Translation
and free adaptation of the article published on the blog “Theravadin -
Theravada Practice Blog” (http://theravadin.wordpress.com/).

We consider here the Yoga Suttas of Patanjali, a classical text and revered in Hinduism, dated at approx. 200 BC and compared its semantics and vocabulary to Buddhist canonical texts. In
summary, this comparison is quite obvious that the author of Yoga Sutta
was highly influenced by Buddhist philosophy and meditation practice,
possibly contemporaneously to the author.

Moreover,
it appears that a student of Buddhist canonical texts may in fact be
more easily understood than the Yoga Sutta a Hindu practitioner with no
other previous reference parameter practical and philosophical. We
do not consider comments here later Hindu / Brahman existing this text,
some of which seem to avoid (or ignore) the original references to
Buddhism in this text.

The
proximity of the Yoga Sutta-style, vocabulary, and subject to canonical
texts in Pali could also mean simply that Patanjali - or whoever it is
that inspired his writings - had practiced meditation from a Buddhist
contemplative community, a community of monks for a time before
returning to Brahmanism and then the movement would have rephrased his
experience in order to add a divine touch to your experience, making
substantial use of technical terms of Buddhist meditation, as originally
framed or developed by the Buddha for the purpose of contemplative
practice. But this would be pure speculation, because there is so far no studies or historical finding that supports this understanding.

It
is also possible, even likely, that the Buddhist meditation had so
broadly permeated the practice Hindu / Brahman at the time (after years
of a strong cultural influence began with Buddhist proselytism promoted
by Ashoka the Buddhist Sangha in his reign and Consolidation of India),
that these technical terms as well as descriptions of practice of jhana /
dhyana (meditative absorptions) have it built into common knowledge at
the point of no longer sounding particularly Buddhists. Something
similar to what happens today with the adoption of the ideas of
“nibbana” and “kamma” in Western culture, in Christian countries.

In
particular, if the Yoga Sutra is read in one continuous line is amazing
how close the text is the thoughts and topics about samadhi, jhana
meditation and Samatha (concentration) as defined in the ancient texts
in Pali Buddhist.

For a first analysis, an overview. Look
at the “Ashtanga Yoga” or the “Eightfold Path of Yoga” (sic) we are
certainly inclined to think the definition of the central Buddha of the
Noble Eightfold Path.

But
instead of following the Buddhist literary definition of the Noble
Eightfold Path, the interpretation of the eightfold path of yoga follows
(to our surprise?) Another description of the Buddhist path: the one
given by the Buddha as he described how he taught his disciples to
practice in your system meditative, which consists of a number of steps
outlined in various suttas of the volume of speeches with Mean Length
(as in Ariyapariyesana Sutta, MN 26, etc.) and remind us much of the way
“yogic” (pragmatic?), as devised by Patanjali at Yoga Sutta.

Then compare these two “paths to reach the samadhi.”

First what is in the Yoga Sutta of Patanjali:

1.                  Yama, on the field conduct, morality or virtue

2.                 Niyama, self-purification and study

3.                 Asana, proper posture

4.                 Pranayama, breath control

5.                 Pratyahara, the removal of the five senses

6.                 Dharana, concentration or apprehension of the object meditative

7.                  Samadhi, meditative absorption

And down the list of steps recommended by the Buddha when asked about the gradual development through his teachings. This list is found in many suttas of the volumes of speeches and Mean Length Long, as in other parts of the Canon:

1.                  Sila, moral conduct or virtue, and Santosa, contentment

2.                 Samvara, containment or removal of the senses

3.                 Kayagata-sati and Iriyapatha, or “Asana” means the cultivation of mindfulness and four correct postures.

4.                 Anapanasati, mindfulness of breathing

5.                 Overcoming Obstacles or five nivarana (sensual desire, ill will, anxiety and remorse, sleep and torpor, doubt, skeptical)

6.                 Sati, mindfulness, keep the object in mind, often quoted along with the comments dharana canonical.

7.                  Jhana, levels of meditative absorption

8.                 Samadhi, a result of absorption, the “realization” of various kinds or Samāpatti

Of course we’re not the first to notice similarities such as the list above. A handful of other authors have noted some more and others less obvious parallels. In fact, even Wikipedia has an entry for Yoga Sutra in which we read:

“Karel Werner writes that” the system of Patanjali is unthinkable without Buddhism. As
far as terminology goes aa long in the Yoga Sutta that reminds us of
formulations of the Buddhist Pali Canon and even more Abhidharma
Sarvastivada Sautrantika and school. “Robert Thurman writes that
Patanjali was influenced by the success of the Buddhist monastic system
to formulate its own matrix for the version of thought he considered
orthodox (…) The division between Eight States (Sanskrit Ashtanga) Yoga
is reminiscent of the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddha, and the inclusion
of brahmavihara (Yoga Sutra 1:33) also shows the influence of Buddhism
in parts of the Suttas. “