30 and repeated births, the
yogin through right knowledge and Viveka discrimination, perceives the impermanence of pleasure and joy, and escapes the ‘eternal flow of misery’
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In his Science of Mind Pātānjali then gives us the psychological understanding of the root of human
suffering and gives in detail the means of removing the fundamental causes of suffering to gain release from the limited mistaken identity to establish oneself in one’s true Self. We will now look at
the practice of Yoga, referring to the third key term in sūtra I.2 i.e. nirodha or cessation.
which is life.
IV. YOGA PRAXIS:
NIRODHA a. Science of Mind and Practice
Pātānjali has set out the Science of Mind in a systematic way in the Yogasūtra and we have looked at the key concepts and their relationships within the context of the activities of the mind. The
modifications occurring in the citta are determined by the complex interaction of the instruments of
the senses, memory and the subconscious factors of samskāra-s, vāsanā-s and the pool of karma
karmasaya which have their roots in the kleśa afflictions. All of these interact to bring about five types of modifications in the mind which are the experiential basis of the individual. The individual is
by nature an extrinsic, phenomenal entity which results from the samyoga conjunction of the
fundamental principles of two realities: the pure materiality prakŗiti and pure consciousness
purușa, and is rooted in ignorance avidyā of its true nature which is pure consciousness. This avidyā, which is the root cause of afflictions kleśa gives rise to phenomenal experience of
existential suffering. The purpose and method of Yoga is to overcome the modifications of the mind and ‘achieve ‘emancipation’ from the afflictions which characterise our everyday modes perception,
experience bhoga and livelihood’
73
72
Ibid., p 146
.
73
I. Whicher, The Integrity of the Yoga Darsana, p151
31 Thus the practice of
yoga which is the ‘mastery of the mind’, takes place through nirodha or cessation of the modifications
vŗtti of the mind citta YS I.2. Since nirodha is central to yoga praxis, it is a key term to be understood in the Science of Mind. Cessation involves many different
forms of practice and includes all levels of the individuality, from the gross physical to subtler ‘ prāna’
vital breath, together with psychological and the spiritual. There are techniques for different levels of development of the practitioner as well as different conditions and situations. These techniques
are depicted in the diagram which gives the schema of the Science of Mind as expounded by Pātānjali see Annex B.
It can thus be seen that Pātānjali’s Yoga is a serious investigation into the structures and functions of
the mind and an analysis of how the mind can be controlled to bring about the cessation of its constant modifications. From the diagram Annex B it can be seen that the individual has basically
two pathways in response to hisher existential condition. She can continue living in the mistaken identification thereby perpetuating the cycle of
samskāra, vāsanā , actions, and reactions which create further
samskāra. The individual is then subject to suffering in the present life and actions result in consequences which unfold in future lives thus continuing to turn the wheel of
samsāra – the cycle of birth and death. On the other hand, the individual has the choice of using the powers of
the mind, through using the faculty of discrimination, to bring the modifications to cease and thereby experiencing ultimately the true identity of pure consciousness
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The eightfold method of practice is give by Pātānjali in Chapter Two Sādhana Pada or stage of
practice starting from verse II.28. These are given as Yama restraints, Niyama observances,
Āsana physical posture, Prānayama breath control, Pratyāhara withdrawal of senses, Dhāraņa concentration,
Dhyāna contemplation, meditation and Samādhi absorption, ecstasy, enstasy. When one systematically practices a
ștanga yoga, there occurs the destruction of impurities at the .
74
Hariharananda Aranya , Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali, YS II.15, p 144, describes the vivekin person of
discrimination
32 gross and subtle levels and ‘an increasing light of knowledge up to the discriminative discernment
between the seer and the seeable’
75
In this eightfold method Pātānjali sets out a reversal of the prakŗiti process of material evolution
and manifestation of the world, the subsequent ‘entanglement’ of the pure consciousness purușa
through the process of ‘ samyoga’ to give rise to the phenomenal individuality. There is a conscious
process by the yogin to remove the egoic content of each action, thought, feeling, intention and
volition, thereby removing the rāga attachment and dvesa aversion towards the world of names
and forms. .
b. Abhyāsa Practice and Vairāgya Dispassion
