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Maintains that the Yoga-Sutras do not advocate abandonment of the world, but rather support a stance that enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification.
The Integrity of the Yoga Darśana centers on the thought of Patañjali, the great exponent of the authoritative and Classical Yoga school of Hinduism and the reputed author of the Yoga-Sutras. In this textual, historical, and interpretive study, Whicher offers a plausible and innovative reading of the "intention" of the Yoga-Sutras, namely that Yoga does not advocate the abandonment or condemnation of the world, but rather supports a stance that enables one to live more fully in the world without being enslaved by worldly identification. Challenging and correcting misperceptions about Yoga drawn by traditional and modern interpretations of the Yoga-Sutras, the author argues for a fresh vision of the spiritual potential present in this seminal text, thereby contributing to our understanding of the meaning and practical relevance of Yoga and its reception today.
"A superb piece of work, this book provides an original, constructive, and insightful interpretation of the Yoga system. Whicher provides a helpful hermeneutic for understanding this key philosophical and practical tradition. By suggesting that Yoga upholds both consciousness and activity, Whicher corrects the mistaken notion that Yoga condemns the world, suggesting that Yoga seeks to purify and improve the individual and his or her relationship with the world."— Christopher Key Chapple, Loyola Marymount University
"Recently there has been a great deal of interest in the Yoga-Sutras of Patanjali. Scholars and general readers have been looking for a clearer presentation of the material, and this work fulfills this need." —Ashok Malhotra, State University of New York, Oneonta
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction
One
Selected Background Material on the Development of Yoga in Early Hindu Thought
The Term "Yoga"
Yoga in the Vedas
Yoga in the Upanisads
Yogic Themes in the Bhagavadgita and the Moksadharma
Yoga and Samadhi
The Pedagogical Dimension of Yoga: (i) The Practitioner (Yogin) and the Commitment to Practice
The Pedagogical Dimension of Yoga: (ii) The Spiritual Guide or Preceptor (Guru)
Concluding Remarks
Two
The Yoga -Sutra : Introduction and Metaphysical Perspective
Introduction to Patañjali and the Yoga -Sutra
Distinguishing Samkhya and Yoga, and the Transition to the Yoga -Sutra
Prakrti as Viewed in the Yoga -Sutra
The Purusa -Principle in the Yoga -Sutra
Three
The Mind (Citta ). Its Nature, Structure, and Functioning
Citta
An Introduction to Karma, Samskara, and Vasana
Introduction to Yoga Epistemology
Vrtti
Klista- and Aklista-Vrtti
Samyoga
Theory of Reflected Consciousness in Yoga
A Closer Look at "Perception" in the Yoga-Sutra
Four
Nirodha, Yoga Praxis, and the Transformation of the Mind
Nirodha : The Foundation of Yogic Praxis
Nirodha (Cessation): Annihilation/Negation or Transformation of the Mind?
Abhyasa (Practice) and Vairagya (Dispassion)
A Preliminary Look at the Meaning and
Practice of Samadhi
Preparation for Samadhi
An Overview of the Astanga -Yoga
Five
Cognitive Samadhi
Samadhi : The Heart of Patañjali's Soteriological Methodology
An Analysis of Yoga -Sutra I.41
Vitarka -Samadhi
Vicara -Samadhi
Ananda -Samadhi
Asmita -Samadhi
A Further Look at Cognitive Samadhi
Six
From Knowledge to the "Aloneness" of the Knower
The Soteriological Role of Samskara in Yoga
Enstasy (Asamprajñata -Samadhi )
"Aloneness" (Kaivalya ):Implications for an Embodied Freedom-A Final Analysis and Assessment of the Yoga-Sutra
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index