Verily, I tell you truly, any object you have on your mind, however good, will be a barrier between you and the inmost truth. —MEISTER ECKHART
Book I:Samādhi
Samādhi—the settled mind—is the most delicate state of awareness– Alistair Shearer
The Function of Samādhi
i.1-4 Yoga is the method that restricts Mind from slipping-away into Its own multitudinous of forms, thus empowering IT to sever the obsessions with Its own adventitious defilements. Thus freed the Self Recollects Its fullest expression in the Unborn.
1.1 Now the Supreme Gnosis of Yoga is inaugurated.
Now (atha)—most classical expositions begin within the context (Now) of a most auspicious moment wherein Eternal Truths are to be posited.
Yoga—herein it is referenced as “to Yoke”. The lower-self of the constricted (body) consciousness needs to be subjugated (yoked) [by the yogin] in order for the Higher-Self (Mind) to Recollect Its full staturehood. In Yogic terms the Higher is now breathing through the lower. At this junction it has nothing to do with “union”, but rather a dis-union with the lower. Thus the karmic-bonds are loosened. The ultimate design is to thoroughly transcend the volatile psychophysical subnature.
1.2 Yoga loosens the bonds (nirodha) of all karmic-mind (citta) fluctuations (vrtti).
loosens the bonds (nirodha)—yoga has the power to dissolve all mental-perturbations that prevent the proper-flow of bodhipower (the power of the Self-Awakened Mind).
karmic-mind (citta)—it is the lower-self [karmic-infested](no-Mind) that needs to be subjugated.
Fluctuations (vrtti)—all of the agitated over-flows of Minds improper Self-Subjugation of Its own rightful dominion as “Lord of all mind-stuff”. Thus, all of the agitated-stuff does not usurp the crown.
1.3 Then (tadā) the settled-mind becomes the center of Unbounded Consciousness.
Then (tadā)—this is the fulfillment of the prior-thread (sutra), wherein total mind-stuff subjugation is activated.
Settled-mind becomes the center—once the agitations subside, the yogin is free to Recollect Buddha-nature. Perception now occurs through the imageless eyes of the Tathagatas that behold the True Nature AS IT IS (and NOT of the body consciousness) within the center of Reality (Dharmadhatu).
*Mircea Eliade in Yoga, Immortality and Freedom [pg.198] refers to this whole process as “Concentration is rendered possible by intensively reducing consciousness of the reality of the (saha—inclusion mine) world.
Unbounded Consciousness—the Self-Awakened Amala Consciousness. (The Unborn Mind completely devoid of the entrails of the Skandhic Consciousness)
1.4 Falling short of this Self-Realization (itaratra), Mind remains bound and identifies (sārūpya) solely with Its own Pluralized Outflows (vrtti, fluctuations).
Falling short of this Self-Realization (itaratra)—i.e., failing in the Recollective Resolve that strengthens Yoga’s gate.
Mind remains bound and identifies (sārūpya)—in other words, the lower rules the roost; one Constant, Ceaseless Mind-numbing activity—like being held bound and captive and only able to identify with one’s tormentors.
Pluralized Outflows (vrtti, fluctuations)—all the mental agitations (daily samsaric-injections); Mind mistakes Itself for this incessant mind-turbulence. It feels and identifies Itself AS the turbulence.
*It needs to be noted at this junction that these first few sutra(s) fundamentally sums up the importance of the Whole Yogic Enterprise. Unless one develops one-pointed yogic attentiveness (Samādhi), then one will never comply with a complete and undivided faith in the Unborn.