Samadhi
Samadhi ( Sanskrit , समाधि, samādhi “immersion, gathering”, literally “fixing, fixing, directing attention to something”) is a term used in Hinduism , Buddhism , Jainism , Sikhism and other Indian teachings. Samadhi describes a state of consciousness that goes beyond waking, dreaming and deep sleep and in which discursive thinking should cease. It is described as being completely absorbed in the object being meditated on. In the Bhagavad Gita he is mentioned at the beginning of the second chapter. Samadhi is the 8th link (anga) of Raja Yoga (or Ashtanga Yoga or Kriya Yoga ) according to Patañjali .
Levels of Samadhi
There are two types of samadhi: the conscious samadhi state is called samprajnata , the superconscious asamprajnata . In conscious samadhi, also known as savikalpa samadhi , the duality between the contemplating mind and the higher self (Brahman, Purusha ) remains. In this type of samadhi, the mental process, and especially the vibrations of mental consciousness (citta-vritti), takes the form of Brahman . This is how the mental vibration in Brahman should come to rest, but always remain conscious of itself. In superconscious samadhi, also known as nirvikalpa samadhi , the spiritual consciousness is supposed to unite with the highest self ( paramatma ) in such a way that the distinction between the knower, knowledge and what is known evaporates, like waves in the water or like foam in the sea dissolves. This samadhi differs from the first in that consciousness no longer returns to normal mental self-consciousness. The unity of the consciousness with the inner enlightenment consciousness of the Paramatma-Purusha remain. That is why this samadhi is considered true enlightenment.
The spiritual teacher Paramahansa Yogananda, on the other hand, distinguishes three levels of Samadhi in his Bhagavad Gita interpretation: The first level, Jada Samadhi , is an unconscious cataleptic stage, spiritually useless because it only temporarily suspends the consciousness and the activity of the ego. Jada Samadhi , or unconscious trance , is created through methods of physical control by keeping the mind blank or by pressing on certain glands. It does not, however, gain wisdom or destroy karma . In the state of Savikalpa Samadhi, however, attention and life force are completely withdrawn from the senses and consciously identified with the always happy mind. In this state, the soul is freed from I-consciousness and becomes aware of the spirit in which everything that has been created merges. The body is in a trance-like state, but the consciousness is fully receptive to the blissful experience within. Finally, in the most advanced state, nirvikalpa samadhi , recognize the soul as one with the mind. The ego-consciousness, the soul-consciousness as well as the spirit ocean are all recognized as existing together. In nirvikalpa the soul is aware of the spirit within and of the external world at the same time. The divine man in this state should be able to pursue his material tasks and activities without losing his unity with God.
The Raja Yoga describes a stepped path to enlightenment, which has its first climax in Ishvara Samadhi . This samadhi is considered a spiritual state of consciousness in the body that has been prepared by meditation up to that point . The body purified in this way is now under the control of the mind and experiences deep calm and relaxation in samadhi. The Ishvara-Samadhi , stage 8 of Raja Yoga, is followed by the Savikalpa-Samadhi and the Nirvikalpa Samadhi , the true enlightenment and union with the highest Atman, the Paramatma-Purusha and the extinction of the sense of self. The student already has experiences of the inner light at the middle levels of Raja-Yoga, only higher levels of Samadhi are connected with experiences of cosmic consciousness. Further samadhi levels to master are not openly described in the yoga systems.
Samadhi in the Patañjali Yoga Sutra
Patañjali summarized the yoga knowledge of his time in concentrated verses between 200 before and 400 after Christ. Samadhi is called the first and highest step (prathamah samadhi padah) of yoga (ashtanga yoga) consisting of 8 limbs (anga). In Yogasutra 1.7 to 23 and 3.3, statements find the term Samadhi.
“When (coming to rest [vritti-nirodha]) is achieved with the help of logical thinking, probing, bliss or self-awareness, it leads to (various kinds) of absorption (samadhi) associated with knowledge (samprajnata ). "
Another statement is:
"The other (embodied) beings achieve a kind of immersion (samadhi) through faith, courage, memory, concentration and wisdom."
