Samadhi Pada

समाधिपाद

The nature of yoga and the eight limbs of samadhi.

YS 1.1Open verse →
अथ योगानुशासनम्॥
atha yogānuśāsanam
Meaning · English
Now, the exposition of yoga.
YS 1.2Open verse →
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥
yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
Meaning · English
Yoga is the stilling of the modifications of the mind.
YS 1.3Open verse →
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्॥
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe 'vasthānam
Meaning · English
Then the Seer abides in its own true nature.
YS 1.4Open verse →
vṛtti-sārūpyam itaratra
vṛtti-sārūpyam itaratra
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Otherwise, [the *citta*] conforms to the whirling.
YS 1.5Open verse →
vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ
vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
There are five whirlings, defiled and not:
YS 1.6Open verse →
pramāṇa viparyaya vikalpa nidrā smṛtayaḥ
pramāṇa viparyaya vikalpa nidrā smṛtayaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
grasping, aversion, conceptualization, drowsiness, and recollection.
YS 1.7Open verse →
pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni
pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Grasping [can be based on] attention, inference, or hearsay.
YS 1.8Open verse →
viparyayo mithyājñānam atadrūpapratiṣṭham
viparyayo mithyājñānam atadrūpapratiṣṭham
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Aversion is a false knowing, not materially established.
YS 1.9Open verse →
śabdajñānānupātī vastuśūnyo vikalpaḥ
śabdajñānānupātī vastuśūnyo vikalpaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Conceptualization isn't objective, following on from [mere] verbal knowledge.
YS 1.10Open verse →
abhāvapratyayālambanā vṛttir nidrā
abhāvapratyayālambanā vṛttir nidrā
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Drowsiness is a whirling which embraces fading away.
YS 1.11Open verse →
anubhūtaviṣayāsaṃpramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ
anubhūtaviṣayāsaṃpramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Recollection is not being deprived of experiences.
YS 1.12Open verse →
अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः॥
abhyāsa-vairāgyābhyāṁ tan-nirodhaḥ
Meaning · English
That stilling is achieved through practice and dispassion.
YS 1.13Open verse →
tatra sthitau yatno 'bhyāsaḥ
tatra sthitau yatno 'bhyāsaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Practice means striving for stability.
YS 1.14Open verse →
sa tu dīrghakālanairantaryasatkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ
sa tu dīrghakālanairantaryasatkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
This is only firmly grounded when cultivated properly and for a long time uninterrupted.
YS 1.15Open verse →
dṛṣṭānuśravikaviṣayavitṛṣṇasya vaśīkārasaṃjñā vairāgyam
dṛṣṭānuśravikaviṣayavitṛṣṇasya vaśīkārasaṃjñā vairāgyam
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Renunciation is knowing how to be without thirst for things seen or heard about.
YS 1.16Open verse →
tat paraṃ puruṣakhyāter guṇavaitṛṣṇyam
tat paraṃ puruṣakhyāter guṇavaitṛṣṇyam
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The higher [renunciation] is the non-thirst towards sense contact via self-possession.
YS 1.17Open verse →
vitarka vicār' ānand' āsmitā rūpā-nugamāt saṃprajñātaḥ
vitarka vicār' ānand' āsmitā rūpā-nugamāt saṃprajñātaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Effort, thought, joy, [and] conceit [make for] form-connected understanding.
YS 1.18Open verse →
virāmapratyayābhyāsapūrvaḥ saṃskāraśeṣo 'nyaḥ
virāmapratyayābhyāsapūrvaḥ saṃskāraśeṣo 'nyaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Another [level of *samādhi*] has [merely] a residual of mental activity [left] after the attentive practice stops.
YS 1.19Open verse →
bhavapratyayo videhaprakṛtilayānām
bhavapratyayo videhaprakṛtilayānām
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Attention [then] becomes absorbed in a bodiless potential.
YS 1.20Open verse →
śraddhāvīryasmṛtisamādhiprajñāpūrvaka itareṣām
śraddhāvīryasmṛtisamādhiprajñāpūrvaka itareṣām
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The final is preceded by faith, energy, recollection, concentration, and discernment.
YS 1.21Open verse →
tīvrasaṃvegānām āsannaḥ
tīvrasaṃvegānām āsannaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Extreme world-weariness is close [to the goal].
YS 1.22Open verse →
mṛdumadhyādhimātratvāt tato 'pi viśeṣaḥ
mṛdumadhyādhimātratvāt tato 'pi viśeṣaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Mild, moderate, or excessive also differentiates.
YS 1.23Open verse →
īśvarapraṇidhānād vā
īśvarapraṇidhānād vā
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or [*samādhi* can be gained] through devotion to *Īśvara*.
YS 1.24Open verse →
kleśakarmavipākāśayair aparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣaviśeṣa īśvaraḥ
kleśakarmavipākāśayair aparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣaviśeṣa īśvaraḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
*Īśvara* is a different kind of person: untouched by defilements, *karma*, fruition, or tendency.
YS 1.25Open verse →
tatra niratiśayaṃ sarvajñabījam
tatra niratiśayaṃ sarvajñabījam
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Here is the unsurpassed seed of all there is to know.
YS 1.26Open verse →
pūrveṣām api guruḥ kālenānavacchedāt
pūrveṣām api guruḥ kālenānavacchedāt
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The former [moment], also a teacher. Hence, temporal continuity.
YS 1.27Open verse →
tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ
tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
His name is a [mere] vocalization.
YS 1.28Open verse →
tajjapas tadarthabhāvanam
tajjapas tadarthabhāvanam
