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Abhava pratyayaylambana vrittir nidra
I am reading four translations/interpretations of the Sutras, to try to grasp the core of what these terse verses say. One interpretation is by I.K. Taimini, another is by B.K.S.Iyengar, and another one by Shyam Ranganathan.
The most exciting is the one by Swami Satyanandaji, because he talks in a very down-to-earth fashion. His book Four Chapters on Freedom is a must-read commentary by those who really want to crack the Sutras.
So, here,in this verse the idea of sleep is taken on, as a movement of the mind.
Sleep as in the actual physical state of sleep or not being conscious. This one, all interpreters say, are very very tricky. The mind appears to be devoid of movement in this state, but actually it is only that there is no record of what is happening in the mind. There is still movement. Even those who close their eyes and believe they have "attained", they too are not aware that the blankness is also a movement. Those who shut off and see "visions", they too have become attached to this state and therefore, have again invited the movement of the mind.
The absolute nirbhija (without any seed/latent tendency of the mind) Samadhi is the only real state. Rest of the others are all movements of the mind, and must be restrained.
Here Swami Satyanandaji winds up his commentary on this state with this punchline: "It is supposed that Samadhi is a state of absolute unconsciousness, whereas it is actually the opposite."
I am reading four translations/interpretations of the Sutras, to try to grasp the core of what these terse verses say. One interpretation is by I.K. Taimini, another is by B.K.S.Iyengar, and another one by Shyam Ranganathan.
The most exciting is the one by Swami Satyanandaji, because he talks in a very down-to-earth fashion. His book Four Chapters on Freedom is a must-read commentary by those who really want to crack the Sutras.
So, here,in this verse the idea of sleep is taken on, as a movement of the mind.
Sleep as in the actual physical state of sleep or not being conscious. This one, all interpreters say, are very very tricky. The mind appears to be devoid of movement in this state, but actually it is only that there is no record of what is happening in the mind. There is still movement. Even those who close their eyes and believe they have "attained", they too are not aware that the blankness is also a movement. Those who shut off and see "visions", they too have become attached to this state and therefore, have again invited the movement of the mind.
The absolute nirbhija (without any seed/latent tendency of the mind) Samadhi is the only real state. Rest of the others are all movements of the mind, and must be restrained.
Here Swami Satyanandaji winds up his commentary on this state with this punchline: "It is supposed that Samadhi is a state of absolute unconsciousness, whereas it is actually the opposite."
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