The Religions Book

113

See also: Aligning the self with the dao 66–67 ■ Seeing with pure
consciousness 116–21 ■ Zen insights that go beyond words 160–63

HINDUISM

ignorance, ego-centered views, and
extremes of emotion. It also offers
freedom from the “three poisons”
of greed, anger, and delusion (a
goal that Buddhism shares).
The Yoga Sutras set out the
practice of yoga in eight steps. The
first two are preparatory and show
the context in which yoga becomes
effective. First is the practice of a
morality of restraint, particularly of
ahimsa (not taking life). The second
focuses on personal observances,
such as the study of philosophical
works and contemplation of a god
in order to gain inspiration. The
next three steps aim to control the
body and senses: adopting physical
postures (asanas) to control the
body, controlling breathing, and
withdrawing attention from the
senses. Finally, there are three
mental steps: concentrating the
mind on a single object, meditating

on that object, and arriving at a

state of absorbed concentration.

These steps are progressive,

leading to the final release from

a mundane awareness of self and

world, with its mental afflictions,

into a higher consciousness.

Today, yoga is widely practiced

as a healthful physical regime that

also promotes inner calm. But it is

important to remember that in the

context of Hindu religion, the term

yoga encompasses disciplines and

practices not only of posture, but of

morality, meditation, knowledge,

and devotion, and that taken

together, their aim is to release the

true self or consciousness (purusha)

from the entanglements of matter

(prakriti), thereby restoring it to its

natural condition. So, while many

in the West think of yoga as a form

of physical exercise, for Hindus it

is a path to ultimate freedom. ■

A godless philosophy

Yoga does not require belief

in any external deity, but is

a natural process of clearing

away the entanglements of

physical experience, releasing

the true self to realize its

identity with the absolute. But

this makes sense only in the

context of the philosophy upon

which it is based—Samkhya.

One of the oldest schools

of Indian philosophy, Samkhya

argues for an absolute dualism

of prakriti (matter) and purusha

(pure consciousness). Some

philosophies contrast the

physical with the mental,

but Samkhya sees the mind

as a refined form of matter.

A person therefore comprises

three elements—a physical

body, a worldly self (with all

its mental activity and sense

experience), and a pure and

eternal self, which is identified

with the eternal purusha,

and is free and beyond any

limitations of time and space.

In Samkhya, rather than

devoting the self to any god,

the aim is to release the

self to appreciate its pure

spiritual nature, freed from

the limitations of the physical,

and the vehicle that is used

to achieve this is yoga.

Yoga is the practice of

quieting the mind.

Patanjali

Body and mind influence one another.

Both body and mind must be calm and focused

to be freed from earthly concerns.

Combining both mental and physical discipline

with yoga will help us escape our limitations.

Posture and control

can promote

mental alertness.

Thoughts and feelings

can affect our

physical well-being.