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Stages Toward The Mastery of Yoga by Vasujimbo
Stages Toward The Mastery of Yoga by Vasujimbo
by Vasujimbo
Barefootmd@gmail.com
In one's youth, one might play amongst the best and worst techniques,
Taking aim with some type of meditation or prayer or mantra or ceremony
Striving for some ideal system, naively responding with conditions to conditions
Faith guides us towards some perfection,
Hope keeps us going when the going gets rough
Love is the courage to hold hands while withstanding the pressure of the flow
Peace is a symptom of the cultivated harmonious life
Taken care to aim towards a journey of fulfillment
Modifications of the mind fall into certain categories, be they painful or pleasurable:
Correct knowledge is based on correct perception, deduction or testimony.
Incorrect knowledge, imagination, sleep, memory
When there is complete control, and the subject and object disappear.
When time and change have no place,
Multiplicity comes to oneness.
This control is called absorption or samadhi.
Then birth
The beginning of awakened, individuated knowledge
more light and form and shape
contrast, brightness, hue, sharpness
Loud, soft, soothing, confusing,
a lot of feeling and a lot of movement
both inside and out
taste, smell
infinite change
Inconsistent, random
painful, pleasurable
want, don’t wan, don’t care
too much peace, much unrest, suffering
Mostly self, and others
Very aware of body
Quality and meaning are attached to objects directly
Everything is now, here or else
The conditioning begins
These perceptions and thoughts and feelings and the memory of such
are represented in the field of awareness in a multitude of qualitative distinctions
These representations are conceptions
One learns language to share conceptions
One learns sharper distinctions between this and that and their names
And learns to identify the field of awareness and the body and mind as its servant
With effort, one learns the mind can control the body and thus the world
Strong identification with the powers of the body and the mind
The early aspirations are full of ideas and feelings and attempts to gain skill
Attachment still has a clear stronghold on the contact
The assemblage points of awareness remain fixed to the preconditioned karma,
the aspirant begins to see that karma has repercussions and this karma needs cleaning
Feelings still prevail, thoughts are opinionated, beliefs are held,
and a path of yoga is conceived.
This conception is misconceived, but still a pinhole of insight into a vast opportunity
Same old story, told in a different way,
But this particular way towards yoga still feels unique.
False belief of right and wrong, good and bad, truth and untruth, yoga and not yoga
Yet the aspirant holds onto the thread of illumination and sees a source of light
The golden flower of the source of awareness shines and the aspirants sees into knowledge
Meditation opens the opportunity to witness with less distraction, when really paying attention,
Objects and the witnessing of objects with attached feelings and thoughts and implications
As the yogic aspirant matures, it becomes clear that this particular aspirant
is a certain way, has certain tendencies and capacities and talents
Learning some techniques are manifested easier than others
The Path of Discipline begins with the commitment to dedicate these talents
to fulfilling the most enlightening way for this particular being.
The aspirant becomes a disciple when the skills are developed and matured
And can effectively subdue the conditioned tendencies to allow the tranquil and encouraging field
states and insight
Discipleship is liked to the talented musician who decides to master the violin.
In her life, she may master many instruments, but this primary commitment is a disciplined phase of
mastery.
The disciplined yogi chooses a focused path that clearly distinguishes the most fulfilling way
Unfortunately it takes much skill to see clearly and much effort to work hard
and much of early discipleship is spent trying on ways.
The path of discipleship is established once this choice is made and the skillful path committed to.
The being achieves more skill from purity of intention, sincerity and common sense.
The state of the field of awareness is experientially correlated with the relationship with objects and
scenes in this field
The state of awareness transgresses through nebulous, yet distinct stages of progression into samadhi
and eventually to wisdom and its freedom
There are many ways to appreciate the stages towards mastery
Samadhi is a ladder to other stages of freedom from further suffering and distress.
Any attachment, any clinginess, any sense of self, any lack of appreciation for causal interdependence,
for the vastness can perpetuate further karma.
Freedom from any result from any action can come only as samadhi is achieved, for the ability to
sustain this resonance frequency demands the skill of samadhi.
Samadhi with a seed uses an object like a mantra, a image of a respected teacher, the breath, etc.
Desire and avoidance remains, as the mind wanders into memories of conditioned reflection.
“This object means this to me”, “ I feel this way about his object”, “I am this object”…., ”This reminds
me of that…” are typical distracting styles of mental processes that still cling onto objects as seeds to
future distress.
At least there is reflection, at least the attempt at control is being made, at least the disciplined effort
is at hand.
What a blessing to have even come to this point.
With discrimination, awareness makes distinct the properties of an object and the mental processes
attached to it.
“This is actually the object or scene at hand” is comprehended, as opposed to the physiologic and
karmic projections onto that object/scene.
