Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

The difficulty of understanding some of the Sutras is further increased by the
fact that the exact significance of the words used in them has been obscured through
the passage of time or through the efforts of all kinds of commentators to interpret
them in a rather fantastic manner. Add to this the fact that Patanjali has in some cases
used blinds or deliberately vague expressions to prevent over-ambitious or foolish as-
pirants from injuring themselves by rushing into all kinds of dangerous practices and
one can then see the difficulty in the way of acquiring a clear and satisfying grasp of
the meaning of these Sutras dealing with the Siddhis. But even with all these limita-
tions the student will find the subject a fascinating one and well worth the trouble
which he takes in studying it.
With this brief introduction regarding the treatment of Siddhis by Patanjali let
us now turn to consider the different Sutras in which he has dealt with the individual
Siddhis. The first of these Sutras which is under discussion deals wtih knowledge re-
garding the future. This Sutra is sometimes interpreted as meaning that knowledge of
the past and future (of anything) which arises by performing Samyama on the three
kinds of transformations mentioned in III-13. With this kind of interpretation it be-
comes necessary to assume that the future of everything is fixed and so predetermina-
tion rules the manifested Universe. If we substitute for ‘knowledge of the past and fu-
ture’ ‘knowledge of the nature of past and future’ the meaning becomes quite clear.
How do we recognize the passage of time in which the future is constantly becoming
the past? By the transformations of properties, characteristics and states which are tak-
ing place in things around us. If these transformations came suddenly to a stop time
would cease to flow. So by performing Samyama on the nature of these three transfor-
mations the Yogi realizes the true nature of time.
It may be asked why the present has been left out of this classification of time
into the past and future. The present as we all know has no reality. It is a mere concept
for the ever-moving dividing line between the past and the future. In the incessant flow
of time, as perceived by the change in properties, we can take a cross-section at any
moment and that is the present, theoretically. Actually, the present has become the past
before we realize its presence and, therefore, ever eludes us. But, though it has no real-
ity of its qwn it is a thing of tremendous significance because beneath this dividing
line between the past and future is hidden the Eternal Now, the Reality which is be-
yond Time.