of its concern is psychological, it differs
radically from contemporary Western
psychology: it assumes the reality of a
spirit-soul, it has a strong ethical orien-
tation, and it focuses on states of con-
sciousness that presently are not recog-
nized in modern Western thought.
The second sütradefines Yoga as
citta-vøttinirodha, ‘the quieting of all
fluctuations of the mind’. Citta, mind, is
the first evolved entity and its fluctua-
tions, vibrations, irritations (vøttis) cause
the multiplicity of thoughts and material
objects. If they cease, the mind is free.
The impulse to seek that freedom is
given by the experience of kleÿas, ‘afflic-
tions’ that beset life. They are identified
as avidyä(‘ignorance’, illusion), asmitä
(‘mine-ness’, egoism), räga(passion,
attraction), dveÿa(aversion, hatred) and
abhiniveÿa(fear of death, attachment to
life). While most of these terms may be
self-explanatory, it is interesting to
examine what the Yoga Sütrasmean by
the term avidyä. It is explained as ‘mis-taking the transient, impure and evil
non-self for the eternal, pure and blissful
self’. This avidyäis both the root of our
unhappiness and also the cause for our
search for liberation.
The practice of precepts and virtues
is preliminary to Yoga but considered
indispensable. Without ethical ground-
ing, the powers acquired through Yoga
practices proper could be used for evil
purposes. The practice of virtues also
produces many helpful side-effects.
Thus the Yoga Sütrasassert that in the
presence of a person grounded in
ahiƒsä, non-violence, others will give
up their enmity and that even wild ani-
mals become tame. The Yoga Sütras
offer practical advice on how to gain
these virtues and how to counteract
opposite trends. They analyse the root
of all evil tendencies as contained in the
triad of lobha(greed), moha(delusion),
and krodha(anger) and offer advice on
how to counteract these root vices in
order to eradicate all sins.Pätañjala Yoga 136Pätañjala Yoga in practice.Encyclo - Letter P 10/2/03 9:56 am Page 136