UNDERSTANDING MEDITATION
MEDITATION AS YOGA

[caption id="attachment_1128" align="alignnone" width="300"] UNDERSTANDING MEDITATION MEDITATION AS YOGA[/caption]

GUIDE TO YOGA MEDITATION
BY
SHRI YOGENDRA

 

Supernatural and supranormal events and
conditions attracted the attention of even the average
mind, first as curiosity, later emerging as vague
concentration. The controlling of the mind as a
physical effort is termed fortitude (tapa) where the
individual remains unaffected by the changes taking
place around him. This was recognized as an
achievement. Thus “achieving the unachieved” in the
Rig Veda period was referred to as Yoga. Further, tapa
also became associated with dhyana simultaneously
because of similar achievement at the mental level;
tapadhyana in the Vedic sense was acclaimed as Yoga.
ORIGINS OF CLASSIC YOGA
Searching through psychological sequence of
experience, Patanjali did not admit tapdhyana either as
synonymous or as the ultimate of classic Yoga. The
simulated meditation manipulated through various
devices including drugs, hypnosis, penance, mass
frenzy austerity, etc, was equally repugnant to classic
Yoga.
Tapa at primary physical level was given its place as
one of the observances (niyama) while meditation
(dhyana) was included in samyama – concentrationmeditation-trance
complex. Patanjali specially
particularized the classic Yoga as the Eight-fold path of
Yoga (astanga yoga) and absorbed
Page 1
tapa and dhyana respectively as primary and
secondary essentials.
YOGA FOR KNOWING THE UNKNOWN
Moreover, behind the superficial knowledge of
things with names and forms, there lies within
everyone a deep-rooted craving for the knowledge of
things unknown. The nature of Self is one such
unknown, and the innermost desire of many intelligent
beings is to secure during his lifetime all possible
knowledge about one’s Self. This quest – this search
for the knowledge of the Self is at once both universal
and eternal.
Thus, the struggle to know this “I” which is
able to stand against the entire burden of this creation,
the “Not-I,” to discriminate the one from the other, and
finally to realize the true nature of “I” has necessarily
been very intense throughout all ages and civilizations.
It may be even interpreted that the entire history of
mankind, especially the efforts at civilization and
culture are nothing else but mere approaches to the
proper understanding of this great factor, the Man – the
true MAN (purusa) within the man.
Fortunately, one fact seems to have become
fully recognized by now, that is that the Self is neither
this physical body nor the mind, both of which are
knowable and transitory. The Self is therefore
something unknown and unchangeable. Also, that it is
the duty of every individual to investigate its true
significance and, if possible, to attain the realization of
this Self.
Page 2
THE KNOWER AND THE KNOWN
The theoretical knowledge of Self available
through analytical studies and indirect cognition of
both science and metaphysics respectively impress the
yogin as something imperfect and consequently
unsatisfactory, for it lacks direct and intimate contact
with the object of knowledge. Mysticism has been
successful and even acceptable to the yogin as a means
of understanding the Self, but it cannot be denied that
while it tries to bring the knower in harmony with what
is known, the whole process leaves no traces behind
which the others can follow or which may even guide
them to achieve identical results in the same manner.
Yoga does nit stop at the mere analysis of what is
supposed to be Self in terms of metaphysics or
physical sciences. It does not also consider the
empirical methods of mysticism to be fully reliable for
practical guidance and assured progress. It therefore
proposes to evolve a culture of its own. What actually
the yogin tries to do is to combine in his own way the
exactitude of science and the intellectual analyses of
metaphysics with the intuitive perception of mysticism
and thereby evolve a practical process for realizing the
Self which may be equitably termed scientific
mysticism.
KNOWLEDGE VERSUS REALIZATION
It is thus clear that what the yogin seeks is not
mere knowledge of the Self, not even the abstract
realization the he is the Absolute, acquired through
intellectual affirmations. With him everything is
Page 3
Practical, and especially in such a supreme matter as
the realization of the Self, inexactness has to be
completely eliminated.
Let us quote an example bearing on the
realization of the Self through Yoga. Of course, this is
but one aspect of the many practical measures
followed be the yogins. In the Brhadaranyaka
Upanishad (II, iv, 5/iv, v 6) it is suggested that the Self
must be seen (atma va are drstavyah) and (atma va are
darsanen) which means that one should strive not
merely for the Self but also for the actual realization of
it. The yogin defines this process of seeing the Self by a
concrete metaphor, “as if with a lamp” (dipopamena).
We refer here to the practical process known as the
inner gaze (antaradrsti) which is recommended by and
is quite popular with thy yogins. Thus we are told by
the Yoga authorities that they “see with their own
eyes” (netre drstuna) the All-luminous Soul which
cannot be realized by any other means. This shows
how avoiding other indirect methods practical Yoga
advocates and finally achieves what may best be
termed concrete realization of the Self wherein there
remains no doubts, wherein direct contact with the Self
is established and after knowing which there remains
nothing further to be known. Meditation is an aid in
reaching this lofty goal.
Page 4