Yoga Sutras of Patanjali · Chapter 3
Vibhuti Pada
विभूतिपाद
Concentration, meditation, samadhi (the inner three limbs) — and the siddhis they yield.
55 verses
deśabandhaś cittasya dhāraṇā
deśabandhaś cittasya dhāraṇā
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Application is directing the *citta*.
तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्॥
tatra pratyayaikatānatā dhyānam
Meaning (English)
In that (concentration), an unbroken flow of attention is meditation.
तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधिः॥
tad evārtha-mātra-nirbhāsaṁ svarūpa-śūnyam iva samādhiḥ
Meaning (English)
When the same (meditation) shines forth as the object alone, as if devoid of its own form — that is samadhi.
trayam ekatra saṃyamaḥ
trayam ekatra saṃyamaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The three [application, meditation, and *samādhi*] come together in revelation.
tajjayāt prajñālokaḥ
tajjayāt prajñālokaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
That conquest: the shining forth of discernment.
tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ
tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
It proceeds by stages,
trayam antaraṅgaṃ pūrvebhyaḥ
trayam antaraṅgaṃ pūrvebhyaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
the three being the inner parts of the practice.
tad api bahiraṅgaṃ nirbījasya
tad api bahiraṅgaṃ nirbījasya
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Yet they are (all three) external to the seedless.
vyutthānanirodhasaṃskārayor abhibhavaprādurbhāvau nirodhakṣaṇacittānvayo nirodhapariṇāmaḥ
vyutthānanirodhasaṃskārayor abhibhavaprādurbhāvau nirodhakṣaṇacittānvayo nirodhapariṇāmaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
When exuberance ceases and [burdensome] mental activity lifts, manifesting stops and the pull of the divided heart too: this is [real] change.
tasya praśāntavāhitā saṃskārāt
tasya praśāntavāhitā saṃskārāt
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
This calm flow is [conditioned] by [certain, prior] mental actions.
sarvārthataikāgratayoḥ kṣayodayau cittasya samādhipariṇāmaḥ
sarvārthataikāgratayoḥ kṣayodayau cittasya samādhipariṇāmaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The fading away of all objectives and the arising of one-pointedness is the change-of-heart called *samādhi*.
tataḥ punaḥ śāntoditau tulyapratyayau cittasyaikāgratāpariṇāmaḥ
tataḥ punaḥ śāntoditau tulyapratyayau cittasyaikāgratāpariṇāmaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
From there, higher tranquility with matching attention is the change-of-heart called [full] one-pointedness.
etena bhūtendriyeṣu dharmalakṣaṇāvasthāpariṇāmā vyākhyātāḥ
etena bhūtendriyeṣu dharmalakṣaṇāvasthāpariṇāmā vyākhyātāḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
This explains [why] the quality, character, and appearance of the [sense] objects and faculties change.
śāntoditāvyapadeśyadharmānupātī dharmī
śāntoditāvyapadeśyadharmānupātī dharmī
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[Yet] the *dharma* of the three times conforms to the teachings.
kramānyatvaṃ pariṇāmānyatve hetuḥ
kramānyatvaṃ pariṇāmānyatve hetuḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Different sequences cause different changes.
pariṇāmatrayasaṃyamād atītānāgatajñānam
pariṇāmatrayasaṃyamād atītānāgatajñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Knowing the three changes reveals the past and future.
śabdārthapratyayānām itaretarādhyāsāt saṃkaras tatpravibhāgasaṃyamāt sarvabhūtarutajñānam
śabdārthapratyayānām itaretarādhyāsāt saṃkaras tatpravibhāgasaṃyamāt sarvabhūtarutajñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Attending to words and confusing them with meaning is [delusional] mental activity. Discerning this difference reveals the nature of all the world's languages.
saṃskārasākṣātkaraṇāt pūrvajātijñānam
saṃskārasākṣātkaraṇāt pūrvajātijñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Through the direct perception of the mind-stream, [the yogin can gain] knowledge of [their] past lives
pratyayasya paracittajñānam
pratyayasya paracittajñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Through attention, the minds of others.
na ca tat sālambanaṃ tasyāviṣayībhūtatvāt
na ca tat sālambanaṃ tasyāviṣayībhūtatvāt
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Such [insights] are, however, conditioned because they are subjective.
