THE TWO YOGAS OF KNOWLEDGE AND REASONING.
Argument.--The two yogas or Habits of restraining the Desires and
Respiration herein before described, are followed by two others: viz.
the Acquisition of knowledge and the Training to reasoning which are
yogas also.
Ráma said:--I am verily becalmed and set at ease, O Brahman! by
relinquishing all my desires, from my full knowledge of their
impropriety; and by my being staid in the state of the liberated, even
in this my present life. (The heaven of the holy, commences in their
earthly life).
2. But tell me, sir, how a man can have his liberation, by restraining
his respirations for a time; and how the restraint of one's breathings,
can put a restriction to his desires, which reside and rise from the
mind; while it belongs to the body and comes in and out of the heart
and lungs. (Nostrils).
3. Vasishtha said:--The means of fording over the ocean of this earth
is known, O Ráma! by the word Yoga or union, which is composed of the
quality of pacifying the mind in either of the two ways or processes
(as shown below).
4. The one is the acquisition of religious instruction, leading to the
knowledge of the soul and of the Supreme soul, and the other is the
restraining of respiration, which you will learn from the lecture that
I am about to deliver.
5. Here Ráma interrupted and said:--Tell me, sir, which of the two
is more delectable, owing to its facility and unpainfulness; and the
knowledge or practice whereof, releases us from all fear and trouble
whatsoever.
6. Vasishtha replied:--Ráma! although I have mentioned here of two
kinds of Yoga, yet the common acceptation of the term, restricts it
to the restriction of breathing. (The vulgar have no idea of esoteric
occultism or _jnana Yoga_, but call him a Yogi, who is employed in his
exoteric practices, of asceticism and austerities, suppression of
breath; and all kinds of wilful pains).
7. The true Yoga is the concentration of the mind in God, which is the
only means of our salvation in this world; and this is achieved in
either way of the regulation of breathing, or perfection in learning,
both of which tend to the one and same effect, of fixing the attention
in divine meditation.
8. The practical yoga by the regulation of respiration, appears as too
arduous a task to some persons, while proficiency in knowledge seems to
be too difficult of attainment to others. But to my understanding the
ascertainment of truth by theoretical knowledge seems to be far better
than practice. (The theoretical meditation is known as the _rája yoga_,
and the forced contraction of the breath is called the _hatha yoga_ or
forced devotion, and is the device of Dattátreya who was an ancient
Rishi also).
9. Ignorance is ever ignorant of truth, which does not lend its light
to us in either our walking or sleeping states. So the ignorant
practiser is always in ignorance both when he is in his meditative
trance [Sanskrit: yogavidyá] or otherwise; but knowledge is always
knowing, both when the knower is awake or asleep.
10. The practical yoga which stands in need of fixed attention, painful
postures, and proper times and places, is impossible to be practiced,
owing to the difficulty of getting all these advantages at all times.
11. I have thus described to you, O Ráma! both the two kinds of yoga
propounded in the sástras, and the superiority of the pure knowledge,
which fills the intellect with its unfading light.
12. The regulation of the breathings, the firmness of the body
and dwelling in sequestered cells, are all I ween as pregnant of
consummation--_siddhi_; but say, which of these is capable of giving
knowledge [Sanskrit: vritti] to the understanding, which is the
greatest perfection in human nature.
13. Now Ráma! if you think it possible for you, to sit quiet with utter
suppression of your breaths and thoughts; then can you attempt to sit
in your sedate posture of meditation without uttering a single word.