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•  The Yoga Suttas of Patanjali: a manual of Buddhist meditation.
  

  

  The Yoga Suttas of Patanjali: a manual of Buddhist meditation.

  
  

  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. “

  Now
  this is where the subject becomes interesting for us here on this blog
  and its relevance to the practice of Buddhist meditation.

  
  

  Doesall
  the above tells us that the Yoga Sutra is a comment Hindu / Brahmin or
  at least a photograph of meditation practices common (influenced by
  Buddhism) in the second century BC?

• If this is the case, definitely warrants a closer look at. Certainly,
  this is because the text is not a Buddhist but shares a “core” of
  fundamental ideas on meditation to be able to take it as a sign pointing
  to a deeper understanding of some of the terminology in the context of the first centuries of Buddhist practice.

  
  

  Thus,
  if the Yoga Sutta is read in a Buddhist context, one can have some idea
  of how people understood at that time and (ou!) practiced Buddhist
  meditation? Could this be of some help in triangular or point of which was the direction of former Buddhist meditation?

  The
  more we know how people practiced a few centuries after the Buddha’s
  Parinibbana, the more we can understand how some of his teachings have
  evolved and how they were implemented and explained / taught.

  What
  makes this fascinating idea is that this text would definitely be
  filterable through the eyes of a Hindu / Brahman, but he is still
  influenced by the “knowledge” of Buddhist meditation apparently so well
  received, and the time of his writing had become the mainstream
  “contemplative practices. This would show us how and
  in what particular point, was considered to be the “essence” of
  meditation (in addition to being philosophical discussion of its
  purpose) in order to be considered universally true, then that can be
  “merged” into other forms of practice religious.

  Under this view, the Yoga Sutra is actually quite revealing. Consider a few passages that copies may shed light on this idea. Passages like the following really seems a direct copy and paste the Buddha-Dhamma. Some of them even make much sense in a context of religious doctrine theological-in-search-of-the-soul-creationist , but it fits absolutely in the philosophy of liberation through concentration and wisdom. However,
  they were considered “truth” and “accepted” so that the author Hindu /
  Brahman had no other choice but to incorporate them into their theistic
  philosophy, reminding us Western Christians today that due to the common
  acceptance of the idea karma / kamma, sometimes find ways to
  incorporate this idea in their religious views.

  
  

  Let’s start seeing the following list of impurities that Yoga Sutra tells us must be overcome:

  
  

  “Avidya
  (ignorance), Asmita (egoism), raga-Dvesha (desires and aversions),
  Abhinivesha (clinging to mundane life) are the five klesha or distress. Destroy these afflictions [e] You will realize Samadhi. “

  [Free translation of the original quote from Wikipedia]

  What
  impresses the reader as Buddhist before this paragraph is the simple
  fact that all these impurities listed are those that no longer are you
  supposed to Arahant one, or Awakened (!!!). That is, according to the text of Patanjali, the “Samadhi of Conduct” would be conceptually the same as the Buddhist Liberation.

  Consider the terms used:

  Avijja,
  ignorance or mental turvidão is even mentioned in the first place,
  while clearly a Buddhist point of view is considered the root of all
  problems.

  Then
  “asmita”, which is superficially translated as “selfishness” by
  understanding that had developed in shallow Sanskrit tradition that was
  ignorant of the deeper meaning of that term as used in the suttas of the
  Pali Canon (or tried to distort to suit your context religious).

  This
  term Buddhist in particular, pointing to the deeply embedded “notion
  that it is” (ASMI-tā) has a clear explanation in the suttas, but here in
  this passage and elsewhere, is reduced to a mere “selfishness” as a
  moral impurity devoid of its original psychological application. In
  the suttas “ASMI-Mana” is a deeply rooted psychological tendency that
  only a Arahant (Iluminsfo) won [see post “The scent of am” blog
  Theravadin].

