By: Harold Sequeira
yogaschoolonline@gmail.com
PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Of the yoga sutra of Patanjali
Citta is the spectacle and Purusha is the witness.
Citta is an umbrella word which includes the intellect, the ego and the mind. Citta undergoes changes according to the predominance of the Gunas. It is unconscious but gets "intelligised" by the reflecting light of the Purusha. It undergoes modifications when it is affected by the objects through the senses. The consciousness of Purusha reflected leads it to the impression that it is the "experiencer". Citta is the spectacle and Purusha is the witness.
MULTIPLICITY OF PURUSHAS
Citta is all pervading like the Akasha. We have as many cittas as there are Purushas. Citta expands and contracts according to the abode that is the Karya Citta. At death the Karana Citta, always associated with the Purusha, manifests itself as Karya Citta. The aim of Yoga is for the Citta to revert back to the Karana state by the suppression of Rajas and Tamas. Then it becomes omniscient. When it becomes as pure as the Purusha, the Purusha is liberated.
By means of the Citta Purusha becomes aware of objects and enters into relationship with the world. Citta is not in connection with the Self but stands near it. In knowledge Purusha is not altered. In case of objective knowledge Citta is affected by the subject as well as the object. Even though Citta is changing, knowledge is constant. Since Citta can undergo only one modification at a time, we cannot have cognition of the Citta as well as the object at the same time.
Impressions create residues (Samskaras), creating a wheel of Samsara. Life in Samsara is the outcome of desires and passions.
MENTAL AFFLICTIONS
The life of the ego is restless subject to Kleshas. Avidya is not merely "akhyati" Ð non perception, of the difference between Purusha and Prakrti, it is wrong perception "anyatakhyati", wrong knowledge mistaking Buddhi for the Self. Deliverance comes from the severance between Citta and Purusha. Then it becomes depersonalized. Then it abides in its own form.
Yoga allows Samkhya theory of liberation through discrimination but its main emphasis is on the other means, through suppression of mental modifications.
YOGA IS CONCENTRATION
Yoga is concentration of the Citta. The Citta is of five types. The distracted state is called Ksipta, with excess of Rajas. In the Mudha state there is excess of Tamas. The Vikshipta is restless. These three associated with the Gunas are imperfect. Ekagra state is suitable for meditation. In Nirodha its developments are checked. Though latent impressions remain, flow of mental modifications is arrested. When it is rid of modifications it is in a balanced state, called Samapathi. In this state it assumes the form of whatever is presented to it, be it the knower, the known or the act of knowledge.
Our mind is a chaos; it has to be returned to its unity. However, there are obstacles to concentration. Kleshas or mental afflictions are unfavorable to concentration. Patanjali's yoga provides the roadmap for concentration and stability of the mind, which is the chief aim of his psychology.
H. Sequeira
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Bio-note: H. Sequeira, born in 1937, in Mangalore India, studied at various universities in India (arts, commerce, law etc) and yoga training (The Yoga Institute) and set up Yoga Centers in Canada, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Spain. He teaches classic Yoga of Patanjali as well as many other traditions of Yoga. He has written many books including Patanjali Yoga Sutra (English and Spanish). He now lives in Bombay but travels extensively conducting yoga workshops.
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