Still, feelings and thoughts and judgments, and a sense of self are still present, but the tool of
discrimination discerns, like a compass, the awareness,
As distinct from the object of the mental processes within the field of awareness.
With skill in reflection and skill in discrimination the opportunity comes to see the difference between
self and object.
Awareness uses this distinction (between subject and object) to help detach from the seed.
This is still samadhi with seed, because there is subject and there is object and they still have karmic
(prepatterned, conditioned, impulsive) relationships
In young meditation, there is access to the assemblage points and reflection that there is assemblage
Then the discrimination of object properties
Then discrimination of subject-object-scene relationship
Then effort to purify intention of letting go of all pre-conceived notion
The end of exhale achieves the peace, inhale and more impulsive distractions, attractions
then, subject is known as subject, object as object.
Tranquility ensues for a moment
The state remains fluctuating until skill is established to maintain the state of equilibrium of clear
illumination.
Serenity is reached.
Here-now, one pointedness is possible.
Skill brings the one-point, and with sustenance, karmic purity to leave this one-point alone
The harassment is over, no more bullying from the glamour of objects
Equanimity has freed the way from conditioned response. Samadhi has succeeded.
Now the opportunity for freedom.
Samadhi establishes the secure skill in maintaining a resonant, karma-free field of awareness
This allows insight and the wisdom that ensues.
Wisdom requires that the discipline be aligned with the proper principles
The four noble truths and eightfold path outline those principles
Many lessons have come down and this one seems so true:
All sentient beings seek to avoid suffering and seek a peace that is permanent.
Believing that these are less than fleeting is the cause of our suffering;
Desire to find fulfillment through these, engenders this suffering
The fourth noble truth recognizes that the there is a way to end suffering.
The end of suffering requires putting an end to the cause of suffering.
Freedom from suffering comes from successfully seeing our false identification with the impermanent.
This requires higher training in ethics, concentration, compassion and wisdom.
“What will it be like when I achieve samadhi?” are the words of an aspirant
“Finally, some peace and clarity and insight; This is why, and how to…. Aha; This needs done…” are
the words of a disciple
“As it is, so it is, and so much more to do; I am not doing, I am not; nothing needs to be done, nothing
is…, nothing is not….Aaaahhhhh…………...oooooooo……….mmmmmmm” are the words of the master
The “Jnana” are a way of conceiving the stages to freedom as going through eightfold jnana.
The first jnana includes a concentrated effort that includes vitakka, vicara, , piti, sukkha, ekaggata.
The goal of these is to counter the five hindrances of sensual craving, ill-will, laziness, restlessness
and weak conviction.
“Vitakka” is the applied thought about an object.
It is the turning of awareness to attend to an object.
The holding of the object in mind on purpose for more than a few moments is “Vicara”.
“Piti” is the tranquil rapture resulting from the quieting of the mental processes.
This rapture may be momentary and fleeting or prolonged and maintained, it can bring instantaneous
joy or bring repercussion of joy; the joy can be thoroughly transforming or partly so, convincing or not.
Piti is the enchantment of seeing the way of peace.
“Sukkha” is the bliss that follows from being thoroughly enjoyed and sustained in peace;
no want, at least for more than a moment.
“Ekaggata” is the one pointed state of mind that comes from full absorption onto an object. No other
objects are considered at that moment. Only that.
These four stages are “with form”, the last four stages of jnana are without form.
Form means within object boundaries. Has characteristics, properties, qualities. With seed.
Without form, means no objective boundary, no qualification or discrimination. Without seed.
Each stage,except the last, is marked by a skill in consideration, a skillful contact, a skillful holding
on, a skillful letting go, a skillful reflecting back
In the fifth jnana, the yogi enters the experiential realm of space with no boundaries.
No sense, no dimension, no extension, no movement
One sees into the infinite vastness of time and space
One sees the vastness, hears the peace. Sitting on the edge looking over.
still a sense of self and space.
Something else is and is not.
The eighth jnana is the realm of awareness neither of something nor no-thing
simply aware of being, simply aware,
Sentient
Skillful ability to neither categorize nor uncategorized
neither to perceive nor not perceive
neither conceive nor not conceive
neither comprehend nor not comprehend
neither do, nor not do
I neither am nor am not
Neither disturbance nor no disturbance
Neither aware, nor not aware or something, nor nothing
am and am not
All is, is not.
All –nothing
neither all, nor nothing
Full of potential
Empty of everything
These jnana or “knowledges” are important, and like samadhi, do not ensure the final freedom
The Jnana describes for awareness, the topography of knowledge it travels, on the way to clarity and
illumination
What the yogic disciple does with this knowledge – jnana -- determines the wisdom of the yogi
Wisdom is the right skill applied to the right end.
Wisdom is the capacity to transform sentiency into wisdom, not just with oneself
but with all other sentient life.
