Sadhana Pada

CHAPTER2

Sutras 52 - 106

The mind can be fixed on anything from the microcosm to the macrocosm of this universe - paramanu parama mahathwa antho asya vashigara. A mind perfected through meditation will become like a polished mirror and gain unity consciousness with the object of meditation. This state of mind is called Samapathi. Samapathi is a state of mind where the mind is flowing towards the object of meditation uninterruptedly but is still impure.


THE KLESHAS ARE:

Avidya

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Ignorance

Asmitha

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Consciousness/ ego-mind

Raga

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Passion

Dwesha

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Aversion

Abhinivesha

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Desire to indulge

Sources of Avidya are dormancy (prasuptha), thin (thanu), scattered (vichina), expanded mind (udarana) The perception of permanence from impermanence, purity from impurity, happiness from sorrow, and identification of self with the unreal is Avidya. Asmitha is the identification of self with what is seen, heard, and experienced. Raga is the impulsive urge to seek comfort, luxury, and pleasure. Dwesha is the dislike or hatred that arises from conflict, disharmony, or painful experiences. Abhinivesha is the urge to indulge in seeking pleasure or clinging to pleasure. These subtle mental obstacles need to be uprooted through appropriate remedial actions, and meditation is the remedy to remove these mental obstacles. These mental obstacles are the root cause of all the causes and effects one goes through in their life, and their past and present actions are influenced by these obstacles. Every aspect of action and reaction in one life is heavily influenced by these obstacles, which are the root cause of both good and bad deeds. For those who are able to discriminate, all experiences are painful, whether borne out of change (parinama dhukka), craving (thaapa dhukka), or mental conditioning (samskara dhukka). Unmanifested pain can be avoided or should be abandoned by merging the seen (Prakrithi - Nature, Incidence, Happening) with the seer (purusha, Individual consciousness). This can also be interpreted as long as the seer identifies himself with the seen, the pain never ceases to exist. The cause of pain is the false identification of the experiencer with the experience.

Sutras 52 - 106

Prakasham – Light / Intelligence / Satvic, Kriya – Action, Movement, Rajasvic,Sthithi – Inertia, Ignorance, Thamasic, Darkness Prakrithi has three qualities – Satvic/ Rajasvic/ Tamasic, Intelligence / Action (Movement/ flow) / Inertia. It is supported by the bhoothas(elements)- Earth(matter), Water, Fire, Air, Space and the Indriyas(senses)- seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling. Prakrithi is capable of delivering both material experiences (bhoga) and spiritual liberation (moksha). Prakrithi has three gunas or qualities – prakasa, kriya, sthithi characteristics of five elements and five senses there are capable of delivering Material and Spiritual experience at the same time.

THE IMPACT OF PRAKRITHI ON PURUSHA

Cinque Terre
CREATE A DIFFERENCE
Forest
MAKES NO DIFFERENCE
Northern Lights
IT LEAVES A TRACE/SIGN

Cinque Terre
Forest
Northern Lights
Cinque Terre
Forest
The seer (purusha) is absolute pure consciousness, while awareness leaves impressions on the seer. This is the purpose of Prakrithi: to provide experiences to the seer, whether material or spiritual. Only one who has attained self-realization (Krithartham) is not influenced by Prakrithi; everyone else is under its influence.
The interaction (samyogah) between the seen (Prakrithi) and the seer (Purusha/consciousness) is the root cause of all ignorance (avidya). Identifying oneself with external happenings is the cause of ignorance and pain in one life. When the seer disengages from the seen, liberation (kaivalya) is attained. Discriminative knowledge (Viveka) is the means through which liberation is achieved. The practice of the eight limbs of yoga leads to the elimination of impurities in the mind and culminates in discriminative knowledge (Visesha Kyathih). The eight limbs of yoga are: Yama (regulations/restraints), Niyama (rules/restraints), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (union with the object of meditation).

Constituting Yama

Prakasham – Light / Intelligence / Satvic, Kriya – Action, Movement, Rajasvic,Sthithi – Inertia, Ignorance, Thamasic, Darkness Prakrithi has three qualities – Satvic/ Rajasvic/ Tamasic, Intelligence / Action (Movement/ flow) / Inertia. It is supported by the bhoothas(elements)- Earth(matter), Water, Fire, Air, Space and the Indriyas(senses)- seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling. Prakrithi is capable of delivering both material experiences (bhoga) and spiritual liberation (moksha). Prakrithi has three gunas or qualities – prakasa, kriya, sthithi characteristics of five elements and five senses there are capable of delivering Material and Spiritual experience at the same time.

Passion for violence (himsa) can be classified into three types:

Cinque Terre
Kritham - COMMITTED
Forest
Kaaritham - Being a cause
Northern Lights
Anumodham - appreciating

These passions result from greed (lobha), anger (krodha), anddesire (moha) respectively. The affects of himsa – violence are mridhu – soft, Madhya – average / in between, adhimatrah – extreme / worst. Reminding oneself that the negative thoughts (opposites of principles of yama and niyama) are the causes of unending misery and ignorance is prathipaksha bhavanam. When ahimsa is firmly established, hostility is given up. (All living beings will lose their hostility when they are in the vicinity of the ahimsa practitioner) When sathya is firmly established, all actions bear fruit. When honesty is firmly established, all treasures are available to the yogi. When brahmacharya is firmly established, the physical body gains greater vitality and is largely free from hunger and thirst.An ardent follower of aparigraha (non-possessiveness) could obtain complete knowledge on the inquiry of his past, present, and future janmas. From the practice of saucha (Cleanliness), one develops detachment towards his own body and non-attachment towards others. Internal cleanliness leads to cheerfulness (saumanasya), one-pointedness (ekagra), control of senses (Indriya Jaya), (atma darshana) – glimpses of self. The practice of Santosha (contentment) leads to unsurpassed happiness (anuthama sukha). Out of austerities (Thapas), one develops perfection or mastery over the body (Kaya Siddhi) and senses (indriyah Siddhi). Swaadhyayah (Self-analysis, Self-reflection) leads to union or communion with the desired or chosen deity. Ishwara pranidhana leads to the state of Samadhi. The ability to sit comfortably and steadily for a long duration is asana. Posture which is relaxing and effortless leads to absorption of mind in the infinite (samapathi) or Infinite absorption of the mind. This also helps one to transcend the dualities like happiness and sorrow, warm and cold. After gaining mastery over the posture, one should practice pranayama. The practice of pranayama is the retention of breath internally and externally. Depending upon the environment, duration, count, place, breath becomes extended, subtler. Pranayama has three stages – Rechaka – Exhale, pooraka – inhale, kumbhaka – retention. Fourth stage is the one that transcends the first three stages. (Pranayama happens without conscious effort). This stage (fourth) leads to repealing of the veil that clouds the illumination (knowledge). This (pranayama) makes the mind fit for dharana (ability to apply / focus mind on the object of meditation). Withdrawal of mindfrom the senses is pratyahara. This leads one to achieve supreme (parama) control (vasya) over the senses, sense organs (Indriya).