14.05.202027.05.2017

The Vedic scriptures have an incredible number, perhaps the largest collection of spiritual texts in the world. They reveal almost all aspects of the life of any person, there are no questions that the Vedas could not answer.

It is generally accepted that the sage Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana), the son of the sage Parasara and Satyavati, is the author of the four Vedas and many Vedantas. But since the word "Vyasa" is translated from Sanskrit as "editor" or "detailed presentation", it is likely that the signature "Vyasa" was common to all authors who wrote down the text.

The so-called Shruti (Heard), or the Vedas, were originally one, they were the eternal, transcendental, primordial knowledge, born from the first sound of OM, uttered by Brahma during the creation of material nature. The Vedas speak of the cyclical nature of time: there are good times when knowledge does not need to be recorded, all people know the Vedas by heart and live by following their laws. But there are times of both cultural and intellectual decline, and for the coming age of Kali, for a degenerate society, unable to remember and understand the essence of the Vedas, Vyasa divided them into four parts and wrote them down for the first time.

Rig Veda- knowledge of hymns,
Yajurveda- knowledge of sacrificial formulas,
Samaveda- Veda of hymns,
Atharva Veda- knowledge of spells.

Despite the fact that Vyasa himself said about the written Vedas that “knowledge has become available even to the Shudras,” the Vedas are incredibly difficult for most modern people to understand.

Each Veda (Shruti) consists of four parts:

Samhitas,
Brahmins
Aranyaki,
Upanishads.

The most ancient parts are collections of mantras for worship - Samhita; base and skeleton - Shruti; they are adjoined by the Brahmanas - parts of the Vedas, explaining rituals, explaining the processes of ceremonies during sacrifices and rites; Aranyakas ("forest") - are directed, like the Brahmans, to explain the techniques for conducting rituals. The latest texts from the Shruti - Upanishads, their task is the philosophical explanation of the concepts of God, worldview, meditation, the foundations of life, the structure of society and life. They are considered the main essence of the Vedas.

Complementary Shruti (Heard) is Smriti (Remembered), they include five types of scriptures:

Dharma Shastras- a set of laws, norms of behavior and etiquette for a person in different time periods (18 books).

Itihasa- stories and legends, such as "Mahabharata", "Ramayana".

Puranas- some epics-traditions about various aspects of the Vedic tradition. The main such scriptures are called Maha Puranas ("great") and Upa Puranas ("additional"). They describe the creation of the universe, the secondary creation after destruction, the genealogy of gods and sages, the origin of people and the history of various Clans. In addition, there are Sthala Puranas - stories about the creation of various temples, and Kula Puranas - stories about the origin of varnas.

Vedangas- 6 additional texts:

Vyakarana- Sanskrit grammar,
jyotisha- celestial body (astrology),
Kalpa- the science of rituals,
Nirukta- etymological interpretations,
Shiksha- phonetics, the science of the correct pronunciation of hymns,
Chandas- the science of poetic metrics.

Agamas- scriptures proclaiming the highest hypostasis of God Shiva (Shaivite Agamas), God Vishnu (Vaishnava Agamas) and the Female Divine Energy Shakti (Shakti Agamas).

In addition to the classical Upanishads, there are "sectarian" Upanishads belonging to different schools and traditions: Vaishnava Upanishads - 14 pieces, Shaktian Upanishads - 9 pieces, and Shaivite Upanishads - 14 pieces.

Vedic directions and schools

Vyasa is also considered the author of the Vedanta Sutra, the epic Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavatam or Bhagavata Purana. Despite the efforts of Vyasa, the desire to clarify the essence of the issue for the coming generation, his writings gave rise to many schools, disputes and commentary on his thousand-year-old work. After the end of the Vedic period (according to various sources, from 1 to 7 thousand years BC), six Darshans (Astika) are formed - philosophical orthodox schools(Mimamsa, Vedanta, Yoga, Sankhya, Nyaya, Vaisesika), who began to argue about the primacy and importance of material nature and God.

Sankhya- built on the philosophy of interaction between Purusha (male, motionless energy, universal spirit) and Prakriti (female, creative, mobile material nature). The properties of Prakriti - impermanence and eternal variability - are the modes of material nature: Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion), Tamas (ignorance). The property of Purusha, an unchanging and constant energy, is diversity and the ability to perceive parts separately as an individual consciousness. Purusha - in itself, Nirguna - having no properties, but, "casting a glance" at Prakriti, falsely identifies himself with it and manifests elements with their properties in turn into the material world.

Yoga- also an orthodox philosophical school and is largely based on the Sankhya school. The founder of the school was Patanjali, he is the author of the founding text of the Yoga Sutras. The goal is to get rid of illusions by focusing the mind.

