Yoga philosophy (lectured by ven. Ilukkevela Dhammaratana, given by ven. Janinda) June 2010

Yoga philosophy is for the mental and physical discipline of man. This philosophy was developed by following traditional religions and philosophical teachings. According to the scholars, yoga philosophy began during the Brāhmanic period. The text, Yogatatlva(?) Upaniṣad states four kinds of yoga:

1. Mantra Yoga

2. Laya(?) Yoga

3. Hatha Yoga

4. Rāja Yoga

The beginning of yoga philosophy would be from 700 to 500 BC. There is another view regarding the beginning of yoga philosophy, that is Śramaṇa tradition. With the tradition, ascetics follow yoga practice. Therefore, Śramaṇa tradition is also concerned as a tradition that is helpful for the development of yoga philosophy. Hindu philosophy is the more primitive philosphy. It also introduced five kinds of yoga:

1. Rāja Yoga

2. Karma Yoga

3. Jñāna Yoga

4. Bhakti Yoga

5. Hatha Yoga

Above mentioned Hindu and Brāhmanic philosophies are responsible for the origination of yoga philosophy. Rāja Yoga was founded by Patañjalī. He developed Rāja Yoga as yoga philosophy. Therefore, it was generally introduced by Patañjalī as yoga philosophy. In this philosophy the practical path is called aṣṭaṅga (eight limbs). This is the basic yoga philosophy. This philosophy leads a man to attain concentration because this way he/she becomes a one with steady mind. In another words, his/her mind becomes steady. The aṣṭaṅga given in yoga philosophy are:

1. Yāma

2. Niyāma

3. Āsana

4. Prāṇayāma

5. Pratyāhāra

6. Dhāraṇa

7. Dhyāna

8. Samādhi

According to the yāma five aggregates are to be practiced:

1. Ahiṃsā (non-violence)

2. Satya (truth)

3. Astāya (non-stealing)

4. Brahmacariya (celibacy)

5. Aparigraha (non-possession or non-greed)

By following above mentioned aṣṭaṅga one can achieve steady concentration of the mind through the path ending with Samādhi. There is another path factor. That is called vibhūti. Through vibhūti one can get miraculous powers. This is the end of practice of yoga.

Further study of aṣṭaṅga (eight limbs) is needed according to the subject matter.

  1. Yāma (refraining or abstaining)

    Refraining from five kinds of misdeeds is called yāma. Five good deeds that are to be followed by a yogi are:

1. Ahiṃsā

2. Satya

3. Astāya

4. Brahmacariya

5. Aparigraha

Accordingly, those five are to be refrained from. One, who refrains from above mentioned five, is a righteous person, because one doesn't do any harm to the society.

  1. Niyāma (observing)

    Mere refraining is not enough. Therefore, 'observing' should be also practiced. With this path factor yogi can practice observing the five factors. For the practice of the five, one needs the following:

1. Maitrī (loving kindness)

2. Karuṇā (compassion)

3. Muditā (altruistic/sympathetic joy)

4. Upekkhā (equanimity)

Therefore, observing should be practiced with the above mentioned four factors. In such a case one does welfare to society.

  1. Āsana

    Under the path factor āsana the following three should be practiced constantly. Those are:

    1. Tapas ('keeping the body unmoved' and 'keeping silence'; with the first two path factors, yāma and niyāma, the yogi can easily practice the third path)

    2. Svādyāya ('self-study'; here this means learning or studying philosophy. Thus one studies philosophical teaching)

    3. Īśvaraprāṇidhāna ('practice of meditation on Īśvara'; now, the object of meditation is Īśvara)

When the yogi follows meditation, 'pratipakṣa bhāvanā' should be followed. Pratipakṣa bhāvanā is a kind of meditation. With this meditation one can eradicate defilements. The pursuit to be followed by the yogi is as follows:

For the eradication of bad thoughts, one should practice good thoughts. So, this is called 'pratipakṣa bhāvanā'. When a yogi practices meditation, he/she should practice the meditation with the following:

  1. Śraddhā (faith)

  2. Vīriya (effort or energy)

  3. Prajñā (wisdom or knowledge)

  4. Prāṇayāna (meditation on breathing; however, though it is called 'prāṇayāna', the yogi can choose any object or even whatever he/she likes, otherwise he/she can also select Īśvara as his object)

  5. Pratyāhāra (withdrawal of sense organs from external objects; now he/she should respond not to occurrence of any other thought. When the yogi keeps his/her mind on eye, he/she doesn't test other senses. This is the 'pratyāhāra'.)

  6. Dhāraṇa (concentration; keeping the mind on one object is called 'dhāraṇa'. In this style, dhāraṇa should be practiced with following four things:

1. Vitakka (thought)

2. Vicāra (reflection)

3. Ānanda (joy or zest)

4. Asmitā (myness)

  1. Dhyāna (fixing the mind steadily on one object; with this practice one can keep mind on one object for a long period of time when doing this meditation)

  2. Samādhi (concentration; it is the last path factor. With this path factor yogi should be able to concentrate the mind without any object. This is the high level of this meditation. Though there is no consciousness on subject, object or thing, mind becomes steady and one with the object or thought.)

According to the yoga philosophy, the path ends with the Samādhi, but there is another factor called 'vibhūti'. Vibhūti means 'miraculous powers'. These miraculous powers are same like 'Iddhi' in Buddhism.