Yoga Sutras Flashcards
Brahman
The ultimate underlying reality underpinning the external world. Understood as either a supreme being or a supreme impersonal consciousness
Eight limbs of yoga
Yama - abstentions, moral restraints
Niyama - ethical observances
Asana - posture
Pranayama - breath control
Pratyahara - sense withdrawal
Dharana - concentration
Dhyana - meditation
Samadhi - final absorption in the self
Purusa
The innermost conscious self (everything else is a part of Prakti)
Atman
The innermost self or soul (upanisadic term similar to purusa)
Three qualities of prakti
Sattva (lucidity)
Rajas (action)
Tamas (inertia)
Asamprajnata-samadhi
The final goal of yoga and of human existence. The ultimate state of awareness in which nothing can be discerned except the pure self
Citta
The mind. Made up of buddhi (intelligence), ahankara (ego), and manas (mind)
Vrttis
Any permutation or activity of the mind. The goal of yoga is to quiet these
What are the five klesas (impediments to the practice of yoga)?
Ignorance
Ego
Attachment
Aversion
Clinging to life
What are the five vrttis?
Right knowledge
Error
Imagination
Sleep
Memory
Nirodha
Restraint, control, cessation. When all thoughts have been stilled
Pratyaya
The image of an object imprinted on the mind. Several pratyayas can make up a vrtti. This impression is formed by the sense organs
Alambana
The support for the mind. Refers to any object upon which the yogi has chosen to fix or concentrate the mind
What are the five yamas of the first limb of yoga?
Non-violence
Truthfulness
Refraining from stealing
Celibacy
Refraining from coveting
What are the five niyamas of the second limb of yoga?
Cleanliness
Contentment
Austerity
Study of scripture
Devotion to god
Samskara
The Pratyaya that remains embedded in the mind as a latent imprint even after the mind moves on to other things
Vasana
Latent samskara from a past life
Japa
The recitation of om
Antarayas
Disturbances (distractions for the mind). These are much less permanent than the klesas (obstacles to yoga)
What are the 9 disturbances (antarayas)?
Disease
Idleness
Doubt
Carelessness
Sloth
Lack of detachment
Misapprehension
Failure to attain a base for concentration
Instability
What are the 4 practices one should follow for lucidity to arise in the mind?
Friendship toward those who are happy
Compassion toward those in distress
Joy toward those who are virtuous
Equanimity toward those who are nonvirtuous
What are the four mental stages of samadhi?
Vitarka - absorption with physical awareness
Vicara - absorption with subtle awareness
Ananda - absorption with bliss
Asmita - absorption with the sense of I-ness
Ananda
Absorption with bliss (third stage of samadhi)
Vitarka
Absorption with physical awareness (first stage of samadhi)
Vicara
Absorption with subtle awareness (second stage of samadhi)
Asmita
Absorption with the sense of I-ness (fourth and final stage of samadhi)
