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Swami Vivekananda
Alice A. Bailey
Shaman Starseed
Sutra 12
अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः॥१२॥
Abhyāsavairāgyābhyāṁ tannirodhaḥ
abhyaasa vairaagyaabhyaam tan nirodhah
abhyāsa (abhyaasa) = by practise
from abhi = with superiority, intensely toward + √ās = to apply oneself
vairāgyābhyāṁ (vairaagyaabhaam) = and by dispassion, un-attachment, aloofness, ability to not be swayed by emotions
from vai = dis-,to be deprived of + √raj = to be attracted + abhyaam = “by” [3rd declension instrumental dual case ending; Sanskrit has 3 number cases, singular, plural and dual so it signifies “by both”]
tad = this [Why is it spelled “tan” in the sutra? Due to a very formalized set of rules called Sandhi which changes letters where words meet to reflect the natural nuances of speech.]
nirodhah = restriction/control of quantum fluctations
from ni = back,down,negation + √rudh = confine, constrain (also related: sprout, grow)
This ability to restrict the fluctations of the mental quantum state is achieved by dedicated practice along with phasing down all desires and aversions.
Additional thoughts by Shaman Starseed
The concept of phasing down all desires and aversions can be bewildering and distressing to the average worldling. No desires? What’s left then, just a blob of nothingness, a vegetable? Some might say it refers to carnal desires, but it’s more than than. There are the desires of the mind, “I think therefore I am”, as Descartes so magically put it, describing the “ahamkara” that equates to the “ego”. And if I “want” something there’s an “I” involved, and a “something”. Ragaa implies movement. Imagine that our minds are hooked up to a vast array of input parameters that include our wants, all physical sensations (through thousands of nerve components), all sensory input, as well as our own interpretation based on our mental capacity. There are also cosmic, planetary and group “desires” that your mind is aware mostly subconsciously. This is the field of movements we’re talking about. The quantum wave of our inner construct. As above so below. How fitting that in English we have the word e-motion which embraces desires/aversions as experienced in the human kingdom. This is what we’re phasing down. The process necessitates phasing UP the same principle, but in a higher octave, the “e-motion” of our soul, “our own divine intent”, unfoldment, growth.. a being that then evolves into angels, planets and galaxies, or maybe a cosmic “vegetable” LOL, like a vast tree of light rooted in the cosmic cloud. Each kingdom manifests this “desire” principal. What might be the desire so to speak of the mineral kingdom? Perhaps to encase atoms in an orderly fashion. What about plant kingdom? Growth, unfoldment into majestic and useful forms comes to mind. To emit fragrance, fruit and oxygen and to be the home of birds perhaps? Always be leaving but never really go anywhere! Humans and animals share the desire to eat, sleep, proliferate, dominate. Moreover we humans were gifted with ego (souls), which can then use the mind to conceptualize and look at your arm and say, wow, cool, I’m alive! Our grandest desires as for the goal of liberation encompass the notion of equanimity with and love and compassion for all with awareness; aspiration and devotion; desire for wisdom and liberation; idealism and altruism. Even all of these must be transcended (phased down) for “taDAA” [ref. sutra 3] to happen, but they happen to be the best springboard from which to take the leap.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
The control of these modifications of the internal organ, the mind, is to be brought about through tireless endeavour and through non-attachment.
A few brief explanations are all that is necessary with a sutra as easy to apprehend as this one; intellectually its meaning is clear; in practice, however, it is difficult to carry out.
1. The internal organ is of course the mind. Occidental thinkers should remember that the Eastern occultist does not consider the organs to be the physical organs. The reason for this is that the physical body in its dense or concrete form is not regarded as a principle, but simply as the tangible outcome of the activity of the real principles. The organs, occultly speaking, are such centres of activity as the mind, the various permanent atoms, and the centres of force in the various sheaths. These all have their objective “shadows” or results, and these resultant emanations are the external physical organs. The brain, for instance, is the “shadow” or the external organ of the mind, and it will be found by the investigator that the contents of the brain cavity have a correspondence to the aspects of the human mechanism found upon the mental plane. This latter sentence should be emphasised; it conveys a hint to those capable of taking advantage of it.
2. Tireless endeavour means literally constant practice, ceaseless repetition and the reiterated effort to impose the new rhythm upon the old, and to efface deep seated habits and modifications by the institution of soul impression. The yogi or Master is the result of patient endurance; his achievement is the fruit of a steady effort which is based upon intelligent appreciation of the work to be done and the goal to be reached, and not upon spasmodic enthusiasm.
3. Non-attachment is the one thing that eventually brings all sense perceptions to perform their legitimate functions. Through non-attachment to those forms of knowledge with which the senses put a man in contact, they continuously lose their hold over him; the time eventually comes when he is liberated, and is the master of his senses and of all sense contacts. This does not involve a state wherein they are atrophied and useless, but is one in which they are useful to the yogi when and as he chooses and in so far as he chooses; they are utilized by him in increasing his efficiency in group service and in group endeavour.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
Their control is by practice and non-attachment.
The mind, to have this non-attachment, must be clear, good
and rational. Why should we practice? Because each action is
like the pulsations quivering over the surface of the lake. The
vibration dies out, and what is left? The Samsharas, the
impressions. When a large number of these impressions is left
on the mind they coalesce, and become a habit. It is said
“habit is second nature;” it is first nature also, and the whole
nature of man; everything that we are, is the result of habit.
That gives us consolation, because, if it is only habit, we can make and unmake it at any time. The Samshara is left by
these vibrations passing out of our mind, each one of them
leaving its result. Our character is the sum-total of these
marks, and according as some particular wave prevails one
takes that tone. If good prevail one becomes good, if
wickedness one wicked, if joyfulness one becomes happy.
