SAMADHI PAD SUTRA-18

             VIRAM PRATYAYA ABHYASA PURVAH SAUNSKARA SHESHA ANYAYAH

      IN YOGA, PRECEDING PART IS TO STOP OR CESSATION OF THOUGHT WAVES                 WHILE RESIDUAL  IMPRESSION OF CONTROL IS THE SUCCEEDING PART.

    In the last SUTRA we were told the 4 stages of the Samadhi. The last stage was ASMITA . In this stage the there is a feeling of "I AM".But even at this stage the CHITTA is still involved .At this stage as mentioned before the devotee starts having Intuitive vision . So then he realises that the "I" or the "SELF" is separate from the Chitta . And that one does not need chitta to 'realise ' ' Self'.Think about this way , though not perfect. If I want to climb over a wall which quite tall and I can not reach the top  by jumping . But some one gives me a boost ,so then I can grab the top of the wall and pull myself up. Now once I have grabbed the top and reached the top , I don't need the the person who gave me the boost. So once the devotee  is free of Chitta , it as a state called PARA VAIRAGYA. (One before that was APARA VAIRAGYA.).
    As we saw in the last Sutra, as one gets in to deeper or higher level of the Samadhi , the 'support' for each state is subtler . The external object of concentration is mostly 'GROSS' . Here the senses are the Gross on the receiving side . Then the Mind , which is subtler to senses, and the ego and then the intellect are still subtler.So the feeling that  "I AM " also needs some support to reflect it , which is Chitta . So one has to get rid of need for support. The SELF does not need any substratum or anything to reflect upon . It can be all by itself .So "I AM " is also a 'VRITTI' or a 'tendency' .We need to get read of this tendency . This the ultimate level.Same way  control of thoughts is also an impression or SAUSKARA.So once the out going thoughts are gone , the memories of the control of out going thoughts are also gone.

SAMADHI PAD-17 NOTE

        In the last blog I stated the 4 stages of the SAMADHI. This one is just little clarification.Each of these stages are of different levels and involved different part and have different achievements . In all of them have organ or substance involved at our level (micro) and at cosmic or universal level.So let me summarise the 4 levels .

        At the SAVITARK AND NIRVITARK LEVEL--OUR FOCUS IS GROSS ELEMENTS OR THE GROSS OBJECT,(EXTERNAL) AND AT THE PHYSICAL OR INTERNAL LEVEL IT IS SENSES.When we are successful , we ACHIEVE control over gross element and GROSS senses.
        At the SAVICHAR AND NIRVICHAR LEVEL-- OUR FOCUS IS SUBTLE ELEMENTS (EXTERNAL) AND AT THE PHYSICAL OR INTERNAL LEVEL IT IS IT IS SUBTLE SENSES AND MIND.When we are successful , we have control over subtle elements and the MIND.
         AT THE SANAD LEVEL--OUR FOCUS IS AHANKAR OR EGO,BOTH AT COSMIC AND AT OUR PHYSICAL LEVELS , When we are successful , we have many psychic powers and purity of mind.
          AT THE ASMITA LEVEL--OUR FOCUS IS ORIGIN OF THE EGO OR INTELLECT AT OUR PHYSICAL LEVEL AND SO CALLED MAHAT TATWA AT COSMIC LEVEL.When we are successful,we Achieve INTUITIVE VISION.
          Please note that everything is not pure at one particular level . There is some mixing of the control and since the CHITTA is very difficult to define or for that matter understand, we have some combination of the control and nothing is absolute at only one level.
          Even being attached to Bliss or Anad, which may be ever lasting , it is still attachment and the KAIWALYA is still beyond it . If one starts 'using' the powers that he or she has gained by reaching certain level of the Samadhi , then he is going to get 'stuck' at that level. Also if one is expecting certain powers or looking for them , while concentrating, he is not going to get them and get 'lost' in the thought of getting the powers. So when we are practicing , we should let the chips where ever that do . DO NOT EXPECT ANYTHING OR LOOK FOR ANYTHING.

