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A review by djoshuva
Yoga: Discipline of Freedom: The Yoga Sutra Attributed to Patanjali by Barbara Stoler Miller
5.0
PART ONE Cessation of Thought and Contemplative Calm
Yoga is the cessation of the turnings of thought. (2)
The turnings of thought, whether corrupted or immune to the forces of corruption, are of five kinds. (5)
Sleep is the turning of thought abstracted from existence. (10)
Memory is the recollection of objects one has experienced. (11)
Higher dispassion is a total absence of craving for anything material, which comes by discriminating between spirit and material nature. (16)
For gods and men unencumbered by physical bodies, but still enmeshed in material nature, the cessation of thought is limited by reliance on the phenomenal world. (19)
For others cessation of thought follows from faith, heroic energy, mindfulness, contemplative calm, and wisdom. (20)
For those who possess a sharp intensity, it is immediate. (21)
The Lord of Yoga is a distinct form of spirit unaffected by the forces of corruption, by actions, by the fruits of action, or by subliminal intentions. (24)
The obstacles that distract thought are disease, apathy, doubt, carelessness, indolence, dissipation, false vision, failure to attain a firm basis in yoga, and restlessness. (30)
These distractions are accompanied by suffering, frustration, trembling of the body, and irregular breathing. (31)
The practice of focusing on the single truth is the means to prevent these distractions. (32)
For one whose thought is tranquil, mastery extends from the most minute particle to the vast expanse. (40)
When the turnings of thought stop, a contemplative poise occurs, in which thought, like a polished crystal, is colored by what is nearby—whether perceiver, process of perception, or object of perception. (41)
A subliminal impression generated by wisdom stops the formation of other impressions. (50)
PART TWO The Practice of Yoga
Ignorance is the field where the other forces of corruption develop, whether dormant, attenuated, intermittent, or active. (4)
Ignorance is misperceiving permanence in transience, purity in impurity, pleasure in suffering, an essential self where there is no self. (5)
The will to live is instinctive and overwhelming, even for a learned sage. (9)
All life is suffering for a man of discrimination, because of the sufferings inherent in change and its corrupting subliminal impressions, and because of the way qualities of material nature turn against themselves. (15)
Suffering that has not yet come can be escaped. (16)
The cause of suffering, which can be escaped, is the connection between the observer and the phenomenal world. (17)
The phenomenal world consists of material elements and sense organs characterized by their clarity, activity, or stillness; this world can serve the goals of sensual experience or spiritual liberation. (18)
The observer is simply the subject of observing—although pure, it sees itself in terms of conceptual categories. (20)
In its essence the phenomenal world exists only in relation to an observer. (21)
The way to eliminate ignorance is through steady, focused discrimination between the observer and the world. (26)
When one is plagued by ideas that pervert the moral principles and observances, one can counter them by cultivating the opposite. (33)
Cultivating the opposite is realizing that perverse ideas, such as the idea of violence, result in endless suffering and ignorance—whether the ideas are acted out, instigated, or sanctioned, whether motivated by greed, anger, or delusion, whether mild, moderate, or extreme. (34)
When one is without greed, the riddle of rebirth is revealed. (39)
Perfect happiness is attained through contentment. (42)
Communion with one’s chosen deity comes from the study of sacred lore. (44)
The posture of yoga is steady and easy. (46)
It is realized by relaxing one’s effort and resting like the cosmic serpent on the waters of infinity. (47)
Then one is unconstrained by opposing dualities. (48)
PART THREE Perfect Discipline and Extraordinary Powers
Meditation is focusing on a single conceptual flow. (2)
Concentration, meditation, and pure contemplation focused on a single object constitute perfect discipline. (4)
By extension, these transformations of thought explain the transformations of nature’s properties, characteristics, and conditions, which occur in material elements and sense organs. (13)
From placing light on the mind’s activity, one has knowledge of that which is subtle, hidden, and distant. (25)
From perfect discipline of the “tortoise vein,” one’s being becomes steady. (31)
From intuition, one knows everything. (33)
From perfect discipline of the heart, one has full consciousness of one’s thought. (34)