And further it says:
"Due to a weak, medium or highest intensity, there are differences (in the sinking)."
Samadhi in Buddhism
Also referred to as “one-pointedness of the mind”, “concentration”, “concentration” or “unification of the heart spirit”. Samādhi, together with wisdom ( prajna ) and virtue ( sila ), forms the eightfold path in Buddhism . The area of “concentration” consists of right mindfulness ( samma sati ) and right concentration ( sammā samādhi ). The right collection is based on the first four levels of immersion ( jhana ) and can be further divided into adjacent (upacāra) collections, that is, without one of the levels of immersion and in full (appanā) collection, with one of the levels of immersion. With the right concentration, the restlessness subsides, the heart spirit is united and calms down, the obstacles ( nivarana ) are absent. In traditional Buddhist meditation techniques, for example, one focuses mindfulness on an object of meditation such as the breath in order to collect the mind and reach the immersion with body and mind.
"15. Having overcome these five obstacles, the imperfections of the heart that weaken wisdom, he enters and abides in the first indentation, separated from sensual pleasure, separated from unwholesome states of mind, accompanied by initial and sustained devotion of the mind , with rapture and bliss that arose from solitude. [...] "
"16. Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu with the stilling of initial and sustained attention (toward the object of meditation) enters the second indentation, which contains inner calming and unity of heart without initial and sustained focus, and dwells in it with rapture and bliss that arose from concentration. [...] "
"17th Again, bhikkhus, a rapture fading bhikkhu, abiding in equanimity, mindful and knowing, full of bodily bliss, enters the third indentation of which the noble say: 'Blessed abides he who is full of equanimity and mindfulness ', and dwells in it. [...] "
"18th Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu with the overcoming of happiness and pain and the earlier disappearance of joy and sadness enters the fourth indentation, which due to equanimity has neither pain nor pleasure and purity of mindfulness in it, and dwells in it. He sits there and penetrates this body with a pure, clear heart, so that there is no part of the body that is not penetrated by the pure, clear heart. [...] "
Others
Mahasamadhi ( great samadhi ) is the Hindi word for the conscious leaving of the physical body of a yogi when he dies . The term samadhi also refers to the tomb of a yogi.
"Samadhi" was also used to describe the practice of being buried alive as a sign of loyalty to a guru or the like. At the instigation of the British envoys , who could not reconcile this with their puritanical moral standards, the rulers of individual princely states passed laws from the end of the 1840s, that provided for the punishment of those involved. These were actually implemented only after 1860, when the respective feudal lords ( jagir ) in whose villages this happened were also punished.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ ramakrishna.de: Bhagavad-Gîtâ , 2nd chapter. second part
- ^ Heinrich Zimmer, Philosophy and Religion of India, pp. 389–390
- ^ Yogananda, Paramahansa: God Talks with Arjuna, The Bhagavad Gita, An new translation and commentary, Self-Realization Fellowship 2001, ISBN 0-87612-031-1 (paperback) ISBN 0-87612-030-3 (hardcover), I. .10 (chapter, verse).
- ↑ Autobiography of a Yogi , "The Science of Kriya Yoga", Chapter 26, Wikisource (English)
- ↑ Autobiography of a Yogi , "The Law of Miracles", Chapter 30, Wikisource (English)
- ↑ Autobiography of a Yogi , "The Resurrection of Sri Yukteswar", Chapter 43, Wikisource (English)
- ↑ https://dsalsrv04.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/pali_query.py?qs=Sam%C4%81dhi&searchhws=yes
- ↑ http://palikanon.com/majjhima/zumwinkel/m039z.html
- ↑ Vashishtha, Vijay Kumar; Rajputana Agency, 1832-1858; Jaipur sn [? 1979]
- ↑ Descriptions in: Boileau, AHE; Personal Narrative of a Tour through the Western States of Rajwara in 1825; 1837