The only remedy for bad habits is counter habits; all the bad
habits that have left their impressions are to be controlled by
good habits. Go on doing good, thinking holy thoughts
continuously; that is the only way to suppress base
impressions. Never say any man is hopeless, because he only
represents a character, a bundle of habits, and these can be
checked by new and better ones. Character is repeated habits,
and repeated habits alone can reform character.
Sutra 13
तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासः॥१३॥
Tatra sthitau yatno’bhyāsaḥ
tatra sthitau yatno (a)’bhyaasah
tatra = “in that (achievement)”, locative form of the elusive “tad”, meaning “to that end of taDAA”
abhyāsa (abhyaasa) = practice (is)
from abhi = with superiority, intensely toward + √ās = to apply oneself
sthiti = steadfast
from √stha = to stand
yatna = exertion from √yat = to marshall, to keep pace, vie for, stretch for
Dedicated practice entails steadfast exertion of the will deadset on achieving said control of all mental quantum fluctations.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
Continuous struggle to keep them (the Vrttis)
perfectly restrained is practice.
What is this practice? The attempt to restrain the mind in the
Chitta form, to prevent its going out into waves.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
Tireless endeavour is the constant effort to restrain the modifications of the mind.
This is one of the most difficult sutras to translate so as to give its real significance. The idea involved is that of the constant effort made by the spiritual man to restrain the modifications or the fluctuations of the mind and to control the lower psychic versatile nature in order fully to express his own spiritual nature. Thus, and only thus, can the spiritual man live the life of the soul each day upon the physical plane. Charles Johnston in his translation seeks to give this meaning in the words “the right use of the will is the steady effort to stand in spiritual being.”
The idea involved is that of applying to the mind (regarded as a sixth sense) the same restraint that the five lower senses are subjected to: their outward going activities are stopped and they are held from responding to the pull or attraction of their particular field of knowledge.
Sutra 14
स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः॥१४॥
Sa tu dīrghakālanairantaryasatkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ
sa tu deergha kaala nairantarya sat kaara aasevito dridha bhoomih
sa = this here just another declensional form of that ubiquitous, fraught with meaning but unassuming pronoun “tat/tad” always leading on to taDAA
tu = but, certainly, however
dīrgha (deergha) = long
note that Dīrgha-tamas is name of father of king of Lunar Race, so one might say the etymology innately signifies a long time ago as in before the last world period
kāla = time
nairantarya = constant, without interuption from nair = nothing + antar = between + ya = going,”ness”; “nothing-in-between-going-on”
sāt-kara = true devotion, right fashion from sat = true, right + √kṛ = to do
āsevita = attended to, cherished, cultivated
from aa = towards + √sev = to attend to
dṛḍha = firm, firmly from √dṛmh = to fasten
bhūmiḥ (bhoomih) = earth
from √bhū = become (said just like Earth king’s name in Avatar anime series)
This mastery can only be achieved by constant devotion to the task, even unto the very cells of your being.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
Its ground becomes firm by long, constant efforts
with great love (for the end to be attained).
Restraint does not come in one day, but by long continued
practice.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
When the object to be gained is sufficiently valued, and the efforts towards its attainment are persistently followed without intermission, then the steadiness of the mind (restraint of the vrittis) is secured.
All followers of Raja Yoga must first be devotees. Only intense love of the soul and of all that knowledge of the soul entails will carry the aspirant with sufficient steadiness toward his goal. The objective in view—union with the soul, and consequently with the Oversoul and with all souls—must be justly appraised; the reasons for its achievement correctly judged, and the results to be gained most earnestly desired (or loved) before the aspirant will make that sufficiently strong effort which will give him his hold upon the modifications of the mind and consequently upon his entire lower nature. When this appreciation is true enough and his ability to go forward with the work of subjugation and control is without intermission, then the time will come when the student will know consciously and increasingly what is the meaning of restraint of the modifications.
Sutra 15
दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसञ्ज्ञा वैराग्यम्॥१५॥
Dṛṣṭānuśravikaviṣayavitṛṣṇasya vaśīkārasañjñā vairāgyam
drishta anushravika vishaya vitrishnnasya vasheekaara sangnaa vairaagyam
vairāgyam (vairaagyam) = dispassion, phasing down all desires/aversions
sañjñā (sangnaa) = is known as, is knowledge of
from sam = with + √jña = know
vaśīkāra (vaasheekaara) = subjugating, mastery of
from √vaś = to will, to control + √kṛ = to do, to make; “making-willing”
vitṛṣṇasya = without thirst for
from vi = negation of + √tṛṣ = thirst
viṣaya (vishaya) = objects of senses including the mind
from √viṣ = to be active + aya = going i.e. any experience, past, present or imagined; registry of quantum input pattern construct
dṛṣṭa = seen, experienced
from √dṛṣ = to see
ānuśravika (aanushravika) = heard about, read about
from anu = pertaining to + √śru = heard, learned
Phasing down all desires and aversions means not longing for nor fearing anything—present, past and future—any experience, anything you can imagine, anything you may have heard about or read about.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
That effort, which comes to those who have given up
their thirst after objects either seen or heard, and
which wills to control the objects, is non-attachment.
Two motives of our actions are (1) What we see ourselves; (2)
The experience of others. These two forces are throwing the
mind, the lake, into various waves. Renunciation is the power
of battling against these, and holding the mind in check.
Renunciation of these two motives is what we want. I am
passing through a street, and a man comes and takes my
watch. That is my own experience. I see it myself, and it
immediately throws my Chitta into a wave, taking the form of
anger. Allow that not to come. If you cannot prevent that, you
are nothing; if you can, you have Vairagyam. Similarly, the
experience of the worldly-minded teaches us that sense
enjoyments are the highest ideal. These are tremendous
temptations. To deny them, and not allow the mind to come
into a wave form with regard to them is renunciation; to
control the twofold motive powers arising from my own
experience, and from the experience of others, and thus
prevent the Chitta from being governed by them, is
Vairagyam. These should be controlled by me, and not I by
them. This sort of mental strength is called renunciation. This
Vairagyam is the only way to freedom.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
Non-attachment is freedom from longing for all objects of desire, either earthly or traditional, either here or hereafter.
