DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2369#0014
principle which cognises generally; Chitta (individualising), the
idea which fixes itself upon a point and makes the object its own
by making it an individual; Ahcmkara (egoism), the persuasion
which connects the individual with the self; and Buddhi (reason),
the light that determines one way or other. Knowledge or
perception is a kind of transformation (parinama) of the
thinking principle into anything which is the subject of external
or internal presentation, through one or other of these four.
All knowledge is of the kind of transformations of the think-
ing principle. Even the Will which is the very first essential of
Yoga is a kind of such transformation. Yoga is a complete
suppression of the tendency of the thinking principle to trans-
form itself into objects, thoughts, &c. It is possible that
there should be degrees among these transformations, and
the higher ones may assist to check the lower ones; but Yoga
is acquired only when there is complete cessation of the one
or the other, as will be seen later on. It should distinctly
be borne in mind that the thinking principle is not the A'tman,
the Purum, who is the source of all consciousness and know-
ledge. The suppression of the transformations of the think-
ing prinicple does not, therefore, mean that the Yogin is en-
joined to become nil which certainly is impossible. This
difficulty is touched upon in the next sutra. The thinking
principle has three properties, Sattva (passivity), Rajas (rest-
lessness) and Tamas (grossness). When the action of the last two
is checked, the mind " stands steady like the jet of a lamp
in a place protected from the smallest breeze."* It is such a
condition of the internal sense that is most desirable as easily
capable of being used for purposes of steady concentration,
and absorbing application, as also for receiving the highest
* Bhagvad-Oitd, ch. VI.
idea which fixes itself upon a point and makes the object its own
by making it an individual; Ahcmkara (egoism), the persuasion
which connects the individual with the self; and Buddhi (reason),
the light that determines one way or other. Knowledge or
perception is a kind of transformation (parinama) of the
thinking principle into anything which is the subject of external
or internal presentation, through one or other of these four.
All knowledge is of the kind of transformations of the think-
ing principle. Even the Will which is the very first essential of
Yoga is a kind of such transformation. Yoga is a complete
suppression of the tendency of the thinking principle to trans-
form itself into objects, thoughts, &c. It is possible that
there should be degrees among these transformations, and
the higher ones may assist to check the lower ones; but Yoga
is acquired only when there is complete cessation of the one
or the other, as will be seen later on. It should distinctly
be borne in mind that the thinking principle is not the A'tman,
the Purum, who is the source of all consciousness and know-
ledge. The suppression of the transformations of the think-
ing prinicple does not, therefore, mean that the Yogin is en-
joined to become nil which certainly is impossible. This
difficulty is touched upon in the next sutra. The thinking
principle has three properties, Sattva (passivity), Rajas (rest-
lessness) and Tamas (grossness). When the action of the last two
is checked, the mind " stands steady like the jet of a lamp
in a place protected from the smallest breeze."* It is such a
condition of the internal sense that is most desirable as easily
capable of being used for purposes of steady concentration,
and absorbing application, as also for receiving the highest
* Bhagvad-Oitd, ch. VI.