EIGHT-FOLD PATH(ASTANGA YOGA)

[Guest guest]

 EIGHT-FOLD PATH(ASTANGA YOGA)

 

The practice includes eight steps.So this is called Astanga yoga.Asta means

eight.The word eight comes from Asta.In between, there is a word

Octa.’Octagon’  ‘Octopus’.That comes from ‘Asta’ and from Octa,

comes the word ‘eight’ in English.What are the eight steps ? The first is

called ‘Yama’. i.e regulation of the human faculties.The second is

‘Niyama’ , a rectification of the  defects of the instruments, this four

–fold instrument, of course, all these things, we are not going to tackle

today. We give only the names and their meanings and the main practice what to

do. The third is Asana. Asana here is not Padmasana, Siddhasana,Sheershasan,

etc.No, not at all.The Asana of the eight angas is no at all the asana of the

Hatha yoga. ‘’Sthira Sukham Asanam’’, saya  patanjali.This is the

definition of Asana . That means practicing stability in ease.’’ Sthiram

asanam Athmanaha’’ says , the Lord in the Gita. Asana is

for Atma and not for the body.Then you begin to practice,aneasy  attitude at

all times and establish that attitude, so that it may become stable.It is called

Asana.When you are able to maintain that attitude as long as you want, according

to your own will, that is called ‘Asana’ So you should practice a sweet

attitude, towards nothing,not any particular thing.So whatever may be the thing

around you, it will be sweet.If you practice sweetness of mind, any thing around

you will be sweet .Seeking happiness form something else will be a miserable

failure.

 

The fourth is pranayama.Many types of pranayama are described by many. Some

methods are very rough and horrible else.But be careful.The person who proposed

the Astanga yoga has not given all those things in pranayama.Either   patanjali

or the Bhagavadgita has not accepted these nasty methods of pranayama.What we

have described yesterday about our respiration, is what is required exactly.

Patanjali and the Gita prescribed the neutralization of Prana and Apana i.e .

,  the pulsations that cause inhalation and exhalation and the establishment of

their equilibrium.That is what I have explained to  you .All the other things

like inhaling and stopping breathe, counting a number and inhaling are not

prescribed by the seers.What we described yesterday, that is pranayama.

 

The fifth is  Pratyahara( All these steps I have given as lectures .Geneva

people will be able to give  lectures on this.Tomorrow I propose five minutes

lectures each.why not ?)Senses will be towards outside. They are traveling from

within.That is called ‘Pratyahara’ .You have to attract the senses to the

mind. You cannot call five boys and threaten them  and ask them to sit down at

a place . You can make them sit down by Chocolate or something else. So these

five senses should be made like that.That process is called ‘Pratyahara’

..This is to bring the senses back slowly from the objects of senses, in artistic

way,not in a rough way.(Here Master again explained ‘Yama’).’Yama’ ,

i.e. , the regulation of human faculties is the first thing.To make the mind and

senses practice what we prescribe, not what they practice.That is

called’Yama’.The mind and senses are already doing some practice, some

malpractice.Wherever we come across the

name of a god,’Yama’ ,in the puranas or the Upanishads, there the subject

relates to the first step of Yoga practice, i.e ., Yama.

 

The sixth step is ‘Dharana’ .It is to suspend the change in mind and to

sustain the proposed picture in the mind as long as you order it.The seventh

step is ‘Dhyana’.

 

If you are looking at a banana, if a boy is looking at a banana, if a Botony

professor is looking at a banana, all these three are different from one

another. The boy has only one thing with the banana.What is it ? Experience .

 

If you are looking at a banana, if a boy is looking at a banana, if a Botony

professor is looking at a banana, all these three are different from one

another. The boy has only one thing with the banana.What is it ? Experience .

What is the relationship between sugar and a sugar technology professor ?

What is the relationship between sugar and a boy ?

The first thing is a volume about sugar, with the sugar technology—What is

sugar ? Its definition, how to produce,how to prepare,manufacture etc. The

second thing is called Dhayana.The boy did not know the word sugar.The boy need

not remember that the sugar is crystallary or transparent or something else .

Theboy need not remember that the sugar has some weight and volume, all its

physical, chemical and mental properties.They go, they disappear. What is there

? The boy wants something.It is there.That is what we call ‘sugar’,what he

never calls,but experiences.The relationship between us and the world is similar

that between the sugar technology professor and sugar.