Non-attachment can also be described as thirstlessness. This is the most correct occult term to use as it involves the dual idea of water, the symbol of material existence, and desire, the quality of the astral plane, whose symbol is also water. The idea of man being the “fish” is curiously complete here. This symbol (as is the case with all symbols) has seven meanings; two are of use in this place:
1. The fish is the symbol of the Vishnu aspect, the Christ principle, the second aspect of divinity, the Christ in incarnation, whether it is the cosmic Christ (expressing Himself through a solar system) or the individual Christ the potential saviour within each human being. This is the “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. I:27) If the student will also study the fish Avatar of Vishnu he will learn still more.
2. The fish swimming in the waters of matter, an extension of the same idea only carried down to its more obvious present expression, man as the personality.
Where there is no longing for any object whatsoever, and where there is no desire for rebirth (ever the outcome of longing for “form-expression” or material manifestation) then the true thirstlessness is attained, and the liberated man turns his back upon all the forms in the lower three worlds and becomes a true saviour.
In the Bhagavad Gita the following illuminating words are found:—
“For the possessors of wisdom, united in soul-vision, giving up the fruit of works, freed from the bondage of rebirth, reach the home where no sorrow dwells.
“When thy soul shall pass beyond the forest of delusion, thou shalt no more regard what shall be taught or what has been taught.
“When withdrawn from traditional teaching, thy soul shall stand steadfast, firm in soul-vision, then shalt thou gain union with the Soul.” (Gita II, 51, 52 and 53.)
J. H. Woods makes this clear in his translation of the comment by Veda Vyasa which is here appended:
“Passionless is the consciousness of being Master on the part of one who has rid himself of thirst for either seen or revealed objects.”
“The mind stuff (chitta)—if it be rid of thirst for objects that are seen, such as women, or food or drink or power, if it be rid of thirst for the object revealed (in the Vedas) such as the attainment of Heaven or of the discarnate state or of resolution into primary matter—if even when in contact with objects either supernormal or not, it be, by virtue of elevation, aware of the inadequateness of objects—will have a consciousness of being Master…”
Sutra 16
तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्॥१६॥
Tatparaṁ puruṣakhyāterguṇavaitṛṣṇyam
tat param purusha khyaater gunna vaitrishnyam
tat param = the ultimate “that” (knowledge of Self)
puruṣa (purusha) = person, Self, the embodied spiritual self
lit. “dweller in the city” from pura = city, body + √vas = to dwell
khyāti (khyaati) = seen, known from √khyā = to be reckoned/known
guna = mysterious term for 1 of 3 qualities, kind of like subliminal activators of the quantum mind, the RGB receptors of the emotional/volitional spectrum, hmm, let’s see… tamas=ignorance/rajas=passion/sattva=goodness …so we’ll just leave in that order.. Red/Green/Blue* just like that,mystery solved! from guna = thread, quality
vaitṛṣṇaya = without thirst for; not impelled to engage with
from vi = negation of + √tṛṣ = thirst
The ultimate achievement is when the vision of the true Self supercedes that person’s ego’s impulse to react to data flowing in from any of the 3 modes of subliminal activators.
*Additional thoughts by Shaman Starseed
Regarding the “three modes” as I thought to compare them to RGB (see above etymology for guna) when considering the mysterious Sanskrit term that also figures highly in the Bhagavad Gita and across the spectrum of Indian philosophy: guna. Two days later I stumbled upon a passage the mightily sheds light on that idea: from “Letters on Occult Meditation” by AAB “Letter VII – Use of Colour and Sound”:
“Red is for all apparent purposes one of the most difficult colours to consider. It ranks as undesirable. Why? Because it has been considered as the colour of kama, or evil desire, and the picture of the dark and lurid reds in the emotional body of the undeveloped man rises ever to one’s vision. Yet—at some distant time—red will be the basis of a solar system, and in the perfect merging of red, green and blue will come eventually the completed [221] work of the Logos and the consummation of the pure white light.
The activity system was green.
The love system is blue.
The power system will be red.
The result of merging red, blue, and green is—as you know—white, and the Logos will then have esoterically ‘washed His robes and made them white in the blood,’ just as the microcosm, in a lesser sense, does in process of evolution.”
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
That extreme non-attachment, giving up even the
qualities, shows (the real nature of) the Purusa.
It is the highest manifestation of power when it takes away
even our attraction towards the qualities. We have first to
understand what the Purusa, the Self, is, and what are the
qualities. According to Yoga philosophy the whole of nature
consists of three qualities; one is called Tamas, another Rajas
and the third Sattva. These three qualities manifest
themselves in the physical world as attraction, repulsion, and
control. Everything that is in nature, all these manifestations,
are combinations and recombinations of these three forces.
This nature has been divided into various categories by the
Sankhyas; the Self of man is beyond all these, beyond nature,
is effulgent by Its very nature. It is pure and perfect.
Whatever of intelligence we see in nature is but the reflection
from this Self upon nature. Nature itself is insentient. You
must remember that the word nature also includes the mind;
mind is in nature; thought is in nature; from thought, down to
the grossest form of matter, everything is in nature, the
manifestation of nature. This nature has covered the Self of
man, and when nature takes away the covering the Self
becomes unveiled, and appears in Its own glory. This
non-attachment, as it is described in the aphorism 15 (as being
control of nature) is the greatest help towards manifesting the
Self. The next aphorism defines Samadhi, perfect
concentration, which is the goal of the Yogi.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
The consummation of this non-attachment results in an exact knowledge of the spiritual man when liberated from the qualities or gunas.
