Wim van den Dungen

The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali : Translations and Commentary Wim van den Dungen

This book offers translations of the 'Yoga SÅ«tra' of Patañjali in English, French and Dutch, as well as a commentary from the perspective of a practicing Buddhist. The 'Yoga SÅ«tra' of Patañjali is a remarkable short text of about 1200 words, codifying the best yoga practices in 195 Sanskrit aphorisms. Yoga became one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. In contrast to Jainism and Buddhism, it always kept close to the 'Vedas'. These crucial scriptures speak of three paths to freedom from ignorance and the suffering it brings: Ritual, Mystical Devotion and Yoga. The 'Yoga SÅ«tra' of Patañjali turned Hindu Yoga systematic and close to direct yogic experience. Besides a critique of the eternal substances of seer (the self) and seen (Nature), the commentary also identifies correspondences between JhÄna Yoga and the various types of union (samÄdhi) mentioned by Patañjali and compares constraint (the application of concentration, contemplation and union) with the Nine Stages of Calm Abiding.