SAMADHI PAD-SUTRA-17 CONTINUED

    In this Sutra, 4 different stages of Samadhi were described.As I stated it starts with lower level and then goes higher. We start with external point of attraction and then we don't need it physically as we can just 'think' of it and concentrate on it. This is the VITARK stage of Samadhi , the SAVITARK and NIRVITARK. This one is at the level of senses, which is the lowest level . After significant practice of this stage , we go higher level. In this stage,the external object becomes subtler.So as soon as we think of the statue, we can concentrate. Then slowly we loose touch with the time and place and can do the concentration more easily at any time and any place, without needing the statue . Just the thought is enough.
     Now we come to the next stage. This is called ANAND. The meaning of ANAND is bliss or happiness.This is at the level of Ego. We need to understand how we get to be happy . Generally speaking there are 3 reasons why we are Happy. The first is sense organ pleasure. When we eat , what we like and love , we are happy as we experience pleasure.. This is the lowest level of the happiness. It could be procreation , excretion or hunger, all of these are lower levels of the pleasures, we are working at the senses level . Then there is a little higher level of Mind .When we wish something , getting a promotion or getting a child or our child getting a success in examination or sport or something etc , we are happy Here the mind is happy . SO called Love from Heart, not from just sense pleasure.. The next one is  what happens in the SAMADHI. In the first two causes we think that the source of happiness is outside us , in a external source. So if I eat an ice cream , I think ice cream gives me the happiness . If I listen to a music , the music causes the happiness . But if it is so , then every one should 'like' same food as the food causes the happiness. But it is not so.Many may not like the steak or ice cream and do not get happiness . If every sexual act was giving happiness , then even rape would be pleasurable. But it is not.So now it is clear that the pleasure is within our mind and not in senses.So when the we concentrate and we have some success in having the union with the Self , we perceive the happiness. This is not related to our external source of statue or even thinking about it , but we JUST FEEL HAPPY. This is the called the SANAND level .The reason it is called to be at the level of Ego or AHANKAR , is because we are still not free from the bodily attachment of the self. This is the ego.
        In the next level , which is called SASMITA level .ASMI  means 'I AM'. There subtle difference in these two stages . Whenever there is any emotion , or happiness , it is due to the GUNAS , So even though we are experiencing the happiness , we are still not FREE. This happens  when no other thought is left , not even the happiness , but the feeling of "i".These are the 4 stages of SAMPRDNYAT SAMADHI.
     Again the progress is very slow in first two , but then it is little faster . But there is no alternative to the 'practice'. This is need to be in association with the change in day to day behaviour. (Does and Don'ts of behaviour).But one thing for sure . NO ONE CAN DO BRAIN SURGERY BY READING BOOK ON BRAIN SURGERY , ONE HAS TO PRACTICE . Same holds true about achieving the SAMADHI .  

SAMADHI PAD-SUTRA-17

                 VITARK VICHAR ,SANADA ASMITA ANUGAMAT SAMPRADNYTAH

                 IN SAMPRADNYAT SAMADHI THERE IS CONFLICT(OR                                        ARGUMENTATION),DELIBERATION OR REFLECTION (BY THOUGHT),JOY AND FEELING OF  "I AM" IN ASCENDING ORDER