Worldly experience is caused by a failure to differentiate between the lucid quality of nature and the spirit. From perfect discipline of the distinction between spirit as the subject of itself and the lucid quality of nature as a dependent object, one gains knowledge of the spirit. (35)
This knowledge engenders intuitive forms of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell. (36)
If they become a distraction these powers of perfection are impediments to pure contemplation. (37)
The turning of thought without reference to the external world is called “the great disembodied thought”; from this the veil that obscures the light is destroyed. (43)
For one who is attentive to the distinction between the lucid perfection of nature and the spirit, omniscience and power over all states of existence result. (49)
From perfect discipline of moments and their sequence in time, one has the knowledge born of discrimination. (52)
Through discrimination one comprehends differences of origin, characteristic, or position that distinguish two seemingly similar things. (53)
Absolute freedom occurs when the lucidity of material nature and spirit are in pure equilibrium. (55)
PART FOUR Absolute Freedom
Individual thoughts are constructed from a measure of egoism. (4)
The action of a yogi is neither black nor white; that of others is black or white, or black and white. (7)
These subliminal impressions are without beginning because the desires that sustain them are eternal. (10)
Since the subliminal impressions are held together by the interdependence of cause and effect, when these cease to exist, the impressions also cease to exist. (11)
Since thought is an object of perception, it cannot illuminate itself. (19)
Awareness of its own intelligence occurs when thought assumes the form of the spirit through consciousness that leaves no trace. (22)
Variegated by countless traces of memory, thought works by making associations, for the sake of a purpose beyond itself. (24)
One who sees the distinction between the lucid quality of nature and the observer ceases to cultivate a personal reality. (25)
Then, deep in discrimination, thought gravitates toward freedom. (26)
For one who seeks no gain even in vast knowledge, perpetual discrimination is called “the essential cloud of pure contemplation.” (29)
Freedom is a reversal of the evolutionary course of material things, which are empty of meaning for the spirit; it is also the power of consciousness in a state of true identity. (34)
Yoga is the cessation of the turnings of thought. (2)
The turnings of thought, whether corrupted or immune to the forces of corruption, are of five kinds. (5)
Sleep is the turning of thought abstracted from existence. (10)
Memory is the recollection of objects one has experienced. (11)
Higher dispassion is a total absence of craving for anything material, which comes by discriminating between spirit and material nature. (16)
For gods and men unencumbered by physical bodies, but still enmeshed in material nature, the cessation of thought is limited by reliance on the phenomenal world. (19)
For others cessation of thought follows from faith, heroic energy, mindfulness, contemplative calm, and wisdom. (20)
For those who possess a sharp intensity, it is immediate. (21)
The Lord of Yoga is a distinct form of spirit unaffected by the forces of corruption, by actions, by the fruits of action, or by subliminal intentions. (24)
The obstacles that distract thought are disease, apathy, doubt, carelessness, indolence, dissipation, false vision, failure to attain a firm basis in yoga, and restlessness. (30)
These distractions are accompanied by suffering, frustration, trembling of the body, and irregular breathing. (31)
The practice of focusing on the single truth is the means to prevent these distractions. (32)
For one whose thought is tranquil, mastery extends from the most minute particle to the vast expanse. (40)
When the turnings of thought stop, a contemplative poise occurs, in which thought, like a polished crystal, is colored by what is nearby—whether perceiver, process of perception, or object of perception. (41)
A subliminal impression generated by wisdom stops the formation of other impressions. (50)
PART TWO The Practice of Yoga
Ignorance is the field where the other forces of corruption develop, whether dormant, attenuated, intermittent, or active. (4)
Ignorance is misperceiving permanence in transience, purity in impurity, pleasure in suffering, an essential self where there is no self. (5)
The will to live is instinctive and overwhelming, even for a learned sage. (9)
All life is suffering for a man of discrimination, because of the sufferings inherent in change and its corrupting subliminal impressions, and because of the way qualities of material nature turn against themselves. (15)
