[b]
II, 26 viveka-khyatir aviplava hanopayah
II, 27 tasya saptadha pranta-bhumih prajna
The means for this remedy is
the cultivation of unbroken
discriminative awareness.
Through this process,
wisdom progresses through
seven phases
until it extends to its fullest realm.[/b]
M. Stiles
Swami Shyam says that ?as long as even a little of the obvious-self, the ego-space, persists, the awareness of the real Self is not attained.? (p.73-74) Therefore, ?you try to understand and see the permanent aspect in everything and ignore the impermanent aspect…The essence of everything is the same, but it appears in many forms and names. On the level of form, you are not the same person now as you were last wee. Even a minute ago you were different. Every minute the body is changing: some part is dying, and some part is being born… …the real discrimination is to tell the original basic Truth (never changing) from the ever-changing names and forms It assumes.? (Satchidananda, p.118 )
Swami Satchidananda goes on to explain the seven phases that wisdom progresses through.
Phase 1: The knowledge that we are looking for is within.
Phase 2: The mind is responsible for the experiences of pleasure and pain.
Phase 3: Attainment of cosmic understanding with the neutral mind.
Phase 4: Rising above doership because one understands the cosmic plan. ?There is no particular duty for us, no do?s or dont?s…There are no must?s, nothing one must do, nothing one should do or should not do. Whatever one does is part of the cosmic plan.? (p. 120) This only occurs when one is surrendered.
Phase 5: Chittam is free of impressions and old impressions do not disturb the mind.
Phase 6: The mind loses itself.
Phase 7: Only Purusha remains.
Iyengar, B.K.S., Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. New Delhi, India: Harper Collins Publications India. 1993
Swami Satchidananda, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Buckingham, VA: Integral Yoga Publications. 2004
Stiles, M., Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Boston, MA: Red Wheel/Weiser LLC. 2002