[Advaita-l] Difference between Sankhya and Advaita

[Sudhakar Kabra]

--- On Sun, 9/18/11, Srikanta Narayanaswami <srikanta.narayanaswami at yahoo.com> wrote:


From: Srikanta Narayanaswami <srikanta.narayanaswami at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Advaita-l] Difference between Sankhya and Advaita
To: "advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org" <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Date: Sunday, September 18, 2011, 2:24 PM


Sir, 


"there is a wider reference or books", "The existence of Kundalini and the chakras are very much true"


is very vague. The question is not how true or valid kundalini yoga itself is - the question is whether pAtanjala yoga is centered on it. It is not. 

Shankar
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With reference to the above,I would like to know from the writer the following points:
By the name,"Patanjala Yoga"what does the writer understand?I want an explanation on many aspects found in "Patanjala Yoga".

1)What is cittavrtti nirodhah?Can the cittavrtti be stopped?
 
Yes, the chitta vrittis can be stopped. The whole exercise in patanjali yog sutra is for this only.

2)Infact, Patanjala Yoga or its commentaries doesnot give any explanation on so many points.Can it be explained.?
 
Kindly be specific and mention points for clarification to decide whether it can be explained or not.

3)How doyou know that the Patanjala yoga is not centred on Kundalini?
 
Because nowhere in the bhashya there is any mention of Kundalini and chakras
So we conclude that it is not centered on Kundalini.

4)Unless the questioner know for certain that it is not centred on it,he cannot say that it is not.
 
Replied in point 3 above.

5)Can the questioner explain what does Patanjala Yoga is?
 
It is basically astang yoga. The eight limbs are described in details in the Patanjali yoga sutra, starting from yam, niyam, asana, pranayam, pratyahara, dhyana, dharana and samadhi.

6)What is Samadhi pada?What is the "Ritambara"prajna foun in Samadi pada?
 
Please read the samadhi pada correctly in all details. The answers are given therein.

7)Unless these questions are answered,one cannot come to a definite conclusion.
 
The text is not very easy and many bhashyakars have elaborated on this.
The present day understanding of light minded people is for body fitness only (asana part) . The sutras go much beyond that till the stage of uniting with the self.
 
8)Finally,why is it treated that Sankhya is the theoretical part and Patanjala Yoga darshanam is the practical part of it,and together they form a composite combination?Infact,this has been the view from the list.
 
Contrary to Sankhya view, yoga asserts the existence of a more concrete Ishwara.
The purusha of yoga is unaffected by afflictions, actions and their fruits. He does not assume the position of the creator but merely assists yogi in his quest.
 
For Ishwara,  yoga stands midway between aethistically inclined sankhya and devotional vedanta. Patanjali's Ishwara is niether so unimportant as Sankhya nor omni present and omni potent as of vedanta.
 
He is not almighty and all powerful lord whom Arjuna saw in Geeta or to whom earth prayed when opressed by demons. He is largely a helper and guru of yogis and takes the struggling aspirant successfully in the path of yoga
 
N.Srikanta.
 
Note: I think the Kundalini is more of Tantrik nature and Patanjali yoga is of Sattvik nature more in line with development of Indian Philosophy inbetween from Charvak to Advaita,
 
Sudhakar kabra.
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