 

Suppose there is a banana.What is our conception about banana ? The shape or

name of the banana, but not the actual banana.But the shape or name or colour is

not banana.When you eat it, you just experience the happiness.You would not be

alive to the name,shape,taste,colour,smell,or weight of the banana. You would

become one with that.That is called happiness.By way of practice, that state of

happiness would be attained.What is the practice required to attain this,I am

going to tell you.The actual practice, we have described yesterday.But I will

tell you a little bit more.Thus Dhyana is something your experience, where the

name of a thing disappears.The shape of a thing disappears from your

mind.Everything disappears except what, it is experience,I will give you an

example.(Master here showed a wood in the instructional hall).Is This wood there

all these four days or not ?  It was yellow also all these days.But do you see

it until I  disturb your mind

and bring it to you ? Have you seen the log of wood and is yellowish nature and

its shape all these three days? Why ? You are busy with moreimportant thing and

though your eye is opened,your mind does not see it through your eye.The eye is

not permitted to see.Are we closing the other part of the eye, so that we may

not see this and open the eye only to the board ? But we recognise only the

board.Not even the board you remember.What it is your remember ? The letter we

write.After a few minutes, you won’t remember the letter because you have to

remember the words.You have to remember the sentences.After a few minutes, you

will not remember the sentences, because you have to remember the import and

grasp and receive it .Thus what  you are grasping is like the electeicity.These

are all meant for electricity.But for it,all these arewaste.So when the one

thing required stands and all the other things disappear, that state is (like

electricity) called

Dhyana.There is only one thing and one thing – not its name , not its colour,

not its shape, not its meaning,not its import, but it is yourself.When  all

these disappear, what remains ? That is the observer himself and nothing else

..Crystal, a transparent crystal of himself.The difference between the thing that

is seen and one who sees disappears.This is the  meaning of experiencing it or

enjoying it .Our hunger is  satiated only after we cook our food and take it.So

we have to do that work.This is about Dhyana .Let us practice it and dwell in it

..

 

The eighth one is Samadhi .What does it mean ? Even the person who is

experiencing will disappear and only experience will stand. We has been to a

musical concert, but what is there in our mind ? There is the hall, its location

and there are the seats and  people sitting around us .After wards, there are

the musician and his shape.Suppose, he will sit down there .His name and his

past achievements also are there, We will be talking about his achievements, his

greatness, his name, his fame.Everything except himself, we are enjoying.(In

South India, there is renowed musician by name Chittibabu). All these are about

Chittibabu and not  at all Chittibabu.He started music.There is another

musician  in South India.He has a big wart in his face, and abig brow- mark and

big eyes.Before he starts music,we will see all these things fancifully and

sometimes we will be silly by laughing at each other about his face and his

expressions, how he is expressing and

all that.So he just started the music.What happened ? The hall disappeared .

Then the environment disappeared.Your friends who came to attend the concert and

with whom you are talking about pickles and other things disappeared.Some were

talking on the crop of mango fruits that year . They were talking all these

things.But when he started, it disappeared. The friends disappeared, the

environment and the neighbours disappeared and the musical concert and the

programme disappeared from your mind.Then his name disappeared from your mind,

his fame, what you about him disappeared and the big wart disappeared . The

peculiar expressions of his face disappeared .What is there ? You wanted to

catch the train by 9.30, you sat down by 7.30 P.M . and the concert was stopped

..You got up .It was 10.30 in the night.Did you go by train ? Our mind stopped,

our senses stopped.Our programme to catch the train stopped.We were not

present.Only one thing was present.Either

ourselves or the musician were not present.But only one thing that is called

experience of music was present.Even ourselves were not present.If we had been

in our minds, we would have gone to the railway station and caught the

train.No.What happened ? The total absence of the observer himself.What is that

happens here ? Total absence of the four- fold ring and the five pointed

star.What is present ? The one who is existing in everyone commonly.But the

original glass which these two are made up of is there.It is one .In the same

way, the indweller is one in all.He is called ‘Antharyami’. He is the Great

presence .So   the one thing exist.This is called  ‘Samadhi’ .These  are

the eight steps that are to be practiced simultaneously, not one after

another.Then how to do it ?

