Yoga sutras II, 16 THE FIVE KLESHAS ? AVOIDING PAIN

Yoga Discussion Structural Yoga Therapy
#1

[b]II, 16 heyam dukham anagatam

The suffering from
pain that has
not yet arisen
is
avoidable.[/b]

M. Stiles

Iyengar concisely explains that only the pain that results from actions that have not yet taken place can be eliminated. The pain that arises from actions that are presently being executed may be minimized by ?yogic practice and discriminative knowledge?. Pain that has arisen as a consequence of past actions is gone.

Iyengar, B.K.S., Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. New Delhi, India: Harper Collins Publications India. 1993

Stiles, M. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Boston, MA: Red Wheel/Weiser LLC. 2002

#2

So just because I have experienced pain in the past and/or am experiencing pain now does not necessarily mean that I will continue to experience new pains in the future. The experience of future pain is controllable. When i fully understand the basis of my actions, and can reflect upon the consequences of actions I am considering, then I will be able to discriminate between actions that will cause pain and those that are harmless.

The pain that I am experiencing now can be minimized if I understand what actions have caused the pain (sutra II, 15). That is, is it a direct consequence, imagination, memory, or an imbalance of the gunas ? Identifying the cause will help me find a way of reducing the harmful actions… I could choose to stop the harmful behaviour, become aware of reality, let go of the memory, or engage in activities that will balance the gunas…

#3

? wonderful, Thank you lavina.

How about pain as a means for purification (Tapah) ?
Where does that fit in?

#4

[QUOTE=Fin;8006]? wonderful, Thank you lavina.

How about pain as a means for purification (Tapah) ?
Where does that fit in?[/QUOTE]

my experience/understanding is that there is not separate pain that qualifies for tapas…rather that all pain is part of purification as the next set of sutras will reveal…

#5

Thanks, may be I am being ahead of myself?

#6

What about the pain created by earlier actions, but what, for some reason did not manifest yet ? Is that avoidable or not ? Is there a chance for repentance, “chastisizing”, to pay as we choose ?

Edit: Re-reading the initial post sounds like a clear yes. Thank you, lavina.

PS. May you find peace through any pain you suffer.