On Jun 19, 2007, at 9:36 AM, authfriend wrote:
> Correct translation: Mahesh holds incorrect views in regards to
> stages of meditation as described in the YS of Patanjali. But
> Mahesh's version is more marketable, even if it happens to be
> a untrue.
Translation: MMY has a different view than Vaj does.
Actually the reason we know Mahesh's view is fallacious is because
what he calls samadhi actually is a state that is defined in
Sanskrit, very precisely, and it is an important sign of beginning
practice, but definitely not samadhi. This is the nice thing about
the Sanskrit language is that it has an extensive vocabulary for
states of consciousness which do not exist in most other languages.
<snip>
> > > > > Since there is NO EEG evidence for samadhi in TM after
> > > > > almost 50 years, that belief has proven truly foolish
> > > > > indeed.
> > > >
> > > > Translation: For Vaj's definition of "EEG evidence
> > > > for samadhi."
> > >
> > > Actual translation: modern science's definition of EEG evidence
> > > for legitimate samadhi.
> >
> > Fact: "Modern science" doesn't *have* a definition
> > of EEG evidence for "legitimate samadhi."
>
> Actually it has since at least the 1950's.
No, it hasn't.
Actually it has. Here's a direct quote for you:
Samadhi was defined as a state during which “the perfectly motionless
subject is insensible to all that surrounds
him and is conscious of nothing but the subject of his
meditation.” (Das & Gastaut, 1955)
> Interestingly this is the same as traditional definitions
There is no traditional definition of EEG
evidence for "legitimate samadhi."
I wasn't referring to EEG. Non sequitur.
> and science has been able to verify the claims.
No, it hasn't (and can't).
What science can do is measure EEG and correlate
the measurements with subjective reports of
samadhi. But then, of course, you're back to the
issue of how to define samadhi. And all you've
verified is that certain EEG signatures are
correlated with what people will say when they're
asked what their experience was at the point when
that signature was measured.
In genuine samadhi, one of it's characteristics is that the yogin can
go into it at will and often chose the duration. This makes it easier
to measure. Being "insensible" to surroundings is easy to measure.
While the subject is in samadhi, you plunge the arm into ice cold
water and look for a response to physiological measurements. Testing
the startle reflex is another relatively simple test.
