The concept of Yoga in Yoga Upanishads
by Philomina T.L | 2018 | 42,235 words
This page relates 鈥楾hree kinds of Pramanas鈥� of study dealing with the evolution and significance of Yoga as reflected in the Yoga-Upanishads, a collection of authoritative texts dedicated to the concept of Yoga (spiritual discipline). The thesis traces the origins of the practice back to pre-Vedic times and and suggests that Yoga became a philosophical system following the creation of the Yogasutras.
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3. Three kinds of Pr膩m膩峁嘺s
According to the 驰辞驳补蝉奴迟谤补 there are three kinds of 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺蝉 such as 辫谤补迟测补办峁 (perception) 补苍耻尘腻苍补 inference) and 膧驳补尘补 (verbal testimony). It states thus: pratyak峁Ｄ乶um膩nagam膩岣� pram膩峁嚹乶i
笔谤补迟测补办峁 (perception)
The attainment of knowledge, when the mind comes in contact with the external object through the sense organs, is called 笔谤补迟测补办峁. Here the truth is established from particular aspects to the general aspects of an object.
It is stated in the 痴测腻蝉补bh膩峁a as:
indriyapra峁嚹乴ikay膩 cittasya b膩hyavast奴par膩g膩t tadvi峁yas膩m膩nyavi艣e峁Ｄ乼manorttasya vi艣e峁Ｄ乿adh膩ra峁嚹伇璋够宄竽宀圆箆峁泃ti岣� 辫谤补迟测补办峁m 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺m |[1]
痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 regards 辫谤补迟测补办峁 as the basis of all other 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺蝉. According to 痴测腻蝉补 辫谤补迟测补办峁 is chiefly concerned with the particular not with the general, while 痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 mentions it as the epitome of the general, even though it becomes subsidiary to the apprehension of the particular also.
That is,
yadyapi s膩m膩nyamapi pratyak峁 pratibh膩sate |
tath膩pi vi艣e峁m prati upasarjan墨bh奴tam ityartha岣� || [2]
For Vij帽膩bhik峁Ｅ� 辫谤补迟测补办峁 is a mental function which is possible only through the senses. He defines 辫谤补迟测补办峁 as the functioning of the thinking principle directly through the senses. In 辫谤补迟测补办峁 the sense organs (箩帽腻苍别诲谤颈测补蝉) make the connection between the citta and the external object which are having generic and specific aspects. Here this specific aspect is treated as 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补 by the mental modification. And this mental modification is considered as the 辫谤补迟测补办峁 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺. By the relation of mind and 辫耻谤耻峁, the consciousness of 肠颈迟迟补惫峁泃迟颈 formed in 辫耻谤耻峁 is the result of 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺 or mental modification. 痴测腻蝉补 and 痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈 agree with these arguments in a similar manner.
础苍耻尘腻苍补 (Inference)
In the words of 叠丑腻峁补办腻谤补 础苍耻尘腻苍补 is regarded as the mental modification which mainly apprehends or grasps the generic nature of an object what is to be inferred. In other words it is the method which defines the significant knowledge obtained from another knowledge and treated as inferential knowledge which is also known as Aunmiti. Again 础苍耻尘腻苍补 is regarded as the formation of hypothesis on the basis of 辫谤补迟测补办峁. According to Radhakrishnan the cognition of invariable concomitance is the basis of 础苍耻尘腻苍补 (inference). Among two things connected together the 辫谤补迟测补办峁j帽膩na of the first helps to establish the existence of the other.
膧驳补尘补 (Verbal Testimony)
The third means of knowledge is 膧驳补尘补. 痴测腻蝉补 defines 腻驳补尘补 as a mental modification originating in the hearers, depending upon the meaning communicated by the words of a trustworthy person (腻辫迟补) on account of his direct experience (辫谤补迟测补办峁) and inferential knowledge.
Here 鈥�the apta鈥�, the trustworthy person is described as one who has the philosophical vision as explained by 痴腻肠补蝉辫补迟颈.
Thus 辫谤补迟测补办峁, 补苍耻尘腻苍补 and 腻驳补尘补 are considered as the three means of knowledge in yoga. The state of mind or the mental mode is termed as the 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺 and the reflection of consciousness in the mind is treated as the cognition. The authenticity and unauthenticity of knowledge are naturally disclosed and apprehended by these 辫谤补尘补峁嘺蝉 of 辫谤补迟测补办峁, 补苍耻尘腻苍补 and 腻驳补尘补.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
驰辞驳补蝉奴迟谤补-bhojav峁泃ti 17.
[2]:
罢补迟迟惫补惫补颈艣腻谤补诲墨 1.7