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Say it, and you'll see what I mean.
YS 1.29Open verse →
tataḥ pratyakcetanādhigamo 'py antarāyābhāvaś ca
tataḥ pratyakcetanādhigamo 'py antarāyābhāvaś ca
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
From that: mindfulness and the disappearance of the obstacles.
YS 1.30Open verse →
vyādhi styāna saṃśaya pramādālasyāvirati bhrānti darśanālabdha bhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepās te 'ntarāyāḥ
vyādhi styāna saṃśaya pramādālasyāvirati bhrānti darśanālabdha bhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepās te 'ntarāyāḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Disease, torpor, doubt, carelessness, sloth, compulsion, confusion, seeing the unobtained, instability in the foundation, [and] an anxious *citta*: these are the obstacles.
YS 1.31Open verse →
duḥkha daurmanasyāṅgame jayatvaśvāsapraśvāsā vikṣepasahabhuvaḥ
duḥkha daurmanasyāṅgame jayatvaśvāsapraśvāsā vikṣepasahabhuvaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The symptoms of anxiety are stress, depression, tremors in the limbs, and difficulty breathing.
YS 1.32Open verse →
tat-pratiṣedhārtham eka-tattvābhyāsaḥ
tat-pratiṣedhārtham eka-tattvābhyāsaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The treatment is single-object practice.
YS 1.33Open verse →
maitrī-karuṇā-mudit'-opekṣāṇāṃ sukha-duḥkha puṇy'-āpuṇya viṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaś citta-prasādanam
maitrī-karuṇā-mudit'-opekṣāṇāṃ sukha-duḥkha puṇy'-āpuṇya viṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaś citta-prasādanam
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity towards everything—pleasant, unpleasant, good and bad alike—pacifies the *citta*.
YS 1.34Open verse →
pracchardanavidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya
pracchardanavidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or the exhaling and inhaling of the breath
YS 1.35Open verse →
viṣayavatī vā pravṛttir utpannā manasaḥ sthitinibandhanī
viṣayavatī vā pravṛttir utpannā manasaḥ sthitinibandhanī
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or something which arises out of experience and arrests the mind.
YS 1.36Open verse →
viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī
viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or which is painless and enlightening
YS 1.37Open verse →
vītarāgaviṣayaṃ vā cittam
vītarāgaviṣayaṃ vā cittam
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or something for which the *citta* is without passion
YS 1.38Open verse →
svapnanidrājñānālambanaṃ vā
svapnanidrājñānālambanaṃ vā
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or [you can] hang on to dream knowledge
YS 1.39Open verse →
yathābhimatadhyānād vā
yathābhimatadhyānād vā
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or meditate on whatever suits you.
YS 1.40Open verse →
paramāṇuparamamahattvānto 'sya vaśīkāraḥ
paramāṇuparamamahattvānto 'sya vaśīkāraḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Mastery is from the most minute to the most grand.
YS 1.41Open verse →
kṣīṇavṛtter abhijātasyeva maṇer grahītṛgrahaṇagrāhyeṣu tatsthatadañjanatā samāpattiḥ
kṣīṇavṛtter abhijātasyeva maṇer grahītṛgrahaṇagrāhyeṣu tatsthatadañjanatā samāpattiḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The whirling abated—precious as a jewel!—the grasper, the grasping, and the grasped thus abiding and thus anointed: [this is] unification.
YS 1.42Open verse →
tatra śabdārthajñānavikalpaiḥ saṃkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ
tatra śabdārthajñānavikalpaiḥ saṃkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
In that [state of] unification with effort, [there is still] sound, meaning, knowledge, and conceptualization.
YS 1.43Open verse →
smṛtipariśuddhau svarūpaśūnyevārthamātranirbhāsā nirvitarkā
smṛtipariśuddhau svarūpaśūnyevārthamātranirbhāsā nirvitarkā
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
With the purification of mindfulness, [the mind] appears to be empty except for the object shining forth effortlessly.
YS 1.44Open verse →
etayaiva savicārā nirvicārā ca sūkṣmaviṣayā vyākhyātā
etayaiva savicārā nirvicārā ca sūkṣmaviṣayā vyākhyātā
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
This also explains the subtle things [about *samādhi*] with and without thought.
YS 1.45Open verse →
sūkṣmaviṣayatvaṃ cāliṅgaparyavasānam
sūkṣmaviṣayatvaṃ cāliṅgaparyavasānam
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Even subtle “thingness” itself terminates in the featureless [absorptions].
YS 1.46Open verse →
tā eva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ
tā eva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[But] even these [states] are “*samādhi* with [karmic] seeds.”
YS 1.47Open verse →
nirvicāravaiśāradye 'dhyātmaprasādaḥ
nirvicāravaiśāradye 'dhyātmaprasādaḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Thoughtless clarity is the heart of religiousity.
YS 1.48Open verse →
ṛtaṃbharā tatra prajñā
ṛtaṃbharā tatra prajñā
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Truth born this way is discerning.
YS 1.49Open verse →
śrutānumānaprajñābhyām anyaviṣayā viśeṣārthatvāt
śrutānumānaprajñābhyām anyaviṣayā viśeṣārthatvāt
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[Truths] which have been heard, inferred, or discerned are different things, [and have] different functions.
YS 1.50Open verse →
tajjaḥ saṃskāro 'nyasaṃskārapratibandhī
tajjaḥ saṃskāro 'nyasaṃskārapratibandhī
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The [mental] activity born from that [absorption], [temporarily] obstructs other activity.
YS 1.51Open verse →
tasyāpi nirodhe sarvanirodhān nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ
tasyāpi nirodhe sarvanirodhān nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ
Meaning · English — Khemarato Bhikkhu
With the cessation of even that, all ceases. This is the seedless *samādhi*.