Certain points should be remembered by the student when considering this sutra:
1. That the spiritual man is the monad,
2. That the evolutionary process when carried to its climax produces not only the freeing of the soul from the limitations of the three worlds, but the freeing of the spiritual man from all limitations, even that of the soul itself. The goal is formlessness or freedom from objective and tangible manifestation, and the true significance of this becomes apparent as the student remembers the oneness of spirit and matter when in manifestation; i. e. our seven planes are the seven subplanes of the lowest cosmic plane, the physical. Consequently only “the time of the end” and the dissolution of a solar system will reveal the true meaning of formlessness.
3. The gunas are the three qualities of matter, the three effects produced when macrocosmic energy, the life of God which persists independently of form-taking, actuates or energizes substance. The three gunas are:
1. Sattva::Energy of Spirit::Monad::Father::rhythm or harmonious vibration
2. Rajas::Energy of Soul::Ego::Son::mobility or activity
3. Tamas::Energy of Matter::Personality::Holy Ghost::inertia.
These three correspond to the quality of each of the three aspects which express the one Life.
In such a brief commentary as this perforce must be it is not possible to enlarge to any extent upon this subject, but some idea can be gained as to what is meant by the consummation of non-attachment when applied to the macrocosm or the microcosm. The three gunas have all been used, full experience through the use of form has been acquired, consciousness, perception or awareness through attachment to an object or to a form has been developed, all resources have been utilised, and the spiritual man (logoic or human) has no further use or need for them. He is therefore freed from the gunas, released from form taking as the result of attachment, and enters into a new state of consciousness upon which it is useless for us to speculate.
Sutra 17
वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात्सम्प्रज्ञातः॥१७॥
Vitarkavicārānandāsmitārūpānugamātsamprajñātaḥ
vitarka vichaara aananda aasmitaa roopa aanugamaat sangpragnyaatah
vitarka = cognition
from vi = with, towards, engaging with + √tark = to reflect, question
vicāra (vichaara) = assessment of life, quality, appearance through time from vi = with + √car (char) = to walk through, move with, engage
ānanda (aananda) = the innate joy of the Soul/Christ-within/Self from ā = to √nand = to be happy
asmitā (asmitaa) = egoic identification with
from asmi = I am + ta = “ness”; “I-am-ness”; “Yes, Luke, YOU must focus in your very depths that you are one with The Force”
rupa = nature, forms, manifestations, bodies
anugamaat = this is how it is to be gotten
from anu = penetrating to, focused + √gam = to go
samprajñātaḥ (sangpragnyaatah) = cognitive samadhi, 1st stage of enlightenment/super-knowledge/psychic-potency
from sam = with + prajñā = knowledge
Cognitive enlightenment (1st level samadhi) is an active fusion process dealing with nature through four levels: accurate cognition, life/quality assessment, soul concordance (feels like bliss), I-am-that-I-am identification.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
The concentration called right know-ledge is that
which is followed by reasoning, discrimination, bliss,
unqualified ego.
This Samadhi is divided into two varieties. One is called the
Samprajnata, and the other the Asamprajnata. The
Samprajnata is of four varieites. In this Samadhi come all the
powers of controlling nature. The first variety is called the
Savitarka, when the mind meditates upon an object again and
again, by isolating it from other objects. There are two sorts of
objects for meditation, the categories of nature, and the
Purusa. Again, the categories are of two varieties; the
twenty-four categories are insentient, and the one sentient is
the Purusa. When the mind thinks of the elements of nature
by thinking of their beginning and their end, this is one sort of
Savitarka. The words require explanation. This part of Yoga is
based entirely on Sankhya Philosophy, about which I have
already told you. As you will remember, egoism and will, and
mind, have a common basis, and that common basis is called
the Chitta, the mind-stuff, out of which they are all
manufactured. This mind-stuff takes in the forces of nature,
and projects them as thought. There must be something,
again, where both force and matter are one. This is called
Avyaktam, the unmanifested state of nature, before creation,
and two which, after the end of a cycle, the whole of nature
returns, to again come out after another period. Beyond that is the Purusa, the essence of intelligence. There is no liberation
in getting powers. It is a worldly search after enjoyment in
this life; all search for enjoyment is vain; this is the old, old
lesson which man finds it so hard to learn. When he does learn
it, he gets out of the universe and becomes free. The
possession of what are called occult powers is only
intensifying the world, and in the end intensifying suffering.
Though, as a scientist, Patanjali is bound to point out the
possibilities of this science, he never misses an opportunity to
warn us against these powers. Knowledge is power, and as
soon as we begin to know a thing we get power over it; so
also, when the mind begins to meditate on the different
elements it gains power over them. That sort of meditation
where the external gross elements are the objects is called
Savitarka. Tarka means question, Savitarka with-question.
Questioning the elements, as it were, that they may give up
their truths and their powers to the man who meditates upon
them. Again, in the very same meditation, when one struggles
to take the elements out of time and space, and think of them
as they are, it is called Nirvitarka, without-question. When
the meditation goes a step higher, and takes the Tanmatras as
its object, and thinks of them as in time and space, it is called
Savichara, with-discrimination, and when the same
meditation gets beyond time and space, and thinks of the fine
elements as they are, it is called Nirvichara,
without-discrimination. The next step is when the elements
are given up, either as gross or as fine, and the object of
meditation is the interior organ, the thinking organ, and when
the thinking organ is thought of as bereft of the qualities of
activity, and of dullness, it is then called Sanandam, the
blissful Samadhi. In that Samadhi, when we are thinking of the mind as the object of meditation, before we have reached
the state which takes us beyond the mind even, when it has
become very ripe and concentrated, when all ideas of the
gross materials, or fine materials, have been given up, and the
only object is the mind as it is, when the Sattva state only of
the Ego remains, but differentiated from all other objects, this
is called Asmita Samadhi, and the man who has attained to
this has attained to what is called in the Vedas “bereft of
body.” He can think of himself as without his gross body; but
he will have to think of himself as with a fine body. Those that
in this state get merged in nature without attaining the goal are
called Prakrtilayas, but those who do not even stop at any
enjoyments, reach the goal, which is freedom.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
The consciousness of an object is attained by concentration on its fourfold nature: the form, through examination; the quality (or guna), through discriminative participation; the purpose, through inspiration (or bliss) and the soul, through identification.