Nyaya- the main text of the Nyaya Sutra; based on the logical system of knowledge, reliable and unreliable knowledge. Reliable - perception, conclusion, comparison and evidence, and unreliable knowledge - memory, doubt, error and hypothetical argument. This school is often compared with the dialectical school of the ancient Greeks. The ideas of this school are found in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana: the dialectician Gotama argues with Rama.
Vaisheshika- founder - sage Kanada ("eater of atoms"), writing "Vaisheshika-sutra". This school is hostile to the ideas of Buddhism, but, like Nyaya, it speaks of eternal atoms (earth, water, fire, wind) and akasha (ether). The material world is not eternal due to the constant movement, connection and separation of atoms, atoms, in turn, manifest themselves due to the original Creator. Subsequently, Vaisheshika and Nyaya merged.
Mimansa- aimed at confirming the authority of the Vedas, but to a greater extent aimed at understanding the fiery sacrifices and mantras. It recognizes the reality of material nature, soul and God. Thanks to the karmic laws, the material world is created from the aggregate of atoms, and the recognition of God is not necessary for the formation of being.
Vedanta- based on the writings of Vyasa. Like Mimamsa, Vedanta recognizes the authority of the Vedas, but the emphasis, unlike it, is not on the Samhitas and Brahmanas, but on the Aranyakas and Upanishads. The main idea is the self-knowledge of the absolute truth (Brahman) by a person. The main texts are recognized as the Vedanta Sutra, the texts of aphorisms. They were aimed at strengthening the authority of the Vedas, due to the spread of Buddhism, Brahminism began to lose its influence. Interpretations of aphorisms gave rise to many new different views and directions of schools, in particular, Vedanta gave rise to six new teachings, three of which are most common in India - these are Advaita Vedanta, Vishishta Advaita, Dvaita. And three later periods, Dvaita-advaita, Shuddha-advaita, Acintya-bheda-abheda.
Advaita- a school founded by Gaudapada and Shankara. Advaita means non-duality. This school considers only the personality of God, the supreme Brahman, to be reality, and all other manifestations are illusory. The idea of non-duality refers to the unity of Atman and Brahman.
Dvaita- a school created by Madhva. He argued that the jiva is not a direct part of Brahman, it is separate from it, exists forever, and its existence depends on the degree of immersion in samsara. The school also believes that its own efforts are not enough for liberation, God himself chooses those who must be saved.
Vishishta advaita- a school that recognizes both the personality of the Creator God and material nature as real, all jivas "return" to the original state of the Paramatma. Founder Ramanuja.
Dvaita advaita- principles of simultaneous unity and difference. The founder of the Sri Nimbarkacharya school, he speaks of three types of reality - the soul, Brahma and material nature. Soul and matter are different from Brahman, but dependent on it. The Supreme is the enjoyer, and material nature is the enjoyer. The objects of worship are Krishna and Radha, the method of worship is Bhakti Yoga.
Shuddha advaita- pure non-duality. The school founded by Vallabha is based on four texts: Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad Gita, Vedas and Vedanta Sutra. The first scripture is considered the highest. Main idea: Parabrahman is immutable, without material qualities (Nirguna), infinite, manifests the universe from itself, endlessly transforming, remains unchanged. The material nature emanating from Brahman is also real and represents his body.
Acintya Bheda Abheda or Gaudiya Vaishnavism, - the founder of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he taught about the unity of zhivatma with Brahman, but at the same time different from him, and the incomprehensibility of this process. He considered Krishna to be the highest form of God.

Each of these schools has its own interpretation of the word "yoga" and methods for performing spiritual practices. Many of which have received a separate status in the modern world and have formed into separate teachings and schools.

Yoga in the Vedic scriptures

The first mention of yoga is found in the Rig Veda and is used in the sense of "team".

1.018.07a Without whom even the inspired cannot offer sacrifice,
1.018.07a yasmād rte na sidhyati yajno
1.018.07c He drives a team of thoughts.
1.018.07c sa dhīnāṃ yogam invati
2.008.01a As one striving for a reward (hurries) the chariots, (Thus) reward Agni's team with praise
2.008.01a vājayann iva nū rathān yoghān agner upa stuhi
10.114.09a What wise man knows how to harness meter?
10.114.09a kaś chandasāṃ yogamā veda dhīraḥ ko dhisnyām prati vācam papāda.

In the Vedic scriptures, there is a comparison of a person’s body with a chariot, his sense organs are five horses harnessed to it, Atman is the owner of the chariot, the mind is the driver, and the road along which the chariot rides are sense objects, and probably a team, by which the mind can direct its senses, is Yoga.

In addition to the translation “team”, yoga has many meanings: “team”, “exercise”, “restraint”, “connection”, “unity”, “connection”, “harmony”, “union” and many others. There is a translation as "ideal action", and is a combination of spiritual, psycho physical practices aimed at changing the habitual state of a person, and achieving the highest spiritual state of Nirvana.