      Now this sutra is talking about the stages of the samadhi, called Sampradnyat Samadhi.So the first stage is called Vitark , then the next is Vichar, then is the Sanad and then is Sasmit. In each level there is different level at our body.The first 2 have subclasses. Vitark has Savitrk and Nirvitark.and the Vichar has Savichar and Nirvikar.
      When the devote starts to do meditation, he starts at lower level and then as he progresses , he goes higher and higher. When he meditates at the level of senses, it sill the lowest level. So when we meditate , we try to 'engage' the different senses to help concentrate our mind or Chitta. So we may have slow music to engage our hearing , burn scented candle to engage our sense of smell and a oil or Ghee lamp along with a statue or picture of the Deity to engage our mind and sight.We sit in a comfortable position, without any noise around, so as to allow best concentration. It is also advised to not have eaten heavy meals in last few hours,so as to avoid it causing stomach upset or induce sleep.This all helps us to concentrate . But we still need the help of all these external sources ,so this is called Vitark. We are also advised to chant a Mantra, understand the meaning.and understand or have the 'knowledge'. So our attention is still with all these external help. So this is called SA-VITARK. Once we start concentrating without having to have 'word'or it's 'meaning' or 'understand' it.Now we can just concentrate on the object of our affection , like statue of our favorite God,In this stage we still needs the help from outside sources to prevent our senses wandering and breaking our concentration.So this is still a VITARK , but the sub class called NIRVITARK.
      So in Vitark state of samadhi, we have concentration of mind with help of all the physical help from external sources.Once the devotee practices this for long time , he starts getting better. As mentioned before,the devotee does not need the words, their meaning,or the knowledge that comes with it. He can concentrate without the them . The next state is when one does not even need the statue or the picture or all the other things that are needed before. He can just 'think' about the God and he sees it in front of his eyes and he can concentrate on it. So just the 'Vichar' which means thought, brings the appearance of the statue in front of him. This is the early state of the VICHAR samadhi. When one is aware of the 'time'or 'place', it is called SAVICHAR.So we can just close eyes and think of the God and then we get in to the samadhi. It does not matter, where we are. Then we go in to the state of samadhi, we loose the contact with the time or place and this is called NIR-VICHAR SAMADHI.Something else also happens in this state. We start looking at subtle part of the GOD or the statue. In the very beginning we are aware of all the external things. When there is little noise , we get disturbed , then we are OK even when there is external disturbance , we are able to concentrate , as long as the statue is in front of us . Then we don't need the actual statue and can get in the trance,without the statue, at any time , any place though we are aware of it. And then we loose the time and are not aware of the appearance of the statue , what it is made of . We start looking 'beyond 'it . So the appearance ,which very important in the beginning stages is not important at all .We are beyond it . This is called NIVICHAR SAMADHI.
    One last word. As we start achieving higher stare, we get more subtle.Senses are 'gross',then the 'mind' is subtle. and then the intellect and ego are still subtler.  

SAMADHI PAD-SUTRA16

                        TAT PARAM PURUSHAKHYATER GUNA VAITRUSHNYAM

IN SUPREME DISPASSION THERE IS NON ATTACHMENT TO GUNAS (WHICH ARE PART OF NATURE OR PRAKRUTI) AS ONE KNOWS THE PURUSH(SPIRIT)

    We were told that when we control the waves of thought in our mind, we have union with the prusha.The thoughts arise due to 5 different causes. The GUNAS  are part of NATURE  or PRAKRUTI,and spirit is independent observer, but it appears to be part of NATURE, when obscured by GUNAS.So when there is complete 'understanding or knowledge' of SPIRIT or PURUSHA, then there is no attachment left to even GUNAS.Whenever there is GUNA, there is going to be an effect. As we recollect , the Tamasic Guna leads to laziness or vice or inertia ,the Rajasic Guna leads to action and the Satwic to Purity.So even when we have dispassion there is still likely hood of attachment to at least Satwic Guna , if not Rajasic or Tamasic. But at this level of evolution , there is no desire to even do a good deal .
    " I do not do anything , I am just an independent observer," This the attitude of the devotee who has achieved this level.There are several levels of the SAMADHI and each level has a different cosmic  planes and at subjective level.So when we go in to higher levels , different plane are achieved.I will sumerise it in this SUTRA as starting with next one we will be talking about they will discuss the same .
      In the subjective plane, it is CHITTA or the mind and PRAKRUTI at the cosmic level, the samadhi is ASAMPRADNYAT SAMADHI. At the level of intellect it is SASMITA SAMADHI.,at the Ego level it is called  SANANAD SAMADHI and at cosmic plane it is AHANKAR.At the senses level it is NIRVICHAR SAVICHAR SAMADHI, and at the physical body level it is NIRVITARK AND SAVITARK SAMADHI.This all sounds confusing , but it is easy once we know the meaning of these words.At each level , there is some power that devotee experiences .But that will be the next one.

