Yoga Sutras And The World Of Human Mind

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of the contributions of the Indian Sage Patanjali. Then, the stages of mental concentration are reviewed. In the context of Vibhuti Pada, it is a transition from Sarvarthata, many-pointedness, to Ekagra, one-pointedness, and finally to Nirodha, transcendence. The distinction between deep sleep and Nirodha is a question of being aware of your experience. Verses: III.11, III.12, III.9

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Shankaracharya’s enormous accomplishments stemmed in part from his single-pointed focus. In Ashtanga Yoga, we get disciplined in Yamas and Niyamas, moral excellence, then at the physical level you are able to exert tremendous energy without strain, and Samyama gives mental equilibrium. As a result, we develop a new perspective, which is not based on practical benefit. We gain Prajna, a clear stream of thought which is not obstructed. It is knowledge established in pure awareness. Through Samprajnata Samadhi we can concentrate on different planes of spiritual experience. Later, there is Samadhi without any Vritti at all. Through these practices, you begin to develop a reduction in mental distractions and strengthening of one-pointedness. Verses: III.5, III.6, III.7, III.8, III.11

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Higher concentration can intensify evil tendencies. Our real level of evolution can be judged by the natural characteristics of the mind. Yamas and Niyamas prepare us for spontaneous effortlessness. The stages of Samyama correspond to different stages of effort, with Samadhi being effortless. The desire for transcendence, Mumukshutvam or love for a higher ideal naturally brings Yamas and Niyamas. Verses: III.4, I.23

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. A genius has a natural concentration in one area of specialization. A yogi has control over his concentration. He can concentrate on any topic he chooses. With both, there is effortlessness, but a Yogi has complete alertness and control of his will. A yogi has freedom. In ordinary natural concentration, there is slavery to the object of concentration. The difference comes from the foundation of Yamas, Niyamas, and Vairagya. Dharana and Dhyana can transform our lives through the mastery of the senses. The unit of Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi together are called Samyama. Whatever symbol, Pratyaya, we concentrate on is used as a tool to reach the all-pervading transcendental reality. Verse: III.4

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The importance of Yamas as an ethical foundation and Niyamas as a way of conserving energy is reviewed. Without them, the practice of advanced Asanas and Pranayamas can be dangerous. Pratyahara is reviewed and Swami expands on the notion that the mental power to restrain the senses must be greater than the restlessness of the body energy. The topic of Samadhi is defined as the transcendental dimension of Dhyana, meditation. There, the subject, object, and meditation process merge. The language of Samadhi is silence. Sri Ramakrishna said knowledge merges in the Vedas, the Vedas in Gayatri, Gayatri in Om and Om in silence. Verse: III.3

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The distinction between Dharana, attempting to fix the mind on one thought, and Dhyana, the continuous uninterrupted fixing of the mind on one point is made. Dharana is also called Manana, continuous contemplation around a single idea or sutra in the context of Vedanta practice. The levels of Mantra practice are reviewed in this context. At the highest level of concentration, subject, object, and the process of knowing merge. A review of Sankhya philosophy’s 23 cosmic evolutes is given. The important philosophical distinction between Parinama, real transformation, and Vivarta, transfiguration is introduced. Verses: III.1, III.2

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Turning the mind inward and away from the senses forces us to confront our tendencies and impressions. These have been accumulated from innumerable life cycles. When we are able to be fully established in Pratyahara, the mind then becomes our spiritual guide. In ordinary contemplation, we provide a counterfocus for the mind. In Dharana, the mind is held at a point such as the lotus of the heart. Shankara gives a practical suggestion for beginners. Meditate with eyes half-open as if looking at the tip of the nose to avoid falling asleep but not so wide as to let visual objects distract you. Verses: II.54, II.55, III.1

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Pranayama practiced with Yamas, Niyamas, and detachment lead to concentration. Otherwise, it leads to excitement and restlessness. Pratyahara is the ability to withdraw the mind from the senses. When that happens, we are no longer enslaved by the senses. Instead, our mind flows in the opposite direction. One result is we have the ability to concentrate because sense distractions cannot take our mind away. With this kind of concentration on ideas and the corresponding sounds and words, scriptures can be memorized. Verses: II.51, II.52, II.53, II.54

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. With the perfection of Yamas, Niyamas, and Asanas one becomes qualified to practice pranayama, breath control. Four stages of pranayama are discussed. An example from the life of Sri Ramakrishna of the highest stage of Pranayama is given. It can be very dangerous to practice such techniques without a teacher and requisite Yamas and Niyamas. Verses: II.49, II.50, II.51

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Self-study, Svadhyaya, can be interpreted as mantra repetition, Japa. The four stages of mantra experience from the gross verbal level to the highest experience are explained. Perfect surrender to God yields the highest perfection in Samadhi, concentration. At this stage of studying the sutras, we start to gain a deeper understanding of the previous sutras. Asana, posture, becomes steady and effortless when the mind concentrates steadily on a transcendental idea through Yamas and Niyamas. Pranayama, breath control, is briefly explained. All practices must come as part of a natural progression. Verses: II.44, II.45, II.46, II.47, II.48, II.49, II.50