It will be apparent therefore that the statement “as a man thinketh so is he” (Prov. 23:7) is based on occult facts. Every form of any kind has a soul, and that soul or conscious principle is identical with that in the human form; identical in its nature though not in its scope of development, or its degree. This is equally true of the great Lives or superhuman Existences in which man himself “lives and moves and has his being” (Acts 17: 28) and to Whose state of development he aspires.
As the aspirant chooses with care the “objects” upon which he will meditate, he through these objects, builds himself a ladder by means of which he arrives eventually at the objectless. As his mind assumes increasingly the meditative attitude of the soul, the brain becomes also increasingly subjugated to the mind as the mind is to the soul. Thus is the lower man gradually identified with the spiritual man who is omniscient and omnipresent. This meditative attitude is assumed through a fourfold process:—
1. Meditation on the nature of a particular form, realising, as the form is pondered upon, that it is but a symbol of an inner reality, our whole tangible objective world being built up of form, of some kind (human, subhuman and superhuman), which expresses the life of hosts of sentient beings.
2. Meditation upon the quality of any particular form, so that an appreciation of its subjective energy may be gained. It should be borne in mind that the energy of an object may be regarded as the colour of that object, and hence the words of Patanjali IV, 17 become illuminating in this connection and serve as a commentary upon this second point. This is called “discriminative participation,” and through it the student arrives at that knowledge of energy in himself which is one with the object of his meditation.
3. Meditation upon the purpose of any particular form. This involves consideration of the idea back of or underlying any form manifestation and its display of energy. This realisation carries the aspirant onward to a knowledge of that part in The Plan or purpose of the All which is the motivating factor in the form’s activity. Thus through the part, the Whole is contacted and an expansion of consciousness takes place, involving bliss or joy. Beatitude always follows upon realisation of the unity of the part with the Whole. From meditation upon the tattvas, the energies or principles, or upon the tanmatras or elements composing spirit-matter, a knowledge of the purpose or plan for the microcosmic or macrocosmic manifestations eventuates and with this knowledge comes bliss.
In these three are to be found correspondences to the three aspects, spirit, soul and body, and an illuminating study for the earnest student.
4. Meditation upon the soul, upon the One who uses the form, who energises it into activity and who is working in line with The Plan. This soul, being one with all souls and with the Oversoul subserves the one plan and is group-conscious.
Thus through these four stages of meditation upon an object, the aspirant arrives at his goal, knowledge of the soul, and of the soul powers. He becomes consciously identified with the one reality, and this in his physical brain. He finds that truth which is himself and which is the truth hidden in every form and in every kingdom of nature. Thus he will eventually arrive (when knowledge of the soul itself is gained) at a knowledge of the All-Soul and become one with it.
Sutra 18
विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः॥१८॥
Virāmapratyayābhyāsapūrvaḥ saṁskāraśeṣo’nyaḥ
viraama pratyaya aabhyaasa poorvah samskaara shesho ‘(a)nyah
anya = another (type of samadhi is)
virāma (viraama) = cessation
from vi = not + √ram = to enjoy
pratyaya = presented idea, case for quantum fluctation, segue of experiences from prati = near + √i= to go
abhyāsa (abhyaasa) = practise, efforts from abhi = to, intensely penetrating + √ās = to apply oneself, practise
pūrva (poorva) = former
saṁskāra (sangskaara) = subliminal activator
from sam = with + √kṛ = to do
śeṣa (schesha) = residuum, remaining
from √śiṣ = to remain
Subliminal-cessation enlightenment (2nd level samadhi) is brought about by the most intense practise of willfully deactivating all reaction-based subliminal activators of mind + emotions + volition at which point only subjective inclinations are able to fire up the quantum mind.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
There is another Samadhi which is attained by the
constant practice of cessation of all mental activity, in
which the Chitta retains only the unmanifested
impressions.
This is the perfect superconscious Asamprajnata Samadhi,
the state which gives us freedom. The first state does not
give us freedom, does not liberate the soul. A man may attain
to all powers, and yet fall again. There is no safeguard until
the soul goes beyond nature, and beyond conscious
concentration. It is very difficult to attain, although its method
seems very easy. Its method is to hold the mind as the object,
and whenever through comes, to strike it down, allowing no thought to come into the mind, thus making it an entire
vacuum. When we can really do this, in that moment we shall
attain liberation. When persons without training and
preparation try to make their minds vacant they are likely to
succeed only in covering themselves with Tamas, material of
ignorance, which makes the mind dull and stupid, and leads
them to think that they are making a vacuum of the mind. To
be able to really do that is a manifestation of the greatest
strength, of the highest control. When this state,
Asamprajnata, super-consciousness, is reached, the Samadhi
becomes seedless. What is meant by that? In that sort of
concentration when there is consciousness, where the mind
has succeeded only in quelling the waves in the Chitta and
holding them down, they are still there in the form of
tendencies, and these tendencies (or seeds) will become
waves again, when the time comes. But when you have
destroyed all these tendencies, almost destroyed the mind,
then it has become seedless, there are no more seeds in the
mind out of which to manufacture again and again this plant
of life, this ceaseless round of birth and death. …(more here)
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
A further stage of samadhi is achieved when through one-pointed thought, the outer activity is quieted. In this stage the chitta is responsive only to subjective impressions.