 

COURTESY-MASTER E.K

 

Regards

Bharathi.A

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the 'Gift'

I thought 'Samadhi' is travelling through the fourth ring directed by the

light of five pointed star! may be I need to learn more :-)

 

sree

 

On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 8:18 PM, live life <livelife2k7 wrote:

 

>

>

> EIGHT-FOLD PATH(ASTANGA YOGA)

>

> The practice includes eight steps.So this is called Astanga yoga.Asta means

> eight.The word eight comes from Asta.In between, there is a word

> Octa.’Octagon’ ‘Octopus’.That comes from ‘Asta’ and from Octa, comes the

> word ‘eight’ in English.What are the eight steps ? The first is called

> ‘Yama’. i.e regulation of the human faculties.The second is ‘Niyama’ , a

> rectification of the defects of the instruments, this four –fold

> instrument, of course, all these things, we are not going to tackle today.

> We give only the names and their meanings and the main practice what to do.

> The third is Asana. Asana here is not Padmasana, Siddhasana,Sheershasan,

> etc.No, not at all.The Asana of the eight angas is no at all the asana of

> the Hatha yoga. ‘’Sthira Sukham Asanam’’, saya patanjali.This is the

> definition of Asana . That means practicing stability in ease.’’ Sthiram

> asanam Athmanaha’’ says , the Lord in the Gita. Asana is

> for Atma and not for the body.Then you begin to practice,aneasy attitude

> at all times and establish that attitude, so that it may become stable.It is

> called Asana.When you are able to maintain that attitude as long as you

> want, according to your own will, that is called ‘Asana’ So you should

> practice a sweet attitude, towards nothing,not any particular thing.So

> whatever may be the thing around you, it will be sweet.If you practice

> sweetness of mind, any thing around you will be sweet .Seeking happiness

> form something else will be a miserable failure.

>

> The fourth is pranayama.Many types of pranayama are described by many. Some

> methods are very rough and horrible else.But be careful.The person who

> proposed the Astanga yoga has not given all those things in pranayama.Either

> patanjali or the Bhagavadgita has not accepted these nasty methods of

> pranayama.What we have described yesterday about our respiration, is what is

> required exactly. Patanjali and the Gita prescribed the neutralization of

> Prana and Apana i.e . , the pulsations that cause inhalation and exhalation

> and the establishment of their equilibrium.That is what I have explained to

> you .All the other things like inhaling and stopping breathe, counting a

> number and inhaling are not prescribed by the seers.What we described

> yesterday, that is pranayama.

>

> The fifth is Pratyahara( All these steps I have given as lectures .Geneva

> people will be able to give lectures on this.Tomorrow I propose five

> minutes lectures each.why not ?)Senses will be towards outside. They are

> traveling from within.That is called ‘Pratyahara’ .You have to attract the

> senses to the mind. You cannot call five boys and threaten them and ask

> them to sit down at a place . You can make them sit down by Chocolate or

> something else. So these five senses should be made like that.That process

> is called ‘Pratyahara’ .This is to bring the senses back slowly from the

> objects of senses, in artistic way,not in a rough way.(Here Master again

> explained ‘Yama’).’Yama’ , i.e. , the regulation of human faculties is the

> first thing.To make the mind and senses practice what we prescribe, not what

> they practice.That is called’Yama’.The mind and senses are already doing

> some practice, some malpractice.Wherever we come across the

> name of a god,’Yama’ ,in the puranas or the Upanishads, there the subject

> relates to the first step of Yoga practice, i.e ., Yama.

>

> The sixth step is ‘Dharana’ .It is to suspend the change in mind and to

> sustain the proposed picture in the mind as long as you order it.The seventh

> step is ‘Dhyana’.

>

> If you are looking at a banana, if a boy is looking at a banana, if a

> Botony professor is looking at a banana, all these three are different from

> one another. The boy has only one thing with the banana.What is it ?

> Experience .

>

> If you are looking at a banana, if a boy is looking at a banana, if a

> Botony professor is looking at a banana, all these three are different from

> one another. The boy has only one thing with the banana.What is it ?

> Experience .

> What is the relationship between sugar and a sugar technology professor ?

> What is the relationship between sugar and a boy ?

> The first thing is a volume about sugar, with the sugar technology—What is

> sugar ? Its definition, how to produce,how to prepare,manufacture etc. The

> second thing is called Dhayana.The boy did not know the word sugar.The boy

> need not remember that the sugar is crystallary or transparent or something

> else . Theboy need not remember that the sugar has some weight and volume,

> all its physical, chemical and mental properties.They go, they disappear.

> What is there ? The boy wants something.It is there.That is what we call

> ‘sugar’,what he never calls,but experiences.The relationship between us and

> the world is similar that between the sugar technology professor and sugar.