  And
  there is also “abhinivesa”, a term the Buddha uses to explain how our
  mind comes in and assumes the five groups of attachment. The
  term “Nives” denotes a dwelling, a house - a simile brought by the
  Buddha to show how our consciousness moves “inside” of the contact
  experience of the senses and settles as if living in a house (see Sutta
  Nipata, Atthakavagga , and Haliddakani Magandiya Sutta Sutta). This
  usage is decreased very particular psychological context in Hindu /
  Brahmin to denote only an “attachment to worldly life.”But here is worth
  questioning whether this was also shared by superficial understanding
  or just by Patanjali Yoga Sutra later commentators, who have lost sight
  of these implications for not having knowledge of or access to the
  preceding context of Buddhism in the Yoga Sutra was written?

  And sometimes something awakening about the “sati” Buddhist can also be found. We
  have another pearl of a Buddhist point of view, which can be considered
  truly revealing: the use of the word “Dharana” in the text of
  Patanjali.

  This is one area in which our contemporary knowledge of Buddhism can benefit from insights. The
  term “Dharana”, which literally means short and “I can hold, carry,
  keep (in mind)” is a good description of the task faced in Buddhist
  contemplative practice, regardless of what tradition / schoolconsidered.

  In meditation we also need to maintain our meditation object firmly in focus in mind, without losing it. This
  central feature of the task undertaken when trying to cultivate
  meditative concentration, relates as an equivalent to the literal
  meaning of the Buddhist term “sati” (which means reminder / recall) and
  what is general and now translated simply as “mindfulness” - a
  translation that often aboard with questions.

  And the reason is as follows, in summary: To maintain the object of meditation in mind you need to remember it. Remember here that means you have to hold, keep in mind, your object of concentration. This
  is exactly what makes the faculty of memory, usually being pushed away
  by the impressions with new information by the six senses, which, if
  penetrated, would result in more or less a wild spin.

  If
  you are able to sustain their concentration on one point however - or
  even as much as you can keep it, one of the laws of functioning of the
  mind that the Buddha rediscovered and explained in detail that this
  rebate is “artificial” senses the support and focus on a particular
  mental object equivalent to a minor sensory stimulus.

  As
  a result of mental calmness and happiness (piti) and happiness index
  (sukha) will arise and show signs of the primeirs a stronger
  concentration - these being two of the five factors of meditative
  absorption (jhana), along with (i) directed thought (vitakka) (ii)
  sustained (Vicara) and (iii) equanimity (Upekkha).

  This
  is also the reason why is quite logical that samma sati, mindfulness,
  has to come before samma samadhi, full concentration in the Noble
  Eightfold Path of Buddhism - or, as shown in this case in the Yoga
  Sutta, “Dharana” would be the stage immediately prior to “Delivering the
  Samadhi.”

  In
  this case the Yoga Sutra throws much light on the original meaning as
  understood in the early centuries of Buddhist practice and can help us
  reach a more precise understanding of what “samma sati, right
  mindfulness, originally meant or pointed. (In Theravadin blog post is a rather plain and that shows how sati yoniso manasikara are coming in practical terms, check this link ).

  On
  the opposite side, or better, understanding it as a byproduct of the
  practice of sati is no other term that would best be described as
  “mindfulness.” The Pali term is sampajaññā -
  which literally means “next-consideration”, eg, be well aware of when
  performing an action, then a “clear understanding” of what it does - but
  this activity is a result of sati, as having the mind fixed on an
  object leads to a refined consciousness that arises when during the next
  and keep the mind of an object, creating a clear understanding of the
  few sensory impressions that may enter. According to this concept, mindfulness would be a result of sati and not the practice of sati in itself!

  But
  again, both activities are happening almost simultaneously, even if not
  in the same order and then the current use of the term translated can
  be done - at the same time a fine distinction, however, has its
  benefits. You can not keep an object from the
  standpoint of mind without which would create or develop mindfulness in
  mind - but (unfortunately!) you may be aware of all your actions that
  you work without the right concentration - as when eat an ice cream, in
  seeking the sensual pleasure, an example of improper care. This being the fact that unfortunately idealize the interpretations of some Westerners who want to say “Buddhist”.

