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In this paper I challenge and attempt to correct conclusions about Classical Yoga philosophy drawn by traditional and modern interpretations of Patañjali's Yoga‐sūtras. My interpretation of Patañjali's Yoga—which focuses on the meaning of “cessation” (nirodha) as given in Patañjali's central definition of Yoga (YS 1.2)—counters the radically dualistic and ontologically‐oriented interpretations of Yoga presented by many scholars, and offers an open‐ended, epistemologically‐oriented hermeneutic which, I maintain, is more appropriate for arriving at a genuine assessment of Patañjali's system (darśana) of Yoga.
Maintains that the Yoga-Sutras do not advocate abandonment of the world, but rather support a stance that enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification.The Integrity of the Yoga Darsana centers on the thought of Patanjali, the great exponent of the authoritative and Classical Yoga school of Hinduism and the reputed author of the Yoga-Sutras. In this textual, historical, and interpretive study, Whicher offers a plausible and innovative reading of the "intention" of the Yoga-Sutras, namely that Yoga does not advocate the abandonment or condemnation of the world, but rather supports a stance that enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification. Challenging and correcting misperceptions about Yoga drawn by traditional and modern interpretations of the Yoga-Sutras, the author argues for a fresh vision of the spiritual potential present in this seminal text, thereby contributing to our understanding of the meaning and practical relevance of Yoga and its reception today.
In classical Yoga every action (karman) leaves an impression(sam: skara ) in the deeper structure of the mind (citta) where it awaits
its fruition in the form of volitional activity. The most general
meaning of sam: skara is ‘‘ritual’’ or ‘‘forming well, ... making ready,
preparation’’;1 but in addition it also conveys the idea of
‘‘embellishment,’’ ‘‘purification,’’ ‘‘making sacred,’’ ‘‘any purificatory
ceremony.’’2 The root sam: s-kr: means to cleanse and perfect.3 In
Hindu tradition sam: skaras refer to the rites of passage such as birth
rites (jatakarma ), marriage rites (vivaha ) and death rites (antyes:t:i),
rites which are all intended to purify and transform the individual at
specific phases in life. In the context of the YS, however, the most
significant translation which can be extracted from Monier-Williams
list of meanings on the term sam: skara is ‘‘mental impression or recollection, impression on the mind of acts done in a former state of
existence.’’4 Thus, in the context of Yoga sam: skara is often translated
as ‘‘impression’’5 and in more recent scholarship as ‘‘karmic
impulse,’’6 ‘‘subliminal impression,’’7 and ‘‘subliminal activator.’’8 In
this study, I have translated the term sam: skara as ‘‘impression’’/
‘‘mental impression.’’
This article challenges interpretations of classical Yoga that have misrepresented Patañjali's philosophical outlook as being radically dualistic, isolationistic and world-denying. Drawing from classical texts, it is argued that Yoga is a balanced integration of the spiritual and material dimensions of human life. Yoga does not advocate abandonment or condemnation of the world but rather supports a stance that enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification. Yoga can thus be seen to incorporate a clarity of awareness with the integrity of being and action.
Rather than follow along the lines of many scholarly interpretations of Patañjali's "Yoga-Sūtra," which views Yoga as a radical separation or isolation of "spirit" or pure consciousness (puruṣa) from "matter" (prakṛti), this essay suggests that the "Yoga-Sūtra" seeks to "unite" or integrate these two principles by correcting a basic misalignment between them. Yoga thus does not advocate the abandonment or condemnation of the world, but supports a stance that enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification.
The popular perception of yoga in the West remains for the most part that of a physical fitness program, largely divorced from its historical and spiritual roots. The essays collected here provide a sense of the historical emergence of the classical system presented by Patañjali, a careful examination of the key elements, overall character and contemporary relevance of that system (as found in the Yoga Sutra) and a glimpse of some of the tradition's many important ramifications in later Indian religious history.