The
Yoga-Sûtras
or
the
Thread of Uniting One's
Consciousness
Nederlandse
versie
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I)
Absorption
(1) And
now, let's talk about the instructions of
uniting one's consciousness, of yoga.
(2) Connecting oneself in yoga means
that the rumination of the materially
motivated mind comes to a stop. (3) Then the
witness, that one is for oneself, will be
found in its original position of service.
(4) In all other cases one could say that one
has been allured by, that one identifies
with, the ruminating mind. (5) There are five
forms of rumination which are either
pleasant, or possibly of a problematic
nature. (6) They stem from a) direct
experience, b) from setbacks,
c) from instability, d) from
sleep, and e) from one's
memory.
a)
(7) The knowledge of direct perception
draws from the source of that which
appears to the senses, from the
conclusions one draws therefrom and from
scriptural authority, the basic reference
for one's thinking.
b)
(8) Setbacks are the product of a wrong
vision, which entails a certain
estrangement.
c)
(9) Instability is based upon clinging to
superficial notions.
d)
(10) Sleep means a form of rumination in
which one, being absent, relies upon,
rests upon a purely mental
state.
e)
(11) Memory is based upon the experience
of a matter one is not willing to give
up.
(12) In
case one wants to put and end to these five
forms of rumination, one must a) carry on
with and b) refrain from.
a)
(13) Carrying on one time and again
tries to find peace. (14) One succeeds in
finding a firm basis with protracted,
uninterrupted, sustained devotion.
b)
(15) Refraining,
or detaching, from the listening to a
superficial thing that one notices of
oneself when one is
ruminating,
is based upon the consciousness, the
comprehension, one achieves when one is
free from longing, when one has subdued
one's desires. (16) That lofty notion of
one's own person is achieved when one is
free from the three operating modes of
nature, viz. when one is not too slow, too
agile, or too much of all the
good.
(17) The
right form of knowing is associated with
weighing things, discriminating things,
feelings of happiness and self-awareness.
(18) When one in the state of rest builds
upon the carrying on, another equilibrium
comes about, a purer outlook, than one had
before. (19) In that state of being, one
builds upon the not physically, not
sensually, clinging to nature. (20) Belief,
courage, memory, absorption, and true
knowledge then constitute the opposite of
what one had before. (21) For those who are
enthused and of sincere effort it is within
reach. (22) One may be differently engaged in
it in an unsteady way, a moderate way or a
zealous way.
(23) At the
other hand one may also be of devotion for
the person of God, viz. the Lord of Yoga and
His representatives. (24) The person of God
is a person different from others in being a
reservoir apart from sorrow, profit-minded
work and the consequences thereof. (25) That
reservoir is the unsurpassed source of all
knowledge. (26) What counts with that source
is the involvement with time that is stable,
which is there before all other things, which
ranks first and which is also the teacher.
(27) He, that source, is indicated with the
syllable of AUM, the Pranava. (28) The
purpose of that syllable is to be repeated
time and again for oneself. (29) The thoughts
then turn inward to find there next to an
absence of hindrances also the control over
them. (30) The hindrances consist of disease,
unsteadiness, indecision, inattentiveness,
laziness, misconception, discouragement and a
wandering mind. (31) There are also worries,
despair, physical ups and downs, and wrong
breathing as the things that further lead
astray.
(32)
To
counter that one must carry on with that one
true state, as a principle and reality. (33)
One needs to keep a benevolent disposition in
mind that is of friendliness, compassion and
gladness in equanimity concerning happiness
and grief, virtue and vice. (34) Another
possibility is to fix one's attention upon
the outgoing or retained breath. (35) Or else
one fixes one's attention upon an object
which offers the mind a hold. (36) One can
also put an end to ones worries with the help
of a bright source of light. (37) Another
possibility is to direct oneself at a holy
object or a conscious spirit free from
attachments [a saint e.g.]. (38) Or
else in the basis that is fundamental to
one's sleeping, waking and dreaming. (39)
Further one may meditate upon anything one
feels attracted to.
(40)
Mastering this one is able to find the
greatest even in the most insignificant. (41)
With the rumination dissolving the knower,
the knowing and the known find their stable
foundation as if it were a clear diamond, and
a transformation is realized. (42) Completely
absorbed in that transformed state roll all
that one hears, the meanings, the knowing and
the considerations in one. (43) When one's
mind, going over things of the past is
completely purged, is freed from its own
nature so to say, the singular envisioning
emerges in its purest form which is free from
any consideration. (44) From this singular
envisioning operating without the need of any
consideration, also the subtle itself is then
disclosed. (45) The subtle which is there
from elsewhere, is then - without it being
seen - included in the knowing. (46) This
being absorbed inevitably depends on the
basis of something existing in reality. (47)
Having experience in this unreflected knowing
there is the serenity of the pure soul, the
supreme spirit. (49) What is hearsay or of
one's own concluding is completely unrelated
to this purpose of pure intelligence. (50)
The insight emerging in that state contrasts
sharp with the processing of other
impressions. (51) When one also stops that
and thus puts an end to everything, one is of
the deep absorption that is without an
object.
II)
The
practice
(1) When
one practices the uniting of one's
consciousness there is penance, self study
and the contemplating on the person of God.
(2) The absorption is there to realize that
that which is an obstruction weakens and that
what is wished for comes about.
(3) That
what gives trouble is a) a lack of
knowledge, b) being egocentric,
c) passion, d) aversion and
e) stubbornness.
a)
(4) One may be ignorant concerning the
field
of action,
the reactions to something, sleep, that
which found its end, and that which is
appropriate. (5) To take the temporal for
the eternal, the impure for the pure, what
is unhappy for the happy and the
inauthentic for the authentic, is what one
calls ignorance.
b)
(6) When the seer sees it as such that he
is one and the same as that what he is
capable of, that is egoism.
c)
(7) Happiness is closely followed by
attachment.
d)
(8) Unhappiness is closely followed by
aversion.
e)
(9) Just as stubborn is even the wise
man in his emphasizing his own
grip.
(10) These
problems must be stopped as soon as one can.
(11) The moment they manifest they must be
countered with meditation. (12) For the
workload accruing from them constitutes a
source of trouble one is faced with in the
life one leads now as well as in the life one
is heading for. (13) Because of that load one
must time and again start all over, from that
karma one is stuck to a certain life and from
that attachment one has to suffer the
consequences. (14) That can be pleasant or
else painful, depending the consequences of
virtue and vice. (15) A person of
discrimination sees that the complete of
these
consequences,
the turning away from them, the impressions
one has of them, the worries thereof, and the
changing quality thereof, because of the
contrast they form, indeed constitute the
misery. (16) The misery not there yet can be
averted. (17) The association of the one
experiencing with that what is experienced -
the identifying one does - is the cause that
one - in one's meditating - has to forego.
(18) Whether that what one experiences leads
to the clarification of the road of
liberation, or is the servant of sensual
pleasure, depends on a) the elements
of nature, b) the nature of things,
c) the senses and one's acting to
them, d) the fortitude, e)
someone's constitution and, f) the
action one engages in.
a)
(19)
The changing quality of nature one knows,
b) either in the spirit or the
matter, as a general condition of change
as well as a certain state subject to
change. (20) The seer is nothing but pure
consciousness, even though he witnesses
c) a certain - changeable - state
of mind. (21) The knowable of nature is
there only for the sake of the soul. (22)
Opposing matter has the material played
its part when one d) successfully
meditates, while to the contrary such is
not the case in the normal state. (23) The
purpose of uniting the consciousness is
found in the to one's e) own
mastery, realizing of one's own nature.
(24) It has to be so because of the lack
of self-knowledge; the ignorance. (25) The
beatitude of the knower is found in the
absence thereof, in f) countering
the not coming about of that uniting of
consciousness.
(26) To be
uninterrupted of true discrimination in the
perceiving, is the way to overcome the
self-alienation. (27) In that fullness of
knowing there are seven realms. (28) When one
by conscientiously maintaining one's position
unites the different elements in the
consciousness, will thereof all impurities
disappear so that the knowledge will radiate
in its true glory. (29)The
innerly united, the absorption, further
entails - the seven of - a) the
renunciation, b) the regulation,
c) the posture, d) the breath
control, e) the turning inward,
f) the concentration and g) the
meditation; and thus there are the eight
limbs.
a)
(30) Nonviolence, love of
truth, non-stealing,
celibacy and the not striving
for possessions together constitute
the renunciation. (31) This is the great
universal vow valid independent of the
place, the time, the circumstance and
one's birth.
b)
(32) Cleanliness,
contentment, penance,
consideration and surrender to
the person of God constitute the
regulation.
(33)
Speculations, theories, opinions, constitute
the contrary which brings about the misery in
life. (34) Speculative knowledge has as its
consequence that matters are
done
harm and
such, it is based upon desires, anger and
misconceptions which may manifest rarely,
reasonably often or intensely. Thus situated
in ignorance one
continuously reaps
the fruit of misfortune, which finds its
peace by contemplating the contrary. (35)
When one is not of unnecessary
violence one finds stability in relation
to one's environment and is there a decrease
of enmity. (36) When one is truth
loving one is of a stable position and
one's actions are fruitful. (37) When one
does not misappropriatewith everything
which is of value, a vested order will come
about. (38) With celibacy a firm basis
is achieved for one's life energy and effort.
(39) When one is of stability by not
acquiring possessions one will understand
in what way one had to start all over, or in
what way one took rebirth. (40) Being
clean within and without one is with
body and soul of reticence in the - sexual -
cohabitation with others. (41) Of sense
control enjoying in pure goodness and a
one-pointed mind one qualifies for the vision
of the soul. (42) In contentment, in
benevolence, one reaches unsurpassable
happiness. (43) By penance all
impurities are subverted and is an optimal
functioning attained of the sensory
apparatus. (44) By means of
consideration one contacts the divinity
of one's own choice. (45) By means of
surrender to the person, the integrity, the
authority of God, one reaches the perfection
of absorption.
c)
(46) By body
postures
durable happiness is found. (47) By
training oneself in becoming empty one can
contact the infinite. (48) From this one
is then no longer perturbed by opposites,
by the duality.
d)
(49)
When this is attained, thus on the
condition of proper postures, breath
control is found in the interruption
of the movements of the in- and outgoing
breath. (50) The going outward and inward
of the movements of breath and the
retaining of it must be tuned subtly and
fine according to time and circumstance,
as well as for frequency and duration.
(51) A fourth option is found in the
sphere raising above the in- and outgoing
breath. (52) From that position that what
veils the light of knowledge is
annihilated. (53) Also the mind is then
ready to concentrate.
e)
(54)
When one to the image offered by the
senses keeps that image in mind, has one
separated oneself from the objects
producing that mental image; that is
called the turning inward or the
internalization of one's attention.
(56) Thus one has one's senses under
control from the transcendental
position.
III)
The
control one achieves
f)
(1) Concentrating oneself means
that one fixes one's consciousness on the
place where one resides.
g)
(2) At the one point of that place fixing
the attention is the
meditation.
(3) When
there is nothing but that one purpose, the
authenticity emerges, the original nature,
which is then, so to say, empty; at that time
one is perfectly absorbed. (4) The
combination of these three matters
constitutes the self control. (5) Having
mastered that there is the wisdom of that
vision. (6) It finds its use in different
earthly realms. (7) Relative to the previous
limbs these latter three ones constitute the
inward position. (8) Just as well that is
again the outer position of the absorption
without an object. (9) With the emergence in
one's imagination of thoughts and their
ending the consciously countering decreases
and the coherence, the integration of
consciousness, increases, so that as the
effect of the reticence the consciousness
of the
moment
ripens. (10) The state of its consciousness
is one stream of serene peace. (11) In
developing absorption the divided attention
decreases and the one-pointed attention of
consciousness increases. (12) The
alternatively being peaceful and then again
the just as well emerging of motives in one's
consciousness, constitutes the changeability
of the undivided attention. (13) With this
the transformation of the sensory in all its
divisions has been described as for proper
conduct, characteristics and the ultimate
state.
(14) The
position of one's own nature resulting from
the proper approach is either dormant, calm
or in a state of rapture. (15) Different
angles result in different
effects.
(16) The
threefold self control results in a higher
insight in what came to pass in
the past and what lies ahead.
(17) Noises, motives and feelings which,
crowding, are mingling, can be
distinguished in the self control with
which one gains insight in the noises
caused by all living beings.
(18) Impressions which, carried along
in the self, surface, give insight in
previous states of life.
(19)
One arrives at a better understanding
for the consciousness with which people
face reality.
(20) Solely on that basis one is able
to deal with that what in life is out of
one's reach.
(21)
By self-control relating to the form in
which one dwells, one is able to suppress
the force thereof and may, with the
link to
the light in the eyes broken, that light
disappear.
(22) This way one is also capable of
making sounds and other sense
perceptions disappear.
(23) One's actions have immediate
consequences as well as consequences which
are of effect later. By mastering that the
threefold way (III 1, 2, 3), one acquires
insight in the final outcome of actions
or else in the signs to them.
(24) One gains in strength by
kindness and such.
(25) Enlightened by that strength one
becomes as strong as an elephant.
(26) Knowledge of hidden matters,
matters elsewhere, and subtle matters
one acquires by the transcendental
perception of projected images.
(27) By controlling
oneself with the light of the
sun
one acquires knowledge of the different
worlds.
(28) By developing
mastery with the
moon
one acquires insight in the order of
the celestial sky, the galaxy.
(29) To be of control with
the center of the
galaxy
results in knowledge of progress.
(30) Controlled from the center
there
is knowledge
of the structure of the different forms of
cyclic time, the
cakra
order.
(31) Controlling the entrance of the
throat one controls hunger and
thirst.
(32) Mastery over the gastric area,
regulating the habits of food intake,
gives equilibrium.
(33) Controlling the light images
in one's head gives the perfection of
direct perception.
(34) Furthermore the self-control with
what emerges in the mind results in
knowledge of everything in existence.
(35) Mastering the interest of the
heart one acquires insight in the
functioning of consciousness.
(36) The
good sense and nature of a person differs
absolutely from his consciousness, which,
being unified with it, leads to experience;
but separated in the control of what is one's
own comes true knowledge of the person into
being. (37) Therefrom perceiving, hearing,
touching, seeing, tasting and smelling finds
its existence. (38) These abilities thus
called into existence constitute obstacles to
one's being absorbed. (39) Letting go of this
cause of bondage and the movement of thought
to it, one acquires access to the
consciousness of someone else's body. (40)
With the control
of the
ascending breath one rises above mud, water,
thorns and such, so that one is not in touch
with them. (41) Controlling the diaphragm one
realizes one's radiance. (42) In control with
the hearing process in relation to the ether,
one develops the divine, transcendental ear.
(43) Controlling the body in relation to
the
ether
it becomes as light as a ball of cotton wool
and one is, unified with it, capable of
moving through the ether. (44) Being outside
of one's body the thoughts about what's
outside become real, the covering of the
light is then broken. (45) One achieves
mastery over the elements by controlling
oneself as to their application, association,
subtlety, form and mass. (46) Therefrom the
power is found to enter the smallest, the
ability to have out-of-body encounters and
the ability to offer response in that
position, according nature and function. (47)
Manifesting oneself physically one may assume
a compact, hard, strong and attractive form.
(48) In controlling oneself with the false
ego, or the intention of associating the
I-awareness of the process of knowing with
the form of an outer appearance, the control
over the senses is found. (49) One is then,
with one's leading an existence outside of
one's senses, as swift as one imagines and
then of mastery over the original state of
the primordial matter.
(50) Only
he who knows the difference between the good
sense and nature of a person at the one hand
and his consciousness at the other, achieves
dominion over and omniscience
with
all
that exists. (51) True progress is achieved
when one, as being the root of bondage, even
gives up on this - this desire to control and
know. (52) Being called for a superior
position it is very well possible that the
unwanted recurs when one doesn't laugh about
such a way of dealing with reality. (53) It
is so, that by controlling oneself with the
succession
of the moments of
time
[thus with the help of a good
schedule of
meditation
no longer being disturbed in time] one
reaches the spiritual insight of full
realization. (54) From this one is of
understanding for that what stays the same
separate from another state of being, place,
characteristic or birth. (55) Everything in
existence radiates for him when he [as
the self-aware witness] at all times is
positioned outside of the order of that what
exists; this now is elevated knowing. (56)
This pure existence for itself equals the
pure goodness of the person.
IV)
What progress entails
(1)
Starting a new life one can with penance,
mantras, incense or natural medicine and
absorption, see the perfections come about.
(2) In a new existence there is the
fulfillment of a transformation of material
nature. (3) The direct causation of nature on
itself has no purpose, but may at the other
hand put things apart by setting boundaries
like a farmer does. (4) It is only through
the I-awareness that the different phenomena
of consciousness become apparent. (5) Even
though consciousness is one, there is in
one's personal evolution the effect of
countless different forms of existence and
consciousness. (6) Of them are only they who
are of meditation free from discontinuity in
life. (7) That what is done by someone who is
of uniting the consciousness, is black nor
white, but that what is done by others is of
a threefold nature; viz. then of darkness,
then clear, and then again in between. (8)
That what he - the one starting all over time
and again - carries with him ripens according
to that what appears in the mind as thoughts
and expectations. (9) In spite of the
separation by place, time, and birth, there
is an uninterrupted memory of those
attainments, which is of an equal identity.
(10) That what is carried along there is
since time immemorial and constitutes an
incessant flow of questions and desires in
man. (11) Their coherence in the self is
based upon the tight relationship between
cause and effect; when that relation
disappears, the questions disappear. (12)
One's own nature exists in different
conditions: someone's character in the past
is maintained in the future. (13) The
qualities or modes of that self are then
manifest, and then again of the subtle body
with the different conditions. (14) From the
oneness of the self in the midst of the
change there is thus the real existence of an
essence. (15) Even though that what really
exists stays the same, there is still the
difference of consciousness because of the
two different paths one travels - of existing
manifest and subtle. (16) What if that what
really exists wouldn't be noticed..., it
doesn't depend on this or that consciousness.
(17) What really exists is known or not
known, depending on the expectations held in
consciousness which color it. (18) With the
changes of consciousness the master thereof,
the person or the soul, is always
known because he is unchanging. (19)
Consciousness has no light of its own because
it can be perceived as something existing on
itself. (20) Furthermore the consciousness
cannot at the same moment realize itself both
states. (21) With two consciousnesses there
would, because of an excess of mutual
self-considerations, be a confounded memory.
(22) The seer having reached his own
unchangeable status has in that an
intelligence of his own. (23) The
consciousness as well reflecting the knower
as the known, then encompasses all and is no
longer confounded. (24) Even though that
consciousness is endowed with countless
impressions, it is, because of the fact that
it is directed at that higher purpose, of a
good consistency. (25) The seer of
discrimination assures himself of the
existence of the soul and thus finds the way
out. (26) Being profound the consciousness is
then attracted to the purpose of progress,
the purpose of emancipation: the undivided,
enlightened state of supreme happiness. (27)
Latent impressions break through that firm
faith, through that creed, in case of a
breach of discipline. (28) As said (in 2.10
& 11) all that matters is the banishing
of these difficulties.
(29) If one
is even free from desires considering this
reward, and with full discrimination is
steadfast in it, one is of absorption in the
cloud of the true nature of justice: one is
of the complete of all forms of proper
conduct - of God. (30) It is then that the
fruitive motive dissolves and the end is
found of one's difficulties. (31) Then freed
from the covering of impurities one is of
spiritual insight and the infinity of the
knowable appears as something insignificant.
(32) With that having successfully evolved
the being subjected to the natural modes
finds its perfection of order. (33) The order
of things becomes crystal clear when one no
longer fights the uninterrupted flow of
moments, when one no longer wages against the
time (see also III-30). (33) With the civil
virtues taken care of (of regulating the
lust, the money, the right conduct, and the
liberation united in devotion with it), the
natural modes (of goodness, passion and
ignorance) return to their primal state of
equilibrium, which equals the establishment
of the beatitude of one's original nature, or
the power of pure consciousness, and with
that it has allbeen said.
translation
completed 26-07-2006 Aadhar
Relevant
links
-
Biography
Patañjali
-
Swami
Vivekananda's version of the
sûtra's
-
Download
the Sanskrit page for the
sûtras
-
A word for word version to
compare
-
Another
word for word version to
compare
-
Another
version to compare
(pdf-download)
-
More
links to other versions on the
internet
-
The Monier-Williams Sanskrit
dictionary.
-
About
the Person of God: the Story of the Fortunate
One
-
Website
Aadhar
2006
© Aadhar; free use for private
purposes,
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