The word “samadhi” is subject to various interpretations, and is applied to different stages of yogi achievement. This makes it somewhat difficult for the average student when studying the various commentaries. Perhaps one of the easiest ways to realise its meaning is to remember that the word “Sama” has reference to the faculty of the mind-stuff (or chitta) to take form or to modify itself according to the external impressions. These external impressions reach the mind via the senses. When the aspirant to yoga can control his organs of sense-perception so that they no longer telegraph to the mind their reactions to that which is perceived, two things are brought about:
a. The physical brain becomes quiet and still,
b. The mind stuff or the mental body, the chitta, ceases to assume the various modifications and becomes equally still.
This is one of the early stages of samadhi but is not the samadhi of the adept. It is a condition of intense internal activity instead of external; it is an attitude of one-pointed concentration. The aspirant is, however, responsive to impressions from the subtler realms and to modifications arising from those perceptions which are still more subjective. He becomes aware of a new field of knowledge, though as yet he knows not what it is. He ascertains that there is a world which cannot be known through the medium of the five senses but which the right use of the organ of the mind will reveal. He gets a perception of what may lie back of the words found in a later sutra as translated by Charles Johnston, which expresses this thought in particularly clear terms:
“The seer is pure vision . . . he looks out through the vesture of the mind.” (Book II. Sutra 20.)
The preceding sutra dealt with what may be called meditation with seed or with an object; this sutra suggests the next stage, meditation without seed or without that which the physical brain would recognise as an object.
It might be of value here if the six stages of meditation dealt with by Patanjali are mentioned as they give a clue to the entire process of unfoldment dealt with in this book:
1. Aspiration,
2. Concentration,
3. Meditation,
4. Contemplation,
5. Illumination,
6. Inspiration.
It is of value here to note that the student begins by aspiring to that which lies beyond his ken and ends by being inspired by that which he has sought to know. Concentration (or intense focussing) results in meditation and meditation flowers forth as contemplation.
Sutra 19
भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम्॥१९॥
Bhavapratyayo videhaprakṛtilayānām
bhava pratyayo videha prakriti layaanaam
bhava = “is-ness”, becoming, being
from √bhū = to be
pratyaya = presented idea, case for quantum fluctation, segue of experiences
from prati = near + √i= to go
videha = discarnate, without physical body
from vi = not + √dih = to cover, smear
prakṛti (prakriti) = cosmic nature, the three worlds, 3rd, 4th and 5th dimensions, physical/emotional/mental, ruled and literally embodied by the gods and devas (nature spirits) on down to lesser elementals
from pra = very much so, the primordial essence of + √kṛ = to do
layānām (layaanaam) = are compounded together as part and parcel of, merged with, absorbed by
from √lī = to be absorbed, clasp, union with
Both cognition-samadhi and subliminal-cessation samadhi gain entry of one’s consciousness into the field of cosmic nature (realm of the devas, angels, gandharvas—the cosmic cloud—but not beyond the 5th dimension).
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
(This Samadhi, when not followed by extreme
non-attachment) becomes the cause of the
re-manifestation of the gods and of those that become
merged in nature.
The gods in the Indian systems represent certain high offices
which are being filled successively by various souls. But
none of them is perfect.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
The samadhi just described passes not beyond the bounds of the phenomenal world; it passes not beyond the Gods and those concerned with the concrete world.
It should be noted here that the results achieved in the processes dealt with in sutras seventeen and eighteen only carry the aspirant to the edge of the realm of the soul, to the new field of knowledge of which he has become aware. He is still confined to the three worlds. All that he has succeeded in doing is stilling the modifications of the mental body so that for the first time the man (on the physical plane and in his physical brain) becomes cognisant of what lies beyond those three worlds—that is, the soul, its range of vision and its knowledge. He has yet to strengthen his link with the soul (dealt with in sutras twenty-three to twenty-eight) and then having transferred his consciousness into that of the real or spiritual man, he must begin working from that new stand-point or vantage point.
The idea has been expressed by some translators as the condition in which the aspirant becomes aware “of the rain cloud of knowable things.” The raincloud has not precipitated sufficiently for the rain to fall from heavenly heights onto the physical plane or for the “knowable things” to become known to the physical brain. The cloud is perceived as the result of intense concentration and the stilling of the lower modifications, but until the soul or Master has assumed control the knowledge of the soul cannot be poured into the physical brain via the sixth sense, the mind.
The science of yoga is a real science and only as students approach it by the correct stages and employ the scientific methods, will the true samadhi or realization be achieved.
Additional thoughts by Shaman Starseed
This sutra is ripe with coded meaning. It only has 5 words, yet translations go on and on explaining it. Grand ideas are built-in to certain words which then carry a vast body of “agamaaha”, traditional meanings and teachings entwined in a single terse “padam” word. We already are aware that the grand goal of this treatise can be said to be quite simply put: “ascension” or union with the cosmic cloud, i.e. the essence of yoga, otherwise known as simply “tad”.. the mysterious and all-powerful “that” “then” “there”.
First we have, here as a compound word bhava-pratyaya “being-in-the-state-of-presented-manifestations” carrying the meaning as well, going by two sutras ago, “in full control of our quantum fluctations related to all forms including ideas and desires, i.e. complete ‘boss’, a steady, ace-pilot at the control console of the mind, at all times exibiting deliberative-command-structure-procedure of whether to and how to engage with incoming quantum fluctations” i.e. engaging with the world of forms but as a master of forms (like Gandalf and Obi Wan Kenobi).
Next we have videha “body-less” referring the type of samadhi mentioned in the last sutra. What’s that mean? That would include nature spirits, fairies, nature gods, cosmic nature gods (Jupiter, Yaweh, Brahma), angels, dakinis, nirmankayas, astral travelers… also denizens of hell realms, hungry ghosts and so-called geniis and at least a few nasty entities are lurking who do not have the privilege of possessing a dense body (like certain ring-wraiths & their one-eyed leader and another odd fellow who “can’t be named”), “ye olde” discarnate entity that haunts your neighbor’s Quiji board.
