Ugh, viraamapratyayaabhyaasa, part 1
ecky
According to Vyaasa, yoga [is] samaadhi (yogaH samaadhiH).
In our understanding, according to MaharSi Patañjali's
yoga-shaastra, there are two basic types of samaadhi:
1. saMprajñaata-samaadhi (vitarkavicaaraanandaasmitaanugamaat
samprajñaataH)
2. asaMprajñaata-samaadhi (viraamapratyayaabhyaasapuurvaH saMskaara-
sheSo 'nyaH)
ecky
> According to Vyaasa, yoga [is] samaadhi (yogaH samaadhiH).
>
> In our understanding, according to MaharSi Patañjali's yoga-shaastra,
> there are two basic types of samaadhi:
>
> 1. saMprajñaata-samaadhi (vitarkavicaaraanandaasmitaanugamaat
> samprajñaataH)
Taimni's translation:
saMprajñaata-samaadhi is that which is accompanied by reasoning (vitarka),
reflection (vicaara), bliss (aananda) adn sense of pure being
(asmitaa: I-am-ness).
>
> 2. asaMprajñaata-samaadhi (viraamapratyayaabhyaasapuurvaH saMskaara-
> sheSo 'nyaH)
Taimni's translation:
the remnant impression left in the mind on the dropping of the pratyaya
after previous practice is the other (i.e. asaMprajñaata-samaadhi).
On the basis of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's teaching we might try to
translate that suutra quite differently so that it would reflect
the basic ideas behind Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation technique.
INTRODUCTION
According to saaMkhya suutras:
sattva-rajas-tamasaaM saamyaavasthaa prakRtiH prakRter mahaan
mahato 'haMkaaro 'haMkaaraat pañca tanmaatraany ubhayam indriyaM
tanmaatrebhyaH sthuula-bhuutaani puruSa iti pañca-viMshatir-gaNaH.
The sthuula-bhuutas (coarse elements) are, from coarsest to finest:
pRthivii (Earth)
jala (Water)
agni or tejas (Fire)
vaayu (Air)
aakaasha (Ether)
(continued?)
ecky
Sound is assosiated with the finest of those sthuula-bhuutas, namely
aakaasha (ether, space). The so called kSaNika-samaadhi or momentary
samaadhi, that is, the state of yoga, is easiest to "achieve" by
using a method associated with aakaasha. That method, naturally, is
mantra meditation, using a semantically "empty" short sequence of
phonemes to let the process of thinking "dive" to its source, the
transcendental field beyond thought and all creation. That field
has several names in the Vedic literature. In the MaaNDukyopaniSat
(mandukya upanishad) it's called 'caturtham' (chaturtham, the fourth):
naantaHpraGYaM na bahishhpraGYaM nobhayataHpraGYaM na praGYAnaghanaM
na praGYaM naapraGYam.h | adR^ishhTamavyavahaaryamagraahyamalakshaNaM
achintyamavyapadeshyamekaatmapratyayasaaraM prapaJNchopashamaM
shaantaM shivamadvaitaM *chaturthaM* manyante sa *aatmaa* sa viGYeyaH ..
7..
The same, slightly "analyzed":
na antaHpraGYaM na bahishhpraGYaM na+ubhayataHpraGYaM na praGYAnaghanaM
na praGYaM na apraGYam.h | a-dR^ishhTam a-vyavahaaryam a-graahyam
a-lakshaNaM a-chintyam a-vyapadeshyam eka+aatma-pratyaya-saaraM
prapaJNchopashamaM
shaantaM shivam advaitaM chaturthaM manyante sa aatmaa sa viGYeyaH .. 7..
Notice that most adjective attributes modifying 'caturtham' (chaturtham)
or 'aatmaa' are negations(?): *na* antaHpraGYam... *a*-dRStam, etc.