Part 4.10 - Samyama and its effects (parinama)

[Full title: The Concept and Content of Patanjali Yogadarsana (10): Samyama and its effects (parinama)]

The entire inner process takes long time to accomplish the transformation from one state to another initially. But, with consistent practice and mastering the art of concentration, the time duration keeps on decreasing. After prolonged experience, one is able to train his mind to attain the state of samadhi directly or together all three stages namely dharana, dhyana and samadhi. This simultaneous process or merger is possible only when he has a complete control over the entire process of transformation. This total control or mastery of experiencing all three stages is called as samyama^[1].

This is also the direct knowledge as acquired through more direct aids. The light of knowledge, special intuition power is gained by mastery of samyama, the three-fold process^[2]. But, Patanjali says, even these are not direct aids to the higher or seedless (nirbija) samadhi. So, one has to make more serious and intense efforts.

Actually, this entire inward going process is a continuous journey of moving over from dharana to samadhi via dhyana on the same object without getting any break. The subject for all three angas should be the same. So, it should be chosen with great care, with a natural likings and deep devotion. Samadhi is merely an advance phase of dhyana where there is no mind’s awareness. This can be judged only by state of one’s mind and not by any physical symptoms or expressions. It is totally different from the “Trans” state, though when he comes back from the samadhi, he brings transcendent knowledge, wisdom, peace and inner strength with him.

After prolonged practice of meditation, the aspirant enters the sphere of all pervasive knowledge, which is samprajnata according to Patanjali and then transcends the sphere of knowledge to enter into another realm of consciousness which is beyond experience.

Though, these three (trio) are antaranga (internal) as compared to previous five angas of Patanjali’s astamgayoga, they are actually external to the nirbija or asamprajnata samadhi as per yogasutras 3.7 and 3.8.

Patanjali has listed about thirty different subjects to which application of samyama can produce about fifty five spiritual powers called as vibhutis or some of the scholars translate it as siddhis. These vibhutis are some sort of special knowledge or powers which appear to be miraculous and the details are mentioned in his third chapter named as vibhutipada. Vibhuti literally means “a state of special development”^[3]. These vibhutis are not astounding supernormal powers or magical siddhis but are definite results of a law known to the science of Yoga. The true spiritual person achieving these vibhutis shall never exploit this power for selfish wordly gain. Else, it becomes hurdle on the spiritual path. Rather one should take these vibhutis as indicators of the progress on the spiritual path similar to milestones on the road and use them for their development. They are essential prerequisites on the path of liberation. One should not try to attain it or stick to it. Unlike siddhis, vibhutis are not detrimental to yoga but helpful for Yogi’s progress and a few almost essential for attainment of kaivalya^[4]. That must be the reason why Patanjali has specially written a separate chapter on vibhutis before writing the last chapter kaivalyapada.

Normally, when we get focused on an object and continue till its maximum depth like a scientist, we start gaining the complete knowledge about all the aspects of the object. The process results into knowledge of unknown factors like scientific discoveries and inventions. And if the object of meditation is spiritual, the result is likely to be the total realization of the object and self realization as well, once we get totally absorbed into it like description of Patanjali’s samadhi.

Thus, the experience of Samyama is as good as direct and instantaneous sabija samadhi. Sabija samadhi is concerned with knowledge and powers exercised within realm of prakrti which is beginning of journey towards kaivalya, the liberation. Mastery of this samyama illuminates special intuititional power or rtambhara prajna, but its application should be made in the stages, one after the other depending on the nature of object as per Yogasutra^[5].

No body who has not conquered the lower stage can achieve samyama into higher stage by jumping over the intermediate stage. Those, who are established in the higher stage by virtue of the profound meditation upon Isvara and who have achieved that truth by other means need not go for samyama over the lower stages. One of the scholars, Bengali Baba nicely describes different aspects of Yoga while experiencing the spiritual journey: “Yoga (samadhi) is to be understood by the help of Yoga (samyama, the trio) only. Yoga (one-pointedness) comes up from Yoga (spiritual action); one who is serious in Yoga (course of action) rejoices in Yoga (union) forever”^[6]. The state of higher consciousness (prajna) remains in all stages of samapattis right from vitarka till the end of asmita. Its role ends with the stage of vivekakhyati (pure-awareness).

Samyama is the key which unlocks the doors of the hidden worlds which we can”t see with our physical apparatus. Once citta transcends samyama and enters into nirbija state, there is no more wordliness associated with the practitioner and what he acquires after this is beyond description, though it is only significant from spiritual angle. There is no effective impression on the citta. It leads to almost cittavrtti nirodha state for a short duration. As this is most peaceful state of mind, one should try to maintain for long duration. Yogasutras 3.9 to 3.12 throw light on essential nature of the mental processes resulting into mental transformation (three parinamas) which are involved on the path of yoga that leads to samadhi. These are higher states of Yoga.

