|
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, an ancient Yoga Source-Book
The author: Patanjali
The translator: Charles Johnston, a Dublin University Sanskrit prizeman etc.
The book: A very terse and rich source in maturing yoga.
First English edition 1949. The translation is in the public domain.
III The Book of Spiritual Powers:
1 ◊
The binding of the perceiving consciousness to a certain region is attention (dharana).
2 ◊
A prolonged holding of the perceiving consciousness in that region is meditation (dhyana).
3 ◊
When the perceiving consciousness in this meditative is wholly given to illuminating the essential meaning
of the object contemplated, and is freed from the sense of separateness and personality, this is contemplation
(samadhi).
4 ◊
When these three, Attention, Meditation Contemplation, are exercised at once, this is perfectly concentrated
Meditation [sanyama].
5 ◊
By mastering this perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama], there comes the illumination of perception.
6 ◊
This power is distributed in ascending degrees.
7 ◊
This threefold power, of Attention, Meditation, Contemplation, is more interior than the means of growth
previously described.
8 ◊
But this triad is still exterior to the soul vision which is unconditioned, free from the seed of mental
analyses.
9 ◊
One of the ascending degrees is the development of Control. First there is the overcoming of the mind-impress
of excitation. Then comes the manifestation of the mind-impress of Control. Then the perceiving consciousness
follows after the moment of Control.
10 ◊
Through frequent repetition of this process, the mind becomes habituated to it, and there arises an equable
flow of perceiving consciousness.
11 ◊
The gradual conquest of the mind's tendency to flit from one object to another, and the power of one-pointed-ness,
make the development of Contemplation.
12 ◊
When, following this, the controlled manifold tendency and the aroused one-pointed-ness are equally balanced
parts of the perceiving consciousness, his the development of one- pointed-ness
13 ◊
Through this, the inherent character, distinctive marks and conditions of being and powers, according to
their development, are made clear.
14 ◊
Every object has its characteristics which are already quiescent, those which are active, and those which
are not yet definable.
15 ◊
Difference in stage is the cause of difference in development.
16 ◊
Through perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the three stages of development comes a knowledge
of past and future.
17 ◊
The sound and the object and the thought called up by a word are confounded because they are all blurred
together in the mind. By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the distinction between them, there
comes an understanding of the sounds uttered by all beings.
18 ◊
When the mind-impressions become visible, there comes an understanding of previous births.
19 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on mind-images is gained the understanding of the thoughts
of others.
20 ◊
But since that on which the thought in the mind of another rests is not objective to the thought- reader's
consciousness, he perceives the thought only, and not also that on which the thought rests.
21 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the form of the body, by arresting the body's perceptibility,
and by inhibiting the eye's power of sight, there comes the power to make the body invisible.
22 ◊
The works which fill out the life-span may be either immediately or gradually operative. By perfectly concentrated
Meditation [sanyama] on these comes a knowledge of the time of the end, as also through signs.
23 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on sympathy, compassion and kindness, is gained the power
of interior union with others.
24 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on power, even such power as that of the elephant may be gained.
25 ◊
By bending upon them the awakened inner light, there comes a knowledge of things subtle, or concealed, or
obscure.
26 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the sun comes a knowledge of the worlds.
27 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the moon comes a knowledge of the lunar mansions.
28 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the fixed pole-star comes a knowledge of the motions of
the stars.
29 ◊
Perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the center of force in the lower trunk brings an understanding
of the order of the bodily powers.
30 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the center of force in the well of the throat, there comes
the cessation of hunger and thirst.
31 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the center of force in the channel called the "tortoise-
formed," comes steadfastness.
32 ◊
Through perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the light in the head comes the vision of the Masters
who have attained.
33 ◊
Or through the divining power of intuition he knows all things.
34 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the heart, the interior being, comes the knowledge of consciousness.
35 ◊
The personal self seeks to feast on life, through a failure to perceive the distinction between the personal
self and the spiritual man. All personal experience really exists for the sake of another: namely, the spiritual
man. By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on experience for the sake of the Self, comes a knowledge
of the spiritual man.
36 ◊
Thereupon are born the divine power of intuition, and the hearing, the touch, the vision, the taste and the
power of smell of the spiritual man.
37 ◊
These powers stand in contradistinction to the highest spiritual vision. In manifestation they are called
magical powers.
38 ◊
Through the weakening of the causes of bondage, and by learning the method of passing, the consciousness
is transferred to the other body.
39 ◊
Through mastery of the upward-life comes freedom from the dangers of water, morass, and thorny places, and
the power of ascension is gained.
40 ◊
By mastery of the binding-life comes radiance.
41 ◊
From perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the correlation of hearing and the ether, comes the power
of spiritual hearing.
42 ◊
By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the correlation of the body with the ether, and by thinking
of it as light as thistle-down, will come the power to traverse the ether.
43 ◊
The condition is, briefly, that of the awakened spiritual man, who sees and hears beyond the veil.
44 ◊
Mastery of the elements comes from perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on their five forms: the gross,
the elemental, the subtle, the inherent, the purposive.
45 ◊
Thereupon will come the manifestation of the atomic and other powers, which are the endowment of the body,
together with its unassailable force.
46 ◊
Shapeliness, beauty, force, the temper of the diamond: these are the endowments of that body.
47 ◊
Mastery over the powers of perception and action comes through perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama]
on their fivefold forms; namely, their power to grasp their distinctive nature, the element of self-consciousness
in them, their inherence, and their purposive.
48 ◊
Thence comes the power swift as thought, independent of instruments, and the mastery over matter.
49 ◊
When the spiritual man is perfectly disentangled from the psychic body, he attains to mastery over all things
and to a knowledge of all.
50 ◊
By absence of all self-indulgence at this point, when the seeds of bondage to sorrow are destroyed, pure
spiritual being is attained.
51 ◊
There should be complete overcoming of allurement or pride in the invitations of the different realms of
life, lest attachment to things evil arise once more.
52 ◊
From perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on the divisions of time and their succession comes that
wisdom which is born of discernment.
53 ◊
Hence comes discernment between things which are of like nature, not distinguished by difference of kind,
character or position.
54 ◊
The wisdom which is born of discernment is star like; it discerns all things, and all conditions of things,
it discerns without succession: simultaneously.
55 ◊
When the vesture and the spiritual man are alike pure, then perfect spiritual life is attained.
|
Back to "TOP"
|
