Tag Samadhi

Why,How Faith Helps Imperfect Yoga Sutra 1.20

Panajali has explained how and Yogis were reborn in the Yoga Sutra 1.20.

He explained that this is due to the remnants of impressions in one's chitta, though one has been practicing Yoga arduously.

Patanjali goes deep into the cause for this aberration in attaining Samadhi.

This Yoga Sutra lists five causes.

Faith,(Shraddha)

Strength of Will, Energy,( Virya)

Smriti, (Remembrance)

Samadhi, Deep Contemplation and

Prajna,(Cognition,Right Awareness)

Sraddha.

Faith is fundamental.

Whether one likes it or not, one practices it;the only difference between those who have faith and those who do not have is that while the former is aware of and acknowledges it, the latter is either unaware or refuses to acknowledge it.

Those who deny Faith have faith at least in what they believe in or in the Belief that they do not believe.

The rationalists are the funniest lot.

They do not believe in any thing which they can not reason out, forgetting that Reason can nor t be proved except by its results or by Inference, both premises are at fault.

Who can guarantee I will live after I post this Blog or live as I post?

Scientists, not all of them, do not believe in anything excepting what Science tells them to, conveniently forgetting that Science is based on, mainly, two assumptions,

Law Of Uniformity of Nature and

law Of Causation.

Both are axioms, they can not be questioned.

If Faith is Belief is unquestioned trust on something that is proved, then where does this leave Science?

We assume that Nature behaves Uniformly and systematically.

What if it it is not?

There are already Theories of Chaos, Uncertainty Principle in Science.

Law of Causation.

Two events occur.

We connect them by saying one is the Cause of another.

That's all.

So faith is something which drive us whether we acknowledge it or not.

Now we have positive thinking.

Not all positive thinking is probable or even possible.

Still we are advised to follow it.

Why?

Because it delivers.

Patanjali says this.

Have Faith , continue having it and you will get results.

To me so long as it delivers results it is fine, no matter whether it is true or false.

Yoga Explains Advaita,Visitadvaita Dwaita

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 .

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.

The Nature of Mind is to run after many objects at the same time.

In Hinduism , to bring the Mind under control, many Gods are worshiped, with name and Form-initial stage.(Pluralism)

Then monotheism or the fixing of Mind on one God, with Name and Form is practiced.

This level is elevated into cessation of all modifications of Chitha by contemplating on the Non Duality of Reality(Advaita)

This is the reason why Hinduism has Gods, that too many.

For more information please read my post 'God has Names and Forms. Yes and No"