SAMADHI PAD SUTRA -15

            DRISHTA ANUSHRAVIK VISHAYA VAITRISHNASYA VASHIKAR SAUDNYA                         VAIRAGYAM

THINGS (WE HAVE )SEEN,AND THING (WE HAVE) KNOWN THROUGH SCIENCE,--WE HAVE THE ATTRACTION FOR-WHEN THAT ATTRACTION IS GONE FROM THE CHITTA,MIND,THAT DISPASSION IS CALLED VASHIKAR

    We in this world know things through our sense organs . So we see ,we  touch , we hear , and we smell,and we taste.So when we have contact of external objects to our mind,,through our sense organs, we either have 'good' or 'bad' feeling. We either like it or we hate it. This leads to the desire to have it, if the experience was happy and desire to avoid it if the experience was painful.As we have seen before , this causes thought waves . So if we like Pizza and have tasted , then when we see pizza or when we are hungry , we have a desire to eat pizza.The repeated experiences will lead to more firm impression and that leads to more firm desire. This is called circle of mind.So the action leads to experience , that leads to impression and impression leads to desire,which leads to action again.So this is 1st of the attractions.
    The second one is what has been told to us by scriptures or learned people or saints.So this is called ANUSHRAVIK , the one that we have 'heard'.The concept of heaven or hell ,concept of Satan so on are some of the examples of this type. Then there are thing that are told to us .Foe example ,we are told that if we practice the meditation for long time we will have powers to read mind or see in the future or cure a disease or we can transfer ourselves from one place to another in no time etc..Again these are experienced by others and we are told that we can experience them. So we develop desires to acquire these powers. We want to experience the Heaven and we want to have the powers to do things that we normally can not, the powers that we are told we can have .This is also an attachments.And then when we are meditating, the thoughts will come related to it.(thoughts of having powers or experiencing Heaven etc.)So when we have no thoughts related to either one of these then we have achieved some level of dispassion.
    Now the questions arise what is the difference between the animals and the human beings.This is important to understand as although we are 'animals' and we have 'evolved 'over several lives,we are still animals.The animals act on instinct. So when they are hungry , they will eat , whatever is front of them. (as long as they can eat it ). If it is hot, they will go in shade , if it is raining they will find a shelter. With the animals in 'heat' they will have sex.They do not not do this at random.But we human beings  try to find out more comfortable life and 'create' things to enjoy and further our pleasures. We are the only 'animals' who have sex at random. But the GOD gave us the discriminating powers. We have conscience and we can think and decide if some thing is good or bad.Also we have curiosity about the world and have the concept of the GOD and we try to 'solve ' the problems and have the answers.These thing are not given to pure animals.Only Humans have these abilities.You don't see dog meditating. So we need to 'use 'this God given gift, rather than wasting our life in having more pleasures as having more pleasures will make us attach to this mortal body and brings us back to cycles of life and death.So slowly we need to get out of these attachments and break the cycle. This does not mean we need to not live in a house or not have A.C. or we should not enjoy good food .It means that one should not get attached to these thing.
     As was mentioned in the past all the thought process is due to 3 GUNAS.So when the Tamasic Guna is dominant , then we are idle , involved in overindulgence of food , alcohol etc. When there is dominance of Rajasic Guna, then the mind is thrown outward, to external attraction and enjoyment and 'action'. And when the SATWIC Guna gets upper hand then we start realising that the external sources of enjoyments are 'transient' and superficial and satisfy only the physical body. This realisation makes us 'look' inside and towards the solution for changing this situation.So this the earliest stage of change of mind .or the VAIRAGYA.This is called YATAMANAM (YAT-MANAM).Here the individual is making efforts and has some decreased inclination for bodily pleasure and development of mental pleasure . He starts some chanting , some meditation , some reduction in bodily enjoyment etc.
    As we practice this path of chanting, meditation and trying to avoid the situation where we will be indulging, then our day to day behavioral changes.Then there is progress in the mental attitude .He starts having some control over certain faculties .So we still do not have control on all the desires , but have some control on some of the desires.This is the stage called VYATIREKAM.This is the second stage.
    In the next stage , which is the 3rd stage, there is further progress. The desires are part of  physical sense organs of the body , the mind and the intellect. So we can control the organs of perception, but not the mind.(physically we may not drink alcohol or indulge in excessive eating or a particular food , but the mind may continue to have thoughts of this.) In the next stage the mind is under control, but the intellect is not firmly in it.So we may have 'gaps' in our study.The seed of the desires are still not uprooted. So they pop up at times.This is called EKENDRIYA VAIRAGYA.
    The next one which is described in this Sutra is called VASHIKAR VAIRAGYA.The stage is reaches by the devotee , when he has burned all the desires and his mind does not deviate by attractions.If one watches his behaviour, it may not be any any different than average person.So he eats same food that everyone else eats , he will mingle among others and may be seen in as a normal average person. But these things do not affect him . As we saw every 'action' has ' impreesion' ,and 'impressin' leads to desire and desire leads to action . So how come the action does not lead to more bondage , or attachments and desires  in this devotee?If the seeds of desires are sown ,then there is going to be the tree and the fruits of these seeds are bound to be there. Only way we can explain this that these are 'raosted' seeds.So they are incapable of sprouting and get in to any fruits.This may be compared to seed falling on a rock or having no fertiliser, water and so does not grow in to a plant.This is the VASHIKAR VAIRAGYA. This is not the ultimate state.
   