There is awareness
and there is awareness of suffering.
Awareness is not enough, skillful awareness, skillful desire, skillful beliefs, skillful application of
resource, sincerity, disciplined cultivation of meditation and achieving samadhi and bringing the
freedom from clinginess back to the world and mastering the skill in helping others tame desire,
thought, feeling, memory, and causes of further distress
Upon the mastery of samadhi, objects are now comprehended as sensations, perceptions, conceptions,
comprehensions. And awareness as awareness. And those objects as objects on the field of awareness
Awareness is aware of being aware
There is no self, no object, no change
There is awareness
Full of potential, real, sentient and satisfied.
Objects have their fullest potential with an awareness that is functioning at its fullest potential
Wheares when giving in to desire and avoidance, awareness was plagued by many conditions, mostly
overwhelming conditions
A lot of ignorance, clumsiness, and the ensuing wounds
Many obstacles, many hindrances, many ways to stagnate the flow and suffer distress
Eventually, awareness strives to harmonize negative thoughts and feelings and intentions
mental processes are asked to harmonize habits, beliefs, opinions and behavior from unwholesome
conditions
Thus continues aspiration.
The symptom of when the higher mastery is achieved is when there is a more freedom from karmic
repercussion.
No disturbance is emanated from this creature.
All is at peace with no personal issues,
No disturbing thoughts, feelings, words, actions, intentions
Others come to rest, the resonant vib is uplifting, illuminating and encouraging.
Wisdom is proven in the harmony and enhancing way of being.
Yogic mastery into freedom from distress can be conceived through the words used to delineate the
stages of insight lining the yogic path.
Remember, yoga is the joining of the forces of personality with the intentions of the essential
awareness.
For success in yoga, one must be established in one’s original mind
To and fro we go
Back and forth continuing between oblivion and distraction, as if that were the right way.
Mindful of the center,
Remains the watchful eye
be free of the fears and the worries and the stresses and bad decisions
be free of the concern of death
be free of any attachment, any want or no want that is unwholesome
be free of all personal issues
Watching memories
With feelings attached,
Ideas and fantasy take precedent,
As we stumble down our path.
Unless we can be like an empty vessel,
Ready to be filled,
With the substance of the moment ;
Then we can deal with what is.
Stumble no more,
Be filled with the void of the present,
Put to rest worry and guilt and all those disruptions of attachment.
And become an empty vessel.
What is meaning?
What is apprehension?
Being is what is
That is what we know
To be is to know,
To know that is knowledge
Pay attention
Be
Behold what is
know that as knowledge
A disciple skillfully cultivates these insightsful experiences, these quickenings and awakenings and
kensho
Though the tiniest crack the light can shine through
Once it is known, beyond doubt, that there is illuminatory insights, this path can be committed to.
The power of the mind to inject its distraction based on preconditioning remains so impressive that it
keeps kensho a committed goal long before it is even decided on consciously to be mastered, let alone
mastered
These kensho experiences come to a ready state of awareness by grace,
and are mastered by the committed tuning in to the kensho of the original mind of Buddha nature
“Satori” is the name of a more sustaining awakening of disciples as they transition into mastery.
The actual experience can be sudden or eventual, but never by coincidence
The personality is now under the discipline of the buddhic mind, intelligence itself.
This takes both insight and undivided dedication to skillful control and letting go
Satori is the entering into being securely insightful on the obvious path of the obvious way
Karma can still be created and karma still to be paid
and the higher samadhi’s and “jnana” yet to master
Still sentient creatures who are in distress, yet fully insightful of how and why
Nirvana is the final letting go of all attachments by the way of skillful freedom
Satori enters the disciple into the way of mastery of freedom
Nirvana is the mastery of being free
Be awake
Sit straight
Be comfortable
Attend to the breath
Be aware
Perception occurs
Not this
Watch to the breath
Be aware
Feelings arouse
Not this
Encourage the breath
Be Aware
Thoughts wander in
Not this
Witness the breath
Be aware
The mind is such that it takes on the characteristics of that which it is focused on
Not this
Breath in
Be aware of the inspiration
Breath out
Be aware of the expiration
Between the exhale and inhale there is a momentary pause
There is quiet
Ideal sentiency includes the ability to discern the real, the true and the good
From that which is unreal, not true and disturbing
Ideal sentiency includes the ability to take input and know its meaning
So that reality can be mapped
This mapping is the conceptual representation of a perceived or conceived input
Meaning is the correlation of one representation with another
Knowledge is the comprehension of meaning of the representations
Truthfulness is the correlation of comprehended meaning with what really is
Truth is what really is, whether we know it or not
Ideal sentiency includes the ability to take input and know its value
Value is the recognized quality that lends to experiential fulfillment or relieves suffering