Prakṛti is one such word, steeped in philosophy, translated as simply “nature”, yet just as easily an anthromorphic (God-awesome-cosmic) “Mother Nature” or the “Holy Ghost”/”Holy Spirit” of Catholicism. It refers to the ring-pass-not of mortal existence, for beings either embodied (minerals, plants, animals, humans) or so-called disembodied (meaning subtle bodies only – gods, devas, angels, ghosts, etc.). In another sense it’s the quantum dust that the universe is composed of which themselves are then allied into 4 main groups as it first differentiated into particles (that are also ‘rays’) that compose the intermingling bodies of 4 grand entities: North, South, East and West or to some: Earth, Water, Fire and Air; or the 4 Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel; to ancient Greeks: Kronos, Zeus, Hades, Poseidon; and Vedic gods: Prthvi, Varuna, Agni and Vayu …we are all together, beings of the three worlds, composed of the same primordial mother substance, a cosmic galactic energized-quantum-particles-to-the-infinite-degree stuff-continuum named: Prakriti.
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The last word, layaanaam (they) “are compounded with”, “adhere to”, “are laid into” and also “melt into” and some translators state “dissolved into”, I’m going with the sense of “gaining entry into” or “are absorbed into” like a university absorbs high-school students. “Dissolve” might give false impression of a loss of identity which is not the case, except maybe from the angle that all concern with high school (worldly) matters, indeed, vanishes. Ever “melt” into your bed and “lay” your weary mind to rest to go off to dream world? There you have it.
Commentators emphasize the restrictive nature of these samadhis (different levels of enstasy) of the last two sutras both referred to here, that they are not the final goal of Raja yoga.
Sutra 20
श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्॥२०॥
Śraddhāvīryasmṛtisamādhiprajñāpūrvaka itareṣām
shraddhaa veerya smriti samaadhi prajnaa poorvaka itareshaam
śraddhā (shraddhaa) = by faith from √śrat = to assure + √dhā = to put
vīrya = by strength, by strenuous effort uncanny similarity of sound and meaning with English “virile”
smṛti = by heedfulness, mindfulness, as in recollection (memory) of correct instructions
samādhi (samaadhi) = concentration, enstasy
prajñā (pragnyaa) = by wisdom, supra-cognition
pūrvaka (poorvaka) = preceded by
itareṣām = however for others
However other seekers of ascension reach it by the steps of faith, effort, learning and applying what they’ve learned, along with deep concentration and intensive brain and psychic sensory function activation.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
To others (this Samadhi) comes through faith,
energy, memory, concentration, and discrimination
of the real.
These are they who do not want the position of gods, or even
that of rulers of cycles. They attain to liberation.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
Other yogins achieve samadhi and arrive at a discrimination of pure spirit through belief, followed by energy, memory, meditation and right perception.
In the previous groups of yogins dealt with, perception was limited to the phenomenal world, though we must understand by that only the three worlds of mental perception, astral perception and of the physical senses. The energies producing concretion and the motive power of thought as it produces effects on the physical plane are contacted and known. Here however the yogin translates himself into more spiritual and subtler realms and becomes aware of that which the self (in its true nature) perceives and knows. He enters into the world of causes. The first group might be regarded as comprising all who are treading the path of discipleship, and covers the time from their entrance upon the Probationary Path until they have taken the second Initiation. The second group is comprised of those higher disciples who—having controlled and transmuted the entire lower nature—make a contact with their monad, spirit or “Father in Heaven” and discern what that monad perceives.
The first form of realisation comes to those who are in process of synthesising the six lower centres into the head centre, through the transmutation of the lower four into the higher three, and then of the heart and throat into the head. The second group—through a knowledge of the law—works with all the transmuted and purified centres. They know how to achieve the real samadhi or state of occult abstraction through their ability to withdraw the energies into the thousand petalled lotus of the head, and from thence to abstract them through the other two subtler bodies until all is centred and focussed in the causal vehicle, the karana sarira, the egoic lotus. We are told by Patanjali that this is produced by the following five stages. Students should bear in mind that these stages relate to soul activities, to egoic realisation and not to the reactions of the lower man and the physical brain.
1. Belief. On his own plane the soul rehearses a condition analogous to the belief of the aspirant in the soul or Christ aspect, only in this case the objective is the realisation of that which the Christ or soul is seeking to reveal, the spirit or Father in Heaven. First the disciple arrives at a realisation of the angel of His Presence, the solar angel, ego or soul. This is the achievement of the previous group. Then the Presence itself is later contacted and that Presence is pure spirit, the absolute, the Father of Being. The self and the not-self have been known by this group of initiates. Now the vision of the not-self dims and passes away and only spirit is known. Belief must ever be the first stage. First the theory, then the experiment, and lastly realisation.
2. Energy. When the theory is grasped, when the goal is perceived, then activity ensues—that right activity and that correct use of force which will bring the goal nearer and make theory fact.
3. Memory, or right mindfulness. This is an interesting factor in the process as it involves right forgetfulness, or the elimination out of the consciousness of the ego of all those forms which have hitherto veiled the Real. These forms are either self-chosen or self-created. This leads to a condition of true apprehension or the ability to register correctly that which the soul has perceived, and the power to transfer that correct perception to the brain of the physical man. This is the memory referred to here. It does not refer so specifically to recollection of the things of the past, but covers the point of realisation and the transference of that realisation to the brain where it must be registered and eventually recollected at will.
4. Meditation. That which has been seen and registered in the brain and which has emanated from the soul must be meditated upon and thus woven into the fabric of the life. It is through this meditation that the soul-perceptions become real to the man upon the physical plane. This meditation therefore is of a very high order as it follows upon the contemplative stage and is soul-meditation with the object of illuminating the vehicle upon the physical plane.