  There
  is a difference between deliberately let himself be led by sense
  impressions by focusing on their physical pleasures and enhancing /
  supporting raga (desire) and nandi (joy) - and, from the perspective of
  Gotama Buddha, put his feet on the ground using the mindful memory and
  thus experiencing a more refined awareness of trying to get it off the
  shaft so that it results in a greater mindfulness, in the culmination of
  his experience flows into total equanimity in the face of both
  pleasurable and painful sensations.

  Thus,
  then, we must understand as vipassanā is no way a synonym for
  mindfulness (sati) but something that springs from the combination of
  all these factors especially the last two, samma sati (mindfulness) and
  samma samadhi (right concentration) applied to the relentless
  observation of what appears to be in front of (yathabhuta).

  You
  could say, vipassanā is a name for the Buddhist practice of sati
  associated samadhi directed to the view anicca / anatta / dukkha (ie,
  generating the wisdom of the vision of these three features) in the
  processes of the six senses, including any mental activity. Thus, one will find the term vipassanā but the idea of sati in
  the Yoga Sutra, Buddhist texts mention as the first term clearly having
  samādhi as just the beginning of the journey to insight and access -
  for example aniccanupassana .

  Finish here the parenthesis. Suffice 
  to say that any particular reference to the Buddhist philosophy citing
  anicca antta or point to the goal of Nibbana, a philosophical
  proposition to which the system of Yoga certainly does not refer.

  In essence the school of Yoga can be placed below the postures eternalists. So,
  while it definitely does need to produce sati-samadhi, definitely does
  not need to understand is samadhi anicca, dukkha and anatta - that does
  not sound very compatible with the worldview of a eternalistic. Before
  this, all spiritual approach arise due to the attempt to interpret
  Samadhi Yoga Sutra as marriage or at least as close as you can get from a
  “God”, a “Lord.” Something that sounds quite natural in
  the end to a theist - such as an Evangelical Christian would never
  interpret the reduction of its focus on mental object unique sensual
  ecstasy and consequently a mere effect of a psychological technique, but
  he would label it “the divine sign of God touching him. “ It
  is for this reason that, according to the Buddha Dhamma, in fact in
  most situations we are inclined to be led by the plots of our senses,
  including the mental impressions / thoughts / feelings / perceptions -
  and therefore tend to limit ourselves to go beyond such experiences also
  distorted the merger would allow access to insight and liberation.

  Returning
  to the context of comparison with the Christian interpretation of this
  ecstasy, in short what Patanjali is facing such a theistic
  interpretation sounds like someone moving a large portion of vocabulary
  and terminology for the New Testament, which gives this ring a Buddhist.

  The
  funny thing is that this is exactly how many of the contemporary New
  Age books are written - an amalgam of the terms of Western Spirituality /
  Christian trying to express a view east. So one can
  imagine that the situation in India was similar to that when the Yoga
  Sutta was written addressing the Buddhist philosophy of that era.

  The
  remaining Buddhist philosophy with his particular terminology
  established by the Buddha himself would have become so pervasive in
  religious thought, so to make seemingly trusted what was written on
  meditation was a need to borrow or rely on several of these Buddhist
  concepts predominant. This had largely been done or
  even conscious, as most New Age authors present not even reflect the
  content of their texts but about the message you want to spend.

  Thus,
  below is done in a way a translation - or rather a translation of a
  transliteration given the proximity between languages - as was done with
  the text of the Yoga Sutra in Sanskrit brought back to Pāli. Similar to what has been done this Sutra ( Theravadin available on the blog, in English on this link ),
  the exercise helps us see how the same text would sound the Pāli
  language, opening then find parallels in ancient Buddhist texts, the
  suttas.

  However,
  having said all that, pragmatism invoked by the text (which is what
  makes it so valuable) also indicates much more than a simple textual
  exploration. As you read this you can not discern
  the notion, especially since the position of a meditator concentration
  of whoever has written or inspired by this text, at some point
  personally experienced jhana and samadhi and wanted to convey his
  experience making use a rich language Buddhist meditation on the same
  interpretation being directed to an audience Brahman / proto-Hindu India
  200 BC.

  Anyway,
  check by itself - the pauses between sets of paragraphs labeled in bold
  are the author / translator and some important technical terms
  Buddhists were deployed, with additional comments made in italics: