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Re: ARTICLE : Hinduism and yoga
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To: soc-religion-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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Subject: Re: ARTICLE : Hinduism and yoga
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From: Prasad Gokhale <f0g1@unb.ca>
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Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 22:34:33 -0300
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In-Reply-To: <ghenDvCDtC.K81@netcom.com>
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Newsgroups: soc.religion.hindu
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Organization: University of New Brunswick
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References: <ghenDvCDtC.K81@netcom.com>
On Tue, 30 Jul 1996, GERALD J. LA CORTE wrote:
> Hinduism and commenting about Buddhist yoga. Their statement was
> essentially that all yoga was Hinduism and outside of Hinduism there was
> no yoga [... ] I'd like to know, historically, how closely Hinduism
> and yoga have been.
Namaskar:
It is rather difficult to categorize 'yoga' (pronounced as 'yoog') as
Hindu, Buddhist, etc. Yoga is simply the unification with Eternity, the
process through which nara (human) becomes narayan (God), a state in which
the individual experiences unparalled bliss. The English word "yoke", or
to join or combine, derives from Yoga.
Various modes of the yogic principle were developed for individuals come
in an assortment of dispositions and capacities. Bhakti Yoga
(unconditional and loving worship), Karma Yoga (good actions and
non-hurtful behaviour) and Dnyana Yoga (knowledge) are the major
categories. Dhyana (meditation) and Naama (chanting and concentrating on
the Formless, or on an Image) are th minor ones.
The well-known Patanjali Yogasutra provide an eight-step process,
beginning with the conditioning of the body, then the mind, which finally
leads to the state of Samaadhi. In the process, the body-mind-intellect go
through definitive changes, become calm and still. This is when the Yogi
(the practioner of Yoga) experiences and develops various "powers" or
"siddhi", using which he/she can produce so-called "miracles", certain
actions beyond the capacity of an ordinary human.
The mentioned categories are inextricably linked with each other; so
infused that the practice of one leads to or begets another. Separation of
one from the other is next to impossible, and any attempt to do so or
even thinking of doing so, produces egoist tendencies, therefore
destroying the very essense of yogic practice.
Are these practices Hindu ? Yes, and no. The essential problem is the
correct definition of what constitues Hinduism. From the western
perspective of religion, it becomes very simple; one god, one book, one
prophet. Even marxism and capitalism becomes religions. However, Hinduism
is not an "ism" is the western sense, since the concept of religion does
not exist in the Hindu context.
It is Dharma that is most important, that which holds a society together,
the actions, the talk and the behaviour which is beneficial to the
individual, and to the society as a whole. Dharma is that which produces
harmony and stability in the society, qualities without which progress,
material and spiritual, is almost impossible. Religion is one thing, but
Dharma is everything. It is eternal and encompasses all: from pauper to
the prince, from the beast to the beauty. It is therefore that Hinduism is
Sanatana Dharma: all embracing and eternal.
Yoga is one of the essential and foundational sciences in the Hindu (or
Sanatana or Vedic) philosophy, for the ultimate objective of life is
moksha - freedom from suffering, freedom from bondage: in accordance
to Shri Buddha's teaching. This is Hindu or Vedic teaching as well. Where
is the confusion ? There is no Buddhist Yoga or Hindu Yoga. Buddha did not
develop anything different. He taught in perfect cognizance with the Vedic
teachings, for it is the Vedic society of that time that nurtured his
thought. He experimented with the existing philosphy, like many others,
and projected the arya-ashtanga marga, which exhorts the society to lead a
"arya" way of life. There were the Vedic teachings, the Vedantic
principles. How then Gautama be not a Hindu ? If not, how can his
teachings, or his Dhyana (meditation) path, be defined anything other than
Hindu ?
Yoga is the product of the brilliant minds and untiring efforts of Hindu
sages, including the Buddha, and over time in history, the yogic concepts
are inseperably ingrained into the fabric of Hindu philosophy, so much so
that all thought circle about the yogic principles: doctrines than
question and answer the union of man with God. The Veda, the Geeta, the
Puraan, all talk about Yoga directly or indirectly. The Veda date back to
thousands of years, the Bhagavad Geeta to 5000 years: Yoga has a long
history and is inextricably associated with Vedic culture.
Sasneha,
Prasad.
