THE THREE TYPES OF YOGA (DHARANA, DHYANA AND SAMADHI)

 

THE THREE TYPES OF PRACTICE

DHARANA, DHYANA AND SAMADHI

DHARANA

DHARANA IS HOLDING THE MIND ON TO SOME PARTICULAR OBJECT.

DHARANA (CONCENTRATION) IS WHEN THE MIND HOLDS ON TO SOME OBJECT, EITHER IN THE BODY, OR OUTSDE THE BODY, AND KEEPS ITSELF IN THAT STATE .

DHYANAM

AN UNBROKEN FLOW OF KNOWLEDGE TO THAT OBJECT IS DHYANA.

THE MIND TRIES TO THINK TO ONE OBJECT, TO HOLD ITSELF TO ONE PARTICULAR SPOT, AS THE TOP OF THE HEAD, THE HEART, ETC, AND IF THE MIND SUCCEEDS IN RECEIVING THE SENSATIONS ONLY THROUGH THAT PART OF THE BODY, AND THROUGH NO OTHER PART, THAT WOULD BE DHARANA, AND WHEN THE MIND SUCCEEDS IN KEEPING ITSELF IN THAT STATE FOR SOME TIME IT IS CALLED DHYANA (MEDITATION).

SAMADHI

WHEN THAT, GIVING UP ALL FORMS, REFLECTS ONLY THE MEANING, IT IS SAMADHI.

THAT IS, WHEN IN MEDITATION ALL FORMS ARE GIVEN UP. SUPPOSE I WERE MEDITATION ON A BOOK, AND THAT I HAVE GRADUALLY SUCCEEDED IN CONCENTRATING THE MIND ON IT, AND PERCEIVING ONLY THE INTERNAL SENSATIONS, THE MEANING, UNEXPRESSED IN ANY FORM, THAT STATE OF DHYANA IS CALLED SAMADHI.

WHEN A MAN CAN DIRECT HIS MIND TO ANY PARTICULAR OBJECT AND FIX IT THERE, AND THEN KEEP IT THERE FOR A LONG TIME, SEPARATING THE OBJECT FROM THE INTERNAL PART, THIS IS SAMYAMA, OR DHARANA, DHYANA, AND SAMADHI, ONE FOLLOWING THE OTHER, AND MAKING ONE. THE FORM OF THE THING HAS VANISHED, AND ONLY ITS MEANING REMAINS IN THE MIND.

BY THE CONQUEST OF THAT COMES LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE. WHEN ONE HAS SUCCEEDED IN MAKING THIS SAMYAMA. ALL POWERS COME UNDER HIS CONTROL. THIS IS THE GREAT INSTRUMENT OF THE YOGI. THE OBJECT OF KNOWLEDGE ARE INFINITE, AND THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO THE GROSS, GROSSER, GROSSEST, AND THE FINE, FINER, FINEST, AND SO ON. THIS SAMYAMA SHOULD BE FIRST APPLIED TO GROSS THINGS, WHEN YOU BEGIN TO GET KNOWLEDGE OF THE GROSS, SLOWLY, BY STAGES, IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO FINER THINGS.

THAT SHOULD BE EMPLOYED IN STAGES. THIS IS A NOTE OF WARNING NOT TO ATTEMPT TO GO TOO FAST.

THESE THREE ARE NEARER THAN THOSE THAT PRECEDE.

BEFORE THESE WE HAD THE PRANAYAMA, THE ASANA, THE YAMA AND NIYAMA, THESE ARE EXTERNAL PARTS OF THESE THREE - DHARANA, DHYANA, AND SAMADHI. YET THESE LATTER EVEN ARE EXTERNA TO THE SEEDLESS SAMADHI. WHEN A MAN ATTAINED TO THEM HE MAY ATTAIN TO OMNISCIENCE AND OMNIPRESENCE, BUT THAT WOULD NOT BE SALVATION. THESE THREE WOULD NOT MAKE THE MIND NIRVIKALPA, CHANGELESS, BUT WOULD LEAVE THE SEEDS FOR GETTING BODIES AGAIN, ONLY WHEN THE SEEDS ARE, AS THE YOGI SAYS, "FRIED" DO THESE LOSE THE POSSIBILITY OF PRODUCING FURTHER PLANTS. THESE POWER CANNOT FRY THE SEED.

BUT EVEN THEY ARE EXTERNAL TO THE SEEDLESS (SAMADHI).

COMPARED WITH THAT SEEDLESS SAMADHI, THEREFORE, EVEN THESE ARE EXTERNAL. WE HAVE NOT YET REACHED THE REAL SAMADHI, THE HIGHEST BUT TO A LOWER STAGE , IN WHICH THIS UNIVERSE STILL EXISTS AS WE SEE IT, AND IN WHICH ARE ALL THESE POWER.