Dhyana In Yoga Sutras

What is the meaning of Dhyana? It is contemplation, meditation. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, during Dhyana the attention is focused on the object of concentration stably, continuously. This concentration is a doorway of Samadhi, the highest and deepest state of consciousness. The term Dhyana is found both in the Yoga Sutras and in Buddhist canonical texts.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a key text about yoga, in which you can know the philosophy and methods of yoga that existed long before the time of the creation of this text. It dates back to the first centuries AD, but the tradition is even older.

The Dhyana tradition developed in the Shraman culture in ancient India, which began before the sixth century AD.

A Sramaṇa (Sanskrit) or Samaṇa (Pali) is a person who labours for some higher purpose, or follows the path of asceticism. The Śramaṇic traditions influenced various forms of Hinduism.

In Hinduism, Dhyana is the process of combining the individual part of the self, called the Atman or Soul, with the supreme principle, the Absolute.

In the scriptures the term Dhyana is found in the corpus of texts in Vedic literature: the Brahmanas and Aranyakas, and it is also frequently mentioned in the Upanishads.

The Brahmanas is a section of Vedic literature that contains ritual, mythological, and philosophical explanations of even earlier writings.

Aranyaki — texts created for forest hermits.

Upanishads is knowledge given fr om teacher to student. The word «Upa-ni-shad» is translated as "sit near", that is, near the teacher.

In general, these writings are usually called Shruti which means «heard». These texts are insights, blessings, inspirations of the spiritual knowledge, which was heard by poetically gifted sages who wrote them.

The description of Dhyana is also found in the epic Mahabharata, the book Mokshadharma.

In general, the Yoga Sutras are a collection that base on ancient spiritual traditions. The main one is the Sankhya philosophy.

This philosophy considers reality and human experience as components of two principles — Prakriti (mind and emotions, nature or matter) and Purusha (consciousness or spirit). Practicing meditation, we overcome the limitations of the first level and connect with the second.

Sutras are a special genre of Indian philosophy that has been widespread since about the 5th century BC.

Sanskrit word «Sutra» means a string foe rosary or necklace. The theme of scripture becomes clearer in the course of a single narrative thread through brief sayings that are like beads of a rosary: Sutras.

Who composed the commentary on the Yoga Sutra?

• Vyasa's Yogabhashya is the most ancient scripture.
• "Tattva-vaisaradi" by Vachaspati Mishra — an Indian philosopher of the XI - X centuries.
• "Raja-Martanda" by Bhoja Raja — XI century.
• "Yogabhashyavartika" Vijnanabhikshu — XVI century.

Modern commentaries:

• Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
• Deshikachar
• B. K. S. Iyengar
• I.K.Taimni
• Swami Vivekananda

The Yoga Sutras as most authoritative text on yoga has attracted the interest of many minds. We recommend you read the commentaries and think about the meaning of the Sutras by yourself.

Dhyana is one of the parts of the Eightfold Path, Ashtanga Yoga Patanjali.
The word "Anga" in Sanskrit means "part".

Ashtanga consists of eight parts, eight parameters that contribute to spiritual development: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana. Samadhi. The last three parts relate directly to the practice of meditation.

The first stages of «Yama-Niyama» are aspects of behavior, principles of life. This is the basis. The qualities described in this section are natural for a harmonious society, and they are inherent in a person when he is engaged in cleansing the body and mind. The practice of yoga and meditation helps to make these principles a natural part of being.

Dhyana — continuous flow of the mind to the object (chosen for meditation); contemplation, meditation.

Dhi — ' thought’.
Yana — ' path, chariot’.

Vyasa: "The homogeneous flow of the contents of consciousness, undisturbed by other contemplations, is Dhyana."

Dhyana is a next condition after Dharana. What is the difference between these stages? During Dharana, concentration occurs through an effort of the will, a conscious return of attention to the object, while in Dhyana, concentration is already stable, the mind is completely absorbed in contemplation.

Vijnanabhikshu: «When, at the point wh ere the Dharana was performed, the spirit manages to hold itself long enough in front of itself in the form of an object of contemplation without any interruption caused by the interference of other functions, then Dhyana is achieved».

Both the Yoga Sutras and the teachings of the Buddha suggest that deep meditation can lead to the experience of special subtle states: in Yoga — Samadhi, in Buddhism — Dhyana. The levels of Samadhi resemble the levels of being in Dhyana.

For example, one of the Dhyanas is associated with the emergence of special qualities called superpowers, which arise during deep stages of concentration; also, one of the stages of Samadhi includes the manifestation of these abilities.

This parallel reminds us that the practice of meditation itself is a process that we can explain and classify in different ways, but the essence does not change. To understand these descriptions, the experience in meditation is necessary.

Samadhi has the stages of deepening described in the Yoga Sutras. Each successive stage is an ever-increasing passage inwards through the surface layers of consciousness and into the very middle of the spiritual being.

During Dhyana, there is a distinction between the components of the meditation process:

Dhyata — the thinker.
Dhyana — thinking. Dheya — thinkable.

When these three parts become One, Samadhi begins.