kāyarūpasaṃyamāt tadgrāhyaśaktistambhe cakṣuḥprakāśāsaṃprayoge 'ntardhānam
kāyarūpasaṃyamāt tadgrāhyaśaktistambhe cakṣuḥprakāśāsaṃprayoge 'ntardhānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[Meditating on] the physical body reveals its disappearance through arresting the grasping faculty and through disconnecting the eye from light.
sopakramaṃ nirupakramaṃ ca karma tatsaṃyamād aparāntajñānam ariṣṭebhyo vā
sopakramaṃ nirupakramaṃ ca karma tatsaṃyamād aparāntajñānam ariṣṭebhyo vā
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Knowing ripe and unripe karma—or [reading] the signs—reveals how things end.
maitryādiṣu balāni
maitryādiṣu balāni
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Loving-kindness, etc are [also] powers.
baleṣu hastibalādīni
baleṣu hastibalādīni
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[And] from [psychic] power, physical power, etc.
pravṛttyālokanyāsāt sūkṣmavyavahitaviprakṛṣṭajñānam
pravṛttyālokanyāsāt sūkṣmavyavahitaviprakṛṣṭajñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Focusing on the experience of light [reveals] knowledge of things subtle, hidden, and far away
bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt
bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[Just as] the sun reveals the earth
candre tārāvyūhajñānam
candre tārāvyūhajñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The moon, the arrangement of the stars
dhruve tadgatijñānam
dhruve tadgatijñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The north star, knowledge of their motion
nābhicakre kāyavyūhajñānam
nābhicakre kāyavyūhajñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The navel wheel, knowledge of the arrangement of the body
kaṇṭhakūpe kṣutpipāsānivṛttiḥ
kaṇṭhakūpe kṣutpipāsānivṛttiḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The throat well, the [cause and] cessation of hunger and thirst
kūrmanāḍyāṃ sthairyam
kūrmanāḍyāṃ sthairyam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[Or] the way of the tortoise, [reveals] steadiness
mūrdhajyotiṣi siddhadarśanam
mūrdhajyotiṣi siddhadarśanam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[so too,] the light in the head reveals the divine eye
prātibhād vā sarvam
prātibhād vā sarvam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Or, in a flash, everything.
hṛdaye cittasaṃvit
hṛdaye cittasaṃvit
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
In the heart, understanding of the *citta* [arises]
sattvapuruṣayor atyantāsaṃkīrṇayoḥ pratyayāviśeṣo bhogaḥ parārthāt svārthasaṃyamāt puruṣajñānam
sattvapuruṣayor atyantāsaṃkīrṇayoḥ pratyayāviśeṣo bhogaḥ parārthāt svārthasaṃyamāt puruṣajñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[Understanding] distinguishes between the meaning of “person” and the function of the mind which reveals knowledge of the person. Normal experience is attention which conflates one with the other.
tataḥ prātibhaśrāvaṇavedanādarśāsvādavārtā jāyante
tataḥ prātibhaśrāvaṇavedanādarśāsvādavārtā jāyante
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
This produces flashes of hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting, [and] smelling.
te samādhāv upasargā vyutthāne siddhayaḥ
te samādhāv upasargā vyutthāne siddhayaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Which are obstacles to *samādhi*, but are powers upon emerging.
bandhakāraṇaśaithilyāt pracārasaṃvedanāc ca cittasya paraśarīrāveśaḥ
bandhakāraṇaśaithilyāt pracārasaṃvedanāc ca cittasya paraśarīrāveśaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The mind enters a body when the causes binding it loosen and it is compelled that way.
udānajayāj jalapaṅkakaṇṭakādiṣv asaṅga utkrāntiś ca
udānajayāj jalapaṅkakaṇṭakādiṣv asaṅga utkrāntiś ca
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[But] vanquishing cries, [the conqueror] rises out of the mud and water, untouched by [such] thorns.
samānajayāj jvalanam
samānajayāj jvalanam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Conquering existence, [the victor] shines.
