Vidyā and Avidyā in Yoga Philosophy

Avidya is illiteracy. This is to consider that ātman and anātman are one, not to understand that the differences between eternal and non-eternal and indiscrimination between preyas and śreyas.

According to Yoga Philosophy five types of kleśas are described. They are—

1. avidyā (ignorance),
2. asmita (egotism),
3. rāga (attachment),
4. dveṣa (aversion) and
5. abhiniveśa (love of life).^[1]

All are equal but ignorance is the principal one and root of all miseries. Ignorance is the source of other four kleśas whether in dormant, attenuated, alternating and expanded condition.^[2] Avidya is to consider non-eternal as eternal, impure as pure, the dukha as pleasure and the anātman as ātman. Egoism is the recognizing of the power that sees with the power of seeing^[3]. Attachment is that which dwells on pleasure.^[4] Repulsion is that which dwells on pain.^[5] Abhiniveśa which manifests even in the learned.^[6] Śāntiparva says by renouncing through the help of Yoga, these five faults viz., attachment carelessness, affection, lust and anger, one acquires Liberation.^[7]

The Mahābhārata discusses this subject in the 307^th chapter. The learned say that nature which is subject to creation and destruction is called Avidyā, while Puruṣa (soul) who is freed from the attributes of creation and destruction and who is above the twenty four topics or principles is called Vidyā.^[8] Prakṛti which is made up of twenty four elements. Puruṣa who is beyond these twenty four elements i.e. the twenty fifth element is Vidyā. It is the highest knowledge. However it also describes Prakṛti as knowledge of buddhi etc. It is the ultimate means for acquiring knowledge. It is the knowable (jñeya) of all the knowledge.^[9] Kṣetra is something quite different from kṣetrajña. kṣetra is unmanifest. The soul, which is above the twenty four principles, is called the knower. Knowledge and the objects known are different from each other knowledge, again has been said to be unmanifest while the object of knowledge is the soul which is above the twenty four principles.^[10] In reality kṣetra and kṣetrajña are different from each other kṣetra is avyakta and kṣetrajña, the knower of kṣetra is the ātman, the twenty fifth elements. The yogin with the help of yoga dissolves the other element in the avyakta Prakṛti and along with this the twenty fifth element too is dissolved in the ātman when Prakṛti composed of three constituents gets dissolved.^[11] Puruṣa who is not touched by the three constituents of Prakṛti (guṇas) goes beyond them. This way the yogi realises that he is different from Prakṛti, he becomes pure.^[12]

The Mahābhārata limits this Avidya as ignorance which is to be removed by wisdom. By the practice of yoga, it can dissolve the other elements in Prakṛti and at that moment, Puruṣa and Prakṛti, everything becomes one kṣetrajña, the embodied soul also dissolves. The Puruṣa becomes destitute of components.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca kleśāḥ | yogasūtram–2-3.

[2]:

avidyā kṣetramuttareṣāṃ prasuptatanuvicchinnodārāṇām | yogasūtram–2-4.

[3]:

dṛgdarśanaśaktyorekātmatevāsmitā | yogasūtram–2-6.

[4]:

sukhānuśayī rāgaḥ | yogasūtram–2-7

[5]:

duḥkhānuśayī dveṣaḥ | yogasūtram–2-8

[6]:

svarasavāhī viduṣo'pi tathā rūḍho'bhiniveśaḥ | yogasūtram–2-9

[7]:

rāgaṃ mohaṃ tathā snehaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca kevalam |
yogācchittvā tato doṣān pañcaitān prāpnuvanti tat || Śāntiparva , 300 -11.

[8]:

avidyāmāhuravyaktaṃ sargapralayadharmivai |
sargapralayanirmuktāṃ vidyāṃ vai pañcaviṃśakaḥ || Śāntiparva , 307-2.

[9]:

Mahābhārata Śāntiparva , 307.7-9

[10]:

Mahābhārata Śāntiparva , 306-39, 40.

[11]:

Mahābhārata Śāntiparva , 307 -16,17.

[12]:

tadā viśuddho bhavati prakṛteḥ parivarjanāt |
anyo'hamanyeyamiti yadā budhyati buddhimān || Śāntiparva , 307-20.