Yoga Sutras, Finishing Chapter One

I may have lost a few readers with the last entry. We will now finish this advanced chapter 1 of the Yoga Sutras (Y.S.) of Patanjali. We discussed types of samadhi or meditative absorption in the last entry. Now Patanjali introduces the concept of a special type of knowledge gained from nirvichara samadhi and the final goal, seedless samadhi.

Sutra 1.47:Nirvichara vaisaradye adhyatma prasadah, In the clarity of nirvichara samadhi, the supreme Self shines.

This reminds me of the first few sutras. In 1.2 Patanjali tells us that yoga is quieting the mind so that, 1.3 the Self abides in its own nature. In this sutra adhyatma (adhi=superior, atma=Self or soul), the supreme Self, is able to shine through because the mind has been purified to the point of not obstructing the Self. This is back to the familiar theme that with yoga practice we are not developing spirituality but discovering our spiritual nature that has already been there.

Sutra 1.48:Ritambhara tatra prajna, This is ritambhara prajna, the truth-bearing wisdom.

This is a type of knowledge that is beyond words and thoughts, from direct experience. I once went on a 2 and 1/2 month meditation retreat. I was talking to someone else on the retreat about the weather and they said something about the lack of rain that time of year. I said without thinking that it would rain in four days. Immediately afterwords, although something about it felt right, I thought to myself, where did that come from? Long story short whether coincidence or not, it rained in four days. I'm not saying I was experiencing nirvichara samadhi or anything like that but I do know that I was meditating several hours a day for those months and there were plenty of inner discoveries during this time. To me this was a glimpse of ritambhara prajna.

Sutra 1.49:Sruta anumana prajnabhyam anya vishaya visesha arthatvat, The purpose of this special wisdom is different from the insights gained by study of sacred tradition and inference.

Study of sacred tradition (scripture) and knowledge from inference (intellectual discrimination) are important for the aspirant but neither can replace the direct experience of Self. Here we are told to walk the walk not talk the talk.
In sutra 1.7 Patanjali writes, "The sources of right knowledge are direct perception, inference and scriptural testimony." Nothing can compare to direct perception. For example, if someone has never tasted honey, you could spend all day describing the color, consistency etc. of it, but unless they were to taste it, they would never really know what honey is like. The same applies to knowledge of Self. Intellectualization on inner peace is not the experience of inner peace.

1.50:Tad jah samskarah anya samskara pratibandhi, Other impressions are overcome by the impression produced by this samadhi.

Samskaras (subconscious impressions) of past experiences and thoughts are overcome by samskaras produced by nirvichara samadhi. Spending time in nirvichara samadhi raises the mind to the level of sattva (purity) and overcomes the samskaras from our past. Another way of saying this is that by meditation one can free oneself from one's past patterning.

1.51:Tasyapi nirodhe sarva nirodhan nirbijah samadhih, With the stilling of even this impression, every impression is wiped out and there is nirbija (seedless) samadhi.

However great this is, the next step is to go beyond the experience of duality.
With "truth-bearing wisdom" there still remains a subject/object relationship. In nirbija samadhi, without seed or object, the subjective experience is, as Carrera says in his commentary, "the experience of complete oneness with the Absolute. You realize that the real you was never born and will never die. You are the Self." This ends the first chapter of the Y.S.