There is a version of the original sound of the word "yoga" in the territory of modern Rus' - this is Igo. In the modern sense, this is something aggressive, a kind of political oppression, but in ancient times, “yoga” sounded like a “yoke” and came from the root “harness”. "Igo-go" is still associated with a horse and does not run counter to the version of the harness.

Various scriptures speak of the manifestation of yoga at the same time as the creation of the material world. For example, Shiva in meditation learns the art of yoga and gives it as a means to comprehend the truth and get rid of illusions. In other versions, Brahman does this, giving birth to Knowledge, Yoga, Renunciation and Tapas in the form of four Kumaras - eternal babies who will never reach youth, puberty and old age. Despite the variations, the parampara yoga is from Shiva.

Once Shiva was sitting on the bank of the river in meditation, his precious wife Parvati came to him, praised him and asked what kind of necklace of human skulls was hanging around his neck. Then Shiva told her that all these were her heads. The life of the gods is very long, it happens that they forget about their birth and mortality. “Every time you died,” Shiva said, “I took your head and hung it like a bead on my necklace, then I found you in a new incarnation and took you as my wife.” Parvati was amazed at what she heard and asked her husband how she could stop this cycle of death and birth. Shiva replied that he had tried many times to convey the knowledge of yoga to her, but she, without listening to the end, always fell asleep. This time the same thing happened, when the holder of the trident began to tell Parvati about yoga - without listening to it, she fell asleep. Then Shiva exclaimed: “Well, at least someone is listening to me?” Then a fish swam up to him and answered that she was listening, and Shiva turned the fish into a man, and this was his first student - Matsyendra.

Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva Samhita, Gheranda Samhita are considered classical texts on yoga.

The fundamental and root text of yoga is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (3rd century BC). Writings such as the Sutras are designed for memorization, are characterized by a special grammar and express the idea very briefly, often using aphorisms and imagery. Despite the complexity of the perception of the text, Patanjali removed a certain veil of yoga mysticism and showed that it is methodical, scientific and studied. These kinds of texts are more like notes to yourself with personal thoughts. Sutras, like the roots of trees, are the basis of philosophical discipline, and the trunk and branches are various comments, without which it is sometimes impossible to understand the “archived” text. Commentaries on the sutras are denoted by the Sanskrit word "bhashya", which translates as "talk, talk about the sutras." There are several comments on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the two most ancient and authoritative are the Vyasa Bhashya, dating from the 10th century AD. BC, and Gurujaraja's commentary on Yoga Matanga, 5th century CE. e.

Patanjali gave the following definition of yoga: "yogaś-citta-vritti-nirodhah (yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ)", which means "Yoga is the control of the disturbances inherent in the mind."

Our mental events are very diverse, and our whole life is a sequence of mental events. Patanjali proposes to divide them into five components. In Vedic texts, whenever the number five occurs in enumerations, it is assumed that these are some two pairs that are opposed to each other and to themselves, and there is a certain fifth component that unites them.

Paramana (Correct Knowledge) and Viparyaya (Mistake). These two pairs describe some meaningful aspect of our existence, the correct understanding of the issue or the wrong one. Nidra (Sleep without a thought process) and Smriti (Memory) - the ability to extract images and events from consciousness in the past tense. And Vikalpa is the ability to use linguistic and figurative signs, to explain some concepts with the help of others, to imagine and think. This is the fifth word that combines Paramana and Viparyaya, which have no time characteristics, and Nidra and Smriti, which have time frames.

The ability to master all aspects of the psyche is yoga. Observing mental events from the outside, the yogi remains impartial and becomes like Purusha - the universal observer, aspirations for the modes of material nature - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (goodness, passion and ignorance) disappear. And a long practice - Abhyasa - frees a person from the "seeds" of karma or impressions left on the human psyche, which further form his perception of the outside world and the tendency of reactions to mental and physical events.

The manifested form of the Supreme is the mantra OM. And the consciousness concentrated on this syllable gains freedom from the fetters of material nature.

Five Flares(obscurations) that interfere on the path to Samadhi - the ultimate goal of yoga:

Avidya- ignorance
Asmira- sense of self-preservation,
Raga- attraction or affection
Dvesha- disgust,
Abhinivesha- fear of death.

As in the previous five, there are two pairs and a fifth, a unifying concept. In this case, Avidya is a link between two pairs - Attraction and Repulsion (Raga and Dvesha) and Feelings of self-preservation in a positive sense and Feelings of fear of death in a negative sense (Asmira and Abhinivesha).

While the consciousness is clouded, it generates more and more karmic traces, which entails the acquisition of constantly new experience, birth and death. In contrast to the constant change of lives, Patanjali offers eight steps in yoga, leading to liberation from rebirth and obscurations of the mind.

1. Pit- observance of internal rules of morality, which in turn consist of five components:

Ahimsa- non-violence
satya- truthfulness
Asteya- non-theft,
Brahmacharya- abstinence,
Aparigraha- detachment.

2. Niyama- observance of external, