--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Apr 19, 2005, at 6:49 PM, Rick Archer wrote: > > > Would you mind posting a few key verses for us? > > Sure, but it'll help to explain what going on. In the third chapter > Vidyaranya talks about the means to Cosmic Consciousness and this is by > "Dissolution of the Mind". The previous chapter is on how to obliterate > the vasanas and ignorance. Without going into a lot of detail--he > describes various methods to get the mind to stop. He talks of the > importance svadhayaya and right knowledge. Eventually he starts > interspersing his method with Patanjali--but like many initiated > approaches to tantric or yogic texts--the linear, written order of the > text is not how it really goes. In his typical style, he quotes from > all the relevant Vedantic and yogic texts interspersed with his own > clarifications. > > Eventually, as he weaves his way to the end of chapter two of > Patanjali--he goes into chapter 3--the pada on the siddhis. He mentions > the first three verses--which describe samadhi--and he deliberately > skips verse 4 on samyama (he does mention samyama in the final chapter, > but only as a warning). He then talks about the real goals, use and > purpose of samadhi then comments: > > "Although Patanjali has dwelt upon at length samprajnata and savikalpa > samadhis have their objects as material objects, gross elements and > subtle elements, sense and egoism--we do not like to pay attention to > them inasmuch as they being the cause of siddhis such as invisibility, > etc. as they are opposed to the type of samadhi that leads to > liberation." > > He gives an interesting quote from the Laghu Yogavasistha: > > Vasistha: 'Through the power of some substance, formula, some sort of > practice, time, etc. one can, O Raghava, acquire such occult powers as > levitation, etc. although still in bondage and ignorant of the Self. > > This object is not for him, who is knower of the Self, for he, the > knower of the Self, has in view only the Self. He is content by himself > and in himself and does not go after these products of ignorance." > > After a couple more interesting examples he adds: > > 'Any of the things of the world whatever cannot attract the knower of > Reality, even as the townsman, having as wife a town-bred lady of > refinement, is not enamored by the ugly rustic womenfolk.' > > He later concludes: > > As the samprajnata samadhi, concerned with the Self leads to the > destruction of desire and brings about the nirodha samadhi, therefore > we have paid attention to this." > > It's interesting that while he does quote from pada three of > Patanjali--not one of the quotes is any of the siddhi formulae--he > entirely skips them. He later warns you will never attain CC if you > practice samyama: > > In this way he (the samyama yogi) falls away from the attainment of the > goal of life (CC). > > Then he repeats Patanjali for a second time: > > "These are obstacles to samadhi; they are powers in the worldly state."
it sounds that he comes from a dualistic POV not less then Patanjali. > > He continues with even more warnings. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
