VIAL 26th DECEMBER 126
yatah kutascidaniya jiianasastranyaveksate evam vicdravanyah syat samsirottaranam prati (13)
RAMA asked:
How does one tread the seven states of yoga and what are the characteristics of these seven states?
VASISTHA continued:
Man is either world-accepting (pravrtta) or world-negating (nivrtta). The former questions: “What is all this liberation? For me this sathsara and life in it are better”, and engages himself in the performance of his worldly duties. After very many births he gains wisdom. He realises that the activities of the world are a meaningless repetition and does not wish to waste his in them. He thinks, “What is the meaning of all this? Let me retire from them.” He is considered nivrtta.
“How shall I cultivate dispassion and thus cross this ocean of samsara?”, thus he enquires constantly. Day by day this thought itself generates dispassion in him and there arise peace and joy in his heart. He is disinterested in the activities of the market place but engages himself in meritorious activities. He is afraid to sin. His speech is appropriate to the occasion, soft, truthful and sweet. He has set foot on the first yoga-bhiimika (state of yoga). He is devoted to the service of holy ones. He gathers scriptures whenever and wherever he finds them and studies them. His constant quest is the crossing of the ocean of samsara. He alone is a seeker. Others are selfish.
He then enters the second state of yoga known as vicdra, enquiry. He eagerly resorts to the company of holy ones who are well versed in the scriptures and in spiritual practices. He knows what is to be done and what is not to be done. He abandons evils like vanity, jealousy, delusion and greed. From the preceptors he learns all the secrets of yoga.
Easily thereafter he graduates to the third state of yoga known as asamsanga, non-attachment or freedom. He roams the forests in seclusion and strives to quieten the mind. Adherence to the scriptures and to virtuous conduct bestows upon him the faculty of seeing the truth. This non-attachment or freedom is of two types, the ordinary and the superior. One who practises the first type of freedom feels, “I am neither the doer, nor the enjoyer. I neither afflict others nor am I afflicted by others. All this happens on account of past karma, under the aegis of god. I do nothing whether there is pain or pleasure, good fortune or calamity. All these, as also meeting and parting, psychic distress and physical illness, are brought about by time alone.” Thus thinking, he investigates the truth. He is practising ordinary non- attachment or freedom.
Note: Of course, vicdra means ‘direct observation or looking into’.