SMADHI PAD SUTRA-14

          SA TU DEERGHAKAL NAIRANTARYA SATKARA SEVITO DEETGHA BHUMIH

WHEN THIS ABHYASA IS PRACTICED WELL, WITHOUT BREAK,AND WITH FAITH AND DEVOTION, BECOMES FIRMLY ESTABLISHED.

     So the previous Sutra talked about doing the practice to achieve the single pointedness of the mind . Now this sutra clarifies some of the details . We today are the society of 'instsnt gratification' So we want to know as to when we take Tylenol how long will it take to see the effect.So this Sutra tells us that one has to practice the meditation for long time . But it is different than working 40 quarters to get social security.Then it does not matter if we work continuously, as long as total is 40 quarters.No with this practice one must do the abhyasa or meditation daily and continuously  everyday.Some people will tell that one has to do as much as 3-4 hours for many years . Please note that the development of the mind and concentration is never wasted. So if one does the practice this life it will be effective in next life. So we will have some effect from our efforts ,practice from last life . But if we take breaks , then we will not be progressing as fast as if we do the practice it daily without break. Think about playing golf or tennis . If we play every day we will be better than if we play only on weekends or only once in a while.So each one of us is at different levels of level and each will need different time to get at higher level.
     The second important point is one can not achieve the goal if we continue to practice without 'firmly believing ' in it.So just the practice is not good enough, unless it is accompanied by trust and devotion.Many of us do the meditation and then complained that we are not successful or that "No one really knows that one can achieve it". So if we don't have the faith , then we will not be successful. This does not mean that we have to believe and everything then anybody in orange clothes tell us.But we should either a Guru and follow him faithfully.
     The last point is about the time . If one wants to become a  physician, he or she has to do 12 years of school, then 4 years of college and then 4 years of medical school and then if he or she wants to more than 'just MD' then 3 years of more medicine and then the specialisation for 3 or mor years . This is for the simple medical science where the human body ,the 'model' does not change . If our goal is 'perceiving  GOD' certainly more years of practice is needed
 SO ONE HAS TO PRACTICE ALL THE TIME , WITHOUT BREAK AND FOR LONG TIME AND WITH DEVOTION AND FAITH..