śrotrākāśayoḥ saṃbandhasaṃyamād divyaṃ śrotram
śrotrākāśayoḥ saṃbandhasaṃyamād divyaṃ śrotram
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The relationship between ear and air reveals divine hearing.
kāyākāśayoḥ saṃbandhasaṃyamāl laghutūlasamāpatteś cākāśagamanam
kāyākāśayoḥ saṃbandhasaṃyamāl laghutūlasamāpatteś cākāśagamanam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The relationship between the body and air, and how cotton attains its lightness, reveal [how] the body goes through the air.
bahir akalpitā vṛttir mahāvidehā tataḥ prakāśāvaraṇakṣayaḥ
bahir akalpitā vṛttir mahāvidehā tataḥ prakāśāvaraṇakṣayaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
When the mind moves to the formless state, beyond the body, the covering of the light [of the citta] is weakened.
sthūlasvarūpasūkṣmānvayārthavattvasaṃyamād bhūtajayaḥ
sthūlasvarūpasūkṣmānvayārthavattvasaṃyamād bhūtajayaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
The grossness, appearance, subtlety, constitution, and purposefulness of objects reveal their conquest.
tato 'ṇimādiprādurbhāvaḥ kāyasaṃpat taddharmānabhighātaś ca
tato 'ṇimādiprādurbhāvaḥ kāyasaṃpat taddharmānabhighātaś ca
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
From this come [the insights] such as the atomization of objects, etc, and the direct, pristine [knowledge] of the Dharma's indestructibility.
rūpalāvaṇyabalavajrasaṃhananatvāni kāyasaṃpat
rūpalāvaṇyabalavajrasaṃhananatvāni kāyasaṃpat
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Graceful in form, strong and unbreakable like a diamond: this is a perfect body.
grahaṇasvarūpāsmitānvayārthavattvasaṃyamād indriyajayaḥ
grahaṇasvarūpāsmitānvayārthavattvasaṃyamād indriyajayaḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Conceit, grasping at appearances, and the tug of meaning reveal how to conquer the faculties.
tato manojavitvaṃ vikaraṇabhāvaḥ pradhānajayaś ca
tato manojavitvaṃ vikaraṇabhāvaḥ pradhānajayaś ca
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
From this comes fleetness, independent of the senses: the conquest of mind over matter.
sattvapuruṣānyatākhyātimātrasya sarvabhāvādhiṣṭhātṛtvaṃ sarvajñātṛtvaṃ ca
sattvapuruṣānyatākhyātimātrasya sarvabhāvādhiṣṭhātṛtvaṃ sarvajñātṛtvaṃ ca
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Even just once seeing this distinction between the mind and the person can lead to a supreme, omniscient existence.
tadvairāgyād api doṣabījakṣaye kaivalyam
tadvairāgyād api doṣabījakṣaye kaivalyam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[But] through dispassion towards even this, [and] with the [prior] weakening of the seeds of delusion, [instead comes] liberation.
sthānyupanimantraṇe saṅgasmayākaraṇaṃ punar aniṣṭaprasaṅgāt
sthānyupanimantraṇe saṅgasmayākaraṇaṃ punar aniṣṭaprasaṅgāt
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Though able to attain a high rebirth [from that point, the yogin,] inclined to disinterest, gives rise [instead] to no more attachment or pride.
kṣaṇatatkramayoḥ saṃyamād vivekajaṃ jñānam
kṣaṇatatkramayoḥ saṃyamād vivekajaṃ jñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Knowledge born of seclusion reveals the sequence of moments.
jātilakṣaṇadeśair anyatānavacchedāt tulyayos tataḥ pratipattiḥ
jātilakṣaṇadeśair anyatānavacchedāt tulyayos tataḥ pratipattiḥ
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
From this, [the yogi] differentiates between similar things previously indistinguishable by origin, characteristic, or position.
tārakaṃ sarvaviṣayaṃ sarvathāviṣayam akramaṃ ceti vivekajaṃ jñānam
tārakaṃ sarvaviṣayaṃ sarvathāviṣayam akramaṃ ceti vivekajaṃ jñānam
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
[This] knowledge-born-of-seclusion of all objects everywhere and of all times is the liberator.
sattvapuruṣayoḥ śuddhisāmye kaivalyam iti
sattvapuruṣayoḥ śuddhisāmye kaivalyam iti
Meaning (English) — Khemarato Bhikkhu
Mind and self thus purified, [the meditator attains] liberation.