5. Right perception. The experience of the soul, and the knowledge of the spirit or Father aspect begins to form part of the brain content of the Adept or Master. He knows the plan as it is to be found on the highest levels and is in touch with the Archetype. It is, if I might illustrate in this way, that this class of yogins have reached the point where they can perceive The Plan as it exists in the mind of the “Grand Architect of the Universe.” They are now en rapport with Him. In the other class of Yogins, the point reached is that in which they are able to study the blue-prints of the great plan and thus can intelligently co-operate in the building of the Temple of the Lord. The perception referred to here is of such a high order as to be almost inconceivable to any but advanced disciples, but in an appreciation of the stages and grades there comes to the aspirant, not only an understanding of what is his immediate problem and of where he stands, but also an appreciation of the beauty of the entire scheme.
Sutra 21
तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः॥२१॥
Tīvrasaṁvegānāmāsannaḥ
teevra sanvegaanaam aasannah
tīvra (teevra) = intense
saṁvegānām = overwhelming excitement for, desire for spiritual emancipationfrom sam = with + √vij = to be forcefully agitated, excited
asanna = near, within reach
That (ascension) is easily gotten by those who have willfully engendered the impetus to achieve it.
Translation/Commentary by Swami Vivekananda
Success is speeded for the extremely energetic.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
The attainment of this stage (spiritual consciousness) is rapid for those whose will is intensely alive.
This would naturally be so. As the will, reflected in the mind, becomes dominant in the disciple, he has awakened that aspect of himself which is en rapport with the will aspect of the Logos, the first or Father aspect. The lines of contact are as follows:
1. Monad or the Father in Heaven, the will aspect,
2. Atma or spiritual will, the highest aspect of the soul,
3. The mental body or intelligent Will, the highest aspect of the personality,
4. The head centre.
This is the line followed by the raja-yogins and it brings them to a realisation of the spirit and to adeptship. There is yet another line:
1. Monad,
2. The Son or Christ aspect,
3. The love aspect, or wisdom aspect,
4. Buddhi or spiritual love, the second aspect of the soul,
5. The emotional body, the second aspect of the personality,
6. The heart centre.
This is the line followed by the bhakti, the devotee and the saint and brings him to a knowledge of the soul and of sainthood. The former line is that to be followed during the current Aryan epoch. This second line was the path of attainment for the Atlantean epoch.
If students would follow these tabulations with care much light would come. The necessity for a strong energetic will becomes apparent if the path of Initiation is studied. Only an iron will, and a steady, strong, unswerving endurance will carry the aspirant along this path and out into the clear light of day.
Sutra 22
मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः॥२२॥
Mṛdumadhyādhimātratvāttato’pi viśeṣaḥ
mridu madhya aadhimaatratvaat tato'(a)pi vischeshah
mṛdu = moderate, gentle
madhya = middling, medium
adhimātratvāt (adhimaatratvaat) = excessive
from adhi = intensely towards, penetrating + maatra = measure
tatas = hence, thus
api = also
due to Sandhi sometimes an ‘as’ on end of word before word starting with ‘a’ changes to ‘o’ with the starting ‘a’ then glossed out but indicated with a single apostrophe i.e. api becomes ‘pi; so tatas + api = toto’pi
viśeṣaḥ (vischeshah) = difference
Of those who have engendered the willpower to reach for ascension, for some the drive is gentle, some middling, while for others it is very strong.
Translation by Swami Vivekananda
They again differ according as the means are mild, medium or supreme.
Translation/Commentary from “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey
Those who employ the will likewise differ, for its use may be intense, moderate or gentle. In respect to the attainment of true spiritual consciousness there is yet another way.
…Commentators upon this sutra point out that those who follow the method of Raja Yoga and use the will are divided into three main groups. These can correspondingly be divided into nine. There are those who use the will with such intensity that exceedingly rapid results are achieved, attended however with certain dangers and risks. There is the risk of uneven development, of a negation of the heart side of nature, and of certain destructions which will later have to be remedied. Then there are those aspirants whose progress is less rapid, and who are exponents of the middle path. They proceed steadily and moderately and are called the “discriminative adepts” as they permit no excesses of any kind. Their method is to be recommended to men in this particular cycle. Again there are those gentle souls whose will may be regarded as characterised by an imperturbable pertinacity and who go steadily, undeviatingly forward, eventually arriving at their goal. They are distinguished by intense tenacity. Their progress is slow. They are the “tortoises” of the Path just as the first group are the “hares.”
In some of the old books there are detailed accounts of these three groups of aspirants and they are portrayed under three symbols:
1. The intense group are depicted as goats, and aspirants of this type are frequently found in incarnation under the sign Capricorn,
2. The moderate group are depicted by a fish, and many born under the sign Pisces are found in this category,
3. The gentle or slow group are pictured as crabs and often come into incarnation under the sign Cancer.
In these three groups are to be found various subdivisions and it is interesting to note that in the archives of the Lords of Karma, the majority of these three groups pass into the sign of Libra (or the balances) towards the close of their endeavour. When in incarnation under this sign they balance the pairs of opposites with care, they equalise their one-sided development, modifying the unevenness of their efforts hitherto, and begin to “set an even pace.” They frequently then enter the sign of Aquarius and become bearers of water, having to carry “on their heads the bowl of living water.” Thus the rapidity of their climb up the mount of initiation has to be modified, or “the water will be spilt and the bowl be shattered.” Because the water is intended to slake the thirst of the masses, they must hasten their progress for the need is great. Thus the “first shall be last and the last shall be first” and the hare and the tortoise meet at the goal.
Recommended supplementary reading for the enthusiastic…
“Thought Power” by Annie Besant (excerpts)
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