>

> Suppose there is a banana.What is our conception about banana ? The shape

> or name of the banana, but not the actual banana.But the shape or name or

> colour is not banana.When you eat it, you just experience the happiness.You

> would not be alive to the name,shape,taste,colour,smell,or weight of the

> banana. You would become one with that.That is called happiness.By way of

> practice, that state of happiness would be attained.What is the practice

> required to attain this,I am going to tell you.The actual practice, we have

> described yesterday.But I will tell you a little bit more.Thus Dhyana is

> something your experience, where the name of a thing disappears.The shape of

> a thing disappears from your mind.Everything disappears except what, it is

> experience,I will give you an example.(Master here showed a wood in the

> instructional hall).Is This wood there all these four days or not ? It was

> yellow also all these days.But do you see it until I disturb your mind

> and bring it to you ? Have you seen the log of wood and is yellowish nature

> and its shape all these three days? Why ? You are busy with moreimportant

> thing and though your eye is opened,your mind does not see it through your

> eye.The eye is not permitted to see.Are we closing the other part of the

> eye, so that we may not see this and open the eye only to the board ? But we

> recognise only the board.Not even the board you remember.What it is your

> remember ? The letter we write.After a few minutes, you won’t remember the

> letter because you have to remember the words.You have to remember the

> sentences.After a few minutes, you will not remember the sentences, because

> you have to remember the import and grasp and receive it .Thus what you are

> grasping is like the electeicity.These are all meant for electricity.But for

> it,all these arewaste.So when the one thing required stands and all the

> other things disappear, that state is (like electricity) called

> Dhyana.There is only one thing and one thing – not its name , not its

> colour, not its shape, not its meaning,not its import, but it is

> yourself.When all these disappear, what remains ? That is the observer

> himself and nothing else .Crystal, a transparent crystal of himself.The

> difference between the thing that is seen and one who sees disappears.This

> is the meaning of experiencing it or enjoying it .Our hunger is satiated

> only after we cook our food and take it.So we have to do that work.This is

> about Dhyana .Let us practice it and dwell in it .

>

> The eighth one is Samadhi .What does it mean ? Even the person who is

> experiencing will disappear and only experience will stand. We has been to a

> musical concert, but what is there in our mind ? There is the hall, its

> location and there are the seats and people sitting around us .After wards,

> there are the musician and his shape.Suppose, he will sit down there .His

> name and his past achievements also are there, We will be talking about his

> achievements, his greatness, his name, his fame.Everything except himself,

> we are enjoying.(In South India, there is renowed musician by name

> Chittibabu). All these are about Chittibabu and not at all Chittibabu.He

> started music.There is another musician in South India.He has a big wart in

> his face, and abig brow- mark and big eyes.Before he starts music,we will

> see all these things fancifully and sometimes we will be silly by laughing

> at each other about his face and his expressions, how he is expressing and

> all that.So he just started the music.What happened ? The hall disappeared

> . Then the environment disappeared.Your friends who came to attend the

> concert and with whom you are talking about pickles and other things

> disappeared.Some were talking on the crop of mango fruits that year . They

> were talking all these things.But when he started, it disappeared. The

> friends disappeared, the environment and the neighbours disappeared and the

> musical concert and the programme disappeared from your mind.Then his name

> disappeared from your mind, his fame, what you about him disappeared and the

> big wart disappeared . The peculiar expressions of his face disappeared

> .What is there ? You wanted to catch the train by 9.30, you sat down by 7.30

> P.M . and the concert was stopped .You got up .It was 10.30 in the night.Did

> you go by train ? Our mind stopped, our senses stopped.Our programme to

> catch the train stopped.We were not present.Only one thing was

> present.Either

> ourselves or the musician were not present.But only one thing that is

> called experience of music was present.Even ourselves were not present.If we

> had been in our minds, we would have gone to the railway station and caught

> the train.No.What happened ? The total absence of the observer himself.What

> is that happens here ? Total absence of the four- fold ring and the five

> pointed star.What is present ? The one who is existing in everyone

> commonly.But the original glass which these two are made up of is there.It

> is one .In the same way, the indweller is one in all.He is called

> ‘Antharyami’. He is the Great presence .So the one thing exist.This is

> called ‘Samadhi’ .These are the eight steps that are to be practiced

> simultaneously, not one after another.Then how to do it ?

>

> COURTESY-MASTER E.K

>

> Regards

> Bharathi.A

>

>