘ is the Pasu, bound up in Pasa. The word ‘Advaita’ means that beside God nothing else will exist, as when we say that there will be no other letters (consonants) when the vowel ‘A’ is not.” And the meaning will be clear when the illustration is fully understood. The illustration is that of vowel and consonants i.e.,andormeaning soul and body.
“Thevowelbecoming one with the consonants is natural union,” is the Nannulsutra.
And the illustration of body and mind or soul was what was stated in the first stanza.* So that we have two
*We are glad to extract the following from Mr. Armstrong’s book, ‘God and the Soul’ wherein he brings out the same analogy.
“But I would much rather put it in this way: the relation of the physical universe to God is, within certain limits, analogous to the relation of my body to myself. The movement of my tongue as I speak, of my eyes as I glance at my friend, of my hand as I write these words, proceeds from that stream of conscious energy which you may call my mind, my soul, my spirit, my will, or myself- Instantaneously the command of my unseen self flows through my seen self and modifies its attitudes, its gestures, its several and separable parts. But the intimate connexion between myself and my body does not imply that I am my body or that my body is myself, the ‘Ego.’ If they are in absolute alliance they are also in absolute antithesis. Nor, even if you went on to imagine my body the absolute product of my own will, and its automatic and reflex action, the breath, the circulation of the blood, the beating of the heart, the growth of the hair and the nails to be the effect of my will, and my consciousness to be perpetually engaged in conducting these processes, would you be one step nearer identifying me, the’ Ego,’ the self, with this body, but it would be other than the body, above andbeyondit, transcending it, of a nature belonging to a superior order to it, in another and a higher plane than it.”
In essence The Reality arrived at by Neti Nyaya is given a Name and Form because the Human Mind can not operate in vacuum and this our Rishis have understood.
Therefore an Easwara is necessary .
But in the final analysis, ‘Realization is the goal and the paths are many.
‘Ekam Sat, Vipra Bahuta Vidanti’
Truth is One,Learned say it is Many’
Lord Krishna observes ‘Panditas say a lot about Reality, but only one in a thousand really earns after it, yet scarce are people who attempt it’
It is my conviction that our job is to attempt at Realization rather than which system precedes which.
Narayna
Vasishta
Gaudapada
and
or
meaning soul and body.
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