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The Chittam, mental reservoir, accumulates tendencies and impressions from all of our previous life cycles. It is like a lake with many layers. A great spiritual seeker who has become completely pure will be able to see to the bottom of the lake - the eternal present. Aparigraha, total independence cleans up the lower layers of the lake. Becoming indebted to others robs us of spirituality. Saucha, external purity leads to detachment from physicality. Internal purity means mastery of the senses and feeling inner completeness. Santosha means inner transcendental joy even in the midst of scolding or doing unpleasant things. Tapas leads to physical and mental powers, which must be renounced in order to function. II.39, II.40, II.41, II.42, II.43

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Nonviolence can be practiced at three different levels. At the highest level of all ethical disciplines, they become a natural characteristic. The words of a person perfected in truthfulness, Satya, have great potency. When a person has perfected lack of theft, Asteya, all jewels come to him. In order to progress, these temptations must be renounced by connecting to a higher ideal. A person established in continence, Brahmacharya, gains higher powers. If you are established in non-covetousness, you are able to see to the bottom of your mental lake and into your past. Perfection in physical cleanliness, Saucha, leads to detachment from physicality. Verses: II.35, II.36, II. 37, II.38, II.39, II.40

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Posture becomes steady when we keep one transcendental thought, which is beyond body consciousness. Even indirect approval of evil creates mental obstacles in meditation. Each discipline has three stages of practice: beginning, practicing and perfected. The special example of Ahimsa is discussed. Vyasa explains that you will get back what you have given. This thought will protect you from temptation. Verses: II.33, II.34

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The Yamas, ethical disciplines, form the basis of spiritual culture. The Niyamas, practices of purity and concentration, generate energy. Niyamas without Yamas can be dangerous. A spiritual seeker becomes aware of his Vitarkas, negative thought currents. By holding to a high spiritual ideal, we automatically counter all negative thought currents. The 27 types of negative thought currents are discussed and we are reminded of the great danger of being tempted by them. Verses: II.30, II.31, II.32, II.33, II.34

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The obstacles we face in spiritual life are signposts. They tell us what we need to do to progress. Asana, posture, should be steady and pleasant. A real teacher will tell you the dangers of practicing complicated Pranayama, breathing exercises. The Yamas are discussed. Satya, truthfulness, should be spoken of but in a pleasant way. All five Yamas, Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha, nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-covetousness should be practiced at the action level and at the mental level. They are universal to higher human culture. The Niyamas are observances to divert energy into healthy channels. They are related to purity, internal and external, and concentration. The four healthy social relations are mentioned again in this context – friendliness, compassion, admiration, and indifference – towards the happy, suffering, virtuous, and negative. Verses: II.30, II.32

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. The lecture begins with a review of the goal of yoga, the power of Kriya-Yoga, selfless action, self-study, and self-surrender, the Kleshas, obstacles that we encounter, and how the Yoga Sutras teach us the tricks of the mind to allow us to get out of the bondage of our obsessions. The cause of suffering is the mistaken identification with material nature and the method of liberation is discerning insight, Viveka-Khati, Prajna, or complete awareness. The seven stages of Viveka-Khati are outlined. Then the famous Ashtanga-Yoga is introduced and the Yamas are introduced. Verses: II.26, II.27, II.28, II.29, II.30

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. When a person reaches the stage of Parinama Duhkha, a divine discontentment, then spiritual discernment liberates from the ignorance of our true nature. In Vedanta, we say that each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature, both external and internal. This can be done through Karma-Yoga, selfless action, Bhakti-Yoga, love of God in everything and everybody, or Raja-Yoga, psychic control as described in the Yoga Sutras. In the twenty-sixth sutra, this freedom is attained through the practice of Viveka-Khyati, uninterrupted higher discerning faculty. Verses: II.24, II.25, II.26

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Nirodha does not mean the destruction of human sensitivity but developing a higher spiritual sense. A great spiritual teacher’s lack of Samyoga allows him to filter out the negative but without being insensitive. The Yogi is able to control his reactions to experiences. He can handle all five Kleshas, distractions. These Kleshas are accumulated from previous actions. They form a conspiracy against you doing what you intellectually know will be good for you. It is by cutting through the root of ignorance that you become free from the influence of Kleshas. Verses: II.24, I.2, II.3, II.25

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Yoga and Vedanta do not remove problems, they help us to confront them from a different perspective. The world is your gymnasium. You don’t live in a gymnasium but you use it. By Samyoga, the identification with the world, we are led step by step to transcending the world. It is not nature that is a problem, it is our ignorance about our relationship to nature and our true nature that creates a problem. Sometimes the world gives us blows to help us to evolve and other times we seek out higher culture willingly. Verses: II.17, II.22, II.23

Lecture by Swami Tattwamayananda. Self-awareness of our knowledge allows it to become practically useful and to become wisdom. Freedom is a state of inner completeness beyond the desire for any further freedom. The Sankhya theory of creation enumerates the categories of material and mental nature. This whole world is an instrument that helps us to realize our true nature. This nature is explained in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad as a dialogue between Janaka and Yajnavaklya. It is Atma-Jyoti, the light of Atman or consciousness. It is the light of all lights, the revealer of all revealers, the essence of all knowledge. Verses: II.18, II.19, II.20, II.21