In order to bring this transformation of citta, the meditative practice should be repeated again and again till the state of one-pointedness is acquired. For example, if abhyasa of samadhipada is repeated constitently, vairagya automatically follows at the mental state. The abhyasa of meditative practices dharana, dhyana and samadhi should be continued repeatedly for long time to achieve and maintain this state. The control of mental fluctuations (cittavrttis) starts with the stage of dharana where our efforts are all the time trying to suppress the distractions and substituting in their place one object on which meditation is to be performed.

There are three fundamental transformations (parinamas) of mind, during the process of meditation. They are:

1. samadhi parinama;
2. ekagrata parinama;
3. nirodha parinama;

When mental distractions finally vanish and one-pointedness of mind arises, it is samadhi parinama of citta, where there is a progress from savitarka to nirvitarka. The impression which holds the field of consciousness is called vyutthana samskara and the impression which opposes or tries to replace it is called nirodha samskara as per Yogasutra.^[7]

A continuous undisturbed state of mental tranquility is attained and maintained through latent impressions as explained in yogasutra^[8]. And with this continuity, the ultimate result of this samadhi (samadhi parinama) is diminution of all distractions (or attention to all the objects) and development of one-pointedness (ekagrata)^[9].

There is also a momentary state between two successive impressions where the mind is present in unmodified condition. The object of nirodha parinama is to produce at will this momentary state (niruddha) and then, to extend it. Ideally, one should be able to maintain this state for sufficient long time. Thus, nirodha parinama is the result of willful practices of samadhi parinama and ekagra parinama. Samadhi parinama eliminates the tendency of distractions to appear in the field of consciousness and ekagra parinama establishes the same tendency (seed) to persist without interruption^[10]. Transformation in different stages of samadhis is samadhi parinama. The practice of nirodha parinama starts with dharana and lasts till the attainment of ekagrata state. The essential nature of samadhi parinama is gradual reduction of all-pointed condition of the mind to one-pointed condition. The attainment of nirvirtaka stage marks the completion of samadhi parinama as far as the vitarka stage of samprajnata samadhi is concerned^[11].

Actually at this stage, the subject in mind (vrtti) which is subsiding and the subject which is coming up in the next instant in citta are both identical in every respect, without there being the slightest difference in experience (pratyaya) that the citta is having about the subject. This gives us the feeling of having the same continuous experience (ekagrata parinama)^[12] of a subject.

Such mind practicing samyama (ekagra citta) as described above has capability of transforming the essential nature or basic characteristics (dharma parinama), symptoms (laksana parinama) and state (avastha parinama) of a thing (sutra-3.13). The result of samyama seems to be strange or miraculous, but is produced by a law of nature.

Patanjali in his Yogasutra, points out that all the phenomena whether brought about by action or natural forces or by will of a Yogi are due to the appearance or disappearance of the corresponding properties in prakrti. These changes do not occur in a haphazard manner but according to definite and exact law of nature and sequence which determine with mathematical precision the manner and order of changes according to his yogasutra^[13].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

trayamekatrasaṃyamaḥ || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.4

[2]:

tajjayātprajñālokaḥ || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.5 ||

[3]:

P.V.Karambelkar, Patanjala Yogasutra, Kaivalyadham, Lonavla, p.359

[4]:

Ibid, p.360

[5]:

tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.6

[6]:

Bengali Baba, Yogasutra of Patanjali with the Commentary of Vyasa, Motilal Banarsidass Publisher Pvt.Ltd, Delhi, 2005, p.67

[7]:

vyutthānanirodhasaṃskārayorabhibhavaprādurbhāvaunirodhakṣaṇacittānvayonirodhapariṇāmaḥ || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.9

[8]:

tasyapraśāntavāhitā saṃskārāt || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.10

[9]:

sarvārthataikāgratayoḥ kṣayodayau cittasya samādhipariṇāmaḥ || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.11

[10]:

I.K.Taimni, The Science of Yoga, The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai, 2005, p.262

[11]:

Ibid., p.265

[12]:

tataḥ punaḥ śāntoditau tulyapratyayau cittasyaikāgratā pariṇāmaḥ || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.12

[13]:

kramānyatvaṃ pariṇāmānyatve hetuḥ || Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.15, I.K.Taimni, The Science of Yoga, The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai, 2005, p.271