Suffering that has not yet come can be escaped. (16)
The cause of suffering, which can be escaped, is the connection between the observer and the phenomenal world. (17)
The phenomenal world consists of material elements and sense organs characterized by their clarity, activity, or stillness; this world can serve the goals of sensual experience or spiritual liberation. (18)
The observer is simply the subject of observing—although pure, it sees itself in terms of conceptual categories. (20)
In its essence the phenomenal world exists only in relation to an observer. (21)
The way to eliminate ignorance is through steady, focused discrimination between the observer and the world. (26)
When one is plagued by ideas that pervert the moral principles and observances, one can counter them by cultivating the opposite. (33)
Cultivating the opposite is realizing that perverse ideas, such as the idea of violence, result in endless suffering and ignorance—whether the ideas are acted out, instigated, or sanctioned, whether motivated by greed, anger, or delusion, whether mild, moderate, or extreme. (34)
When one is without greed, the riddle of rebirth is revealed. (39)
Perfect happiness is attained through contentment. (42)
Communion with one’s chosen deity comes from the study of sacred lore. (44)
The posture of yoga is steady and easy. (46)
It is realized by relaxing one’s effort and resting like the cosmic serpent on the waters of infinity. (47)
Then one is unconstrained by opposing dualities. (48)
PART THREE Perfect Discipline and Extraordinary Powers
Meditation is focusing on a single conceptual flow. (2)
Concentration, meditation, and pure contemplation focused on a single object constitute perfect discipline. (4)
By extension, these transformations of thought explain the transformations of nature’s properties, characteristics, and conditions, which occur in material elements and sense organs. (13)
From placing light on the mind’s activity, one has knowledge of that which is subtle, hidden, and distant. (25)
From perfect discipline of the “tortoise vein,” one’s being becomes steady. (31)
From intuition, one knows everything. (33)
From perfect discipline of the heart, one has full consciousness of one’s thought. (34)
Worldly experience is caused by a failure to differentiate between the lucid quality of nature and the spirit. From perfect discipline of the distinction between spirit as the subject of itself and the lucid quality of nature as a dependent object, one gains knowledge of the spirit. (35)
This knowledge engenders intuitive forms of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell. (36)
If they become a distraction these powers of perfection are impediments to pure contemplation. (37)
The turning of thought without reference to the external world is called “the great disembodied thought”; from this the veil that obscures the light is destroyed. (43)
For one who is attentive to the distinction between the lucid perfection of nature and the spirit, omniscience and power over all states of existence result. (49)
From perfect discipline of moments and their sequence in time, one has the knowledge born of discrimination. (52)
Through discrimination one comprehends differences of origin, characteristic, or position that distinguish two seemingly similar things. (53)
Absolute freedom occurs when the lucidity of material nature and spirit are in pure equilibrium. (55)
PART FOUR Absolute Freedom
Individual thoughts are constructed from a measure of egoism. (4)
The action of a yogi is neither black nor white; that of others is black or white, or black and white. (7)
These subliminal impressions are without beginning because the desires that sustain them are eternal. (10)
Since the subliminal impressions are held together by the interdependence of cause and effect, when these cease to exist, the impressions also cease to exist. (11)
Since thought is an object of perception, it cannot illuminate itself. (19)
Awareness of its own intelligence occurs when thought assumes the form of the spirit through consciousness that leaves no trace. (22)
Variegated by countless traces of memory, thought works by making associations, for the sake of a purpose beyond itself. (24)
One who sees the distinction between the lucid quality of nature and the observer ceases to cultivate a personal reality. (25)
Then, deep in discrimination, thought gravitates toward freedom. (26)
For one who seeks no gain even in vast knowledge, perpetual discrimination is called “the essential cloud of pure contemplation.” (29)
Freedom is a reversal of the evolutionary course of material things, which are empty of meaning for the spirit; it is also the power of consciousness in a state of true identity. (34)