Patanjali Yoga Sutra: Day 01

DAY 01: DISCIPLINE OF YOGA

Now I will enunciate 'The discipline of yoga'.

• Sashana is the rule that we put on others where as anusashana is rule that we put on our self.
• Discipline is no body's imposition, it is self imposed.
• No discipline is necessary when it comes to enjoyment, so where does this come into picture - discipline arises where something is not very pleasurable/charming to begin with; when we know that something will give fruit which is very good but the seed to that fruit is not enjoyable.
• When you are happy from within discipline is not required but when mind is waging its tail, we need discipline to bring it to center and be happy.
• Pleasure that comes after discipline is satvik pleasure. Pleasure that begins with pleasure usually ends in misery.
• Torturing oneself is not discipline.
• Types of happiness -
• Satvik - not so pleasure to begin with but end is pleasurable and very enjoyable
• Rajsik - begins with pleasure but ends in misery
• Tamsik - appears pleasure but in actual there is no pleasure from beginning to end

• Discipline unites all the loose ends of the self, of the existence. Otherwise mind is caught in the outside world. Therefore discipline is necessary to bring integrity in you; to make you whole.
• You become the object of your perception. e.g. when you watch a movie you are so engrossed with movie that you don't feel any pain in body or even your body.
• Abiding in the nature of self/see'er is yoga. Otherwise at all the times you are at different forms of mind, involved in other forms of mind.
• Problematic and non problematic are the habits of mind.
• Five modes of consciousness arises in the mind:
• Pramana (Proof): When mind is engaged in wanting a proof (pratakshya (obvious), anumana (guess), agama (the scriptures so we believe) ). You are constantly looking for proof. Yoga is when you drop this, only then you will abide by the self. Abiding by the self doesn't need proof - our senses may fool us. Truth is beyond proof and disproof. Divine is beyond proof. Proof is connected to logic and logic is limited. Similarly, we often seek proof for love but love is also beyond logic and proof. Proof is one of the main activity to which we/our mind is stuck. We want proof for every thing; we want approval by every one. This is not the realm of self/see'er.
• Biparayaya (Wrong knowledge): Most of the times we impose our perception/judgment on others. This tendency of the mind is known as biparyaya. Because all logics fail when wrong knowledge comes, proof doesn’t stand when biparayaya comes.
• Vikalapa (Fantasy): A sort of hallucination. Nothing of that sort exists, but still thoughts hover in  mind. Unfounded, baseless thoughts that carry no meaning. Fantasy is the vikalapa. Vikalapa can of two types:
• Joyful imagination/fantasy
• Baseless and fearful (fears that have no value)
• Vinindra: When mind goes to sleep.
• Smriti: Remembering the experiences that mind had. Remembering the past.

• World is fluid, wishy-washy, anything can change but mind fixes to set ideas.
• When we are 'awake' we are not in any of the above states. If mind is any of the above state it is not meditation.
• How to over power these five 'vrities': Abhyash (Practices) and Vairagya (Detachment)
• Abhyasa is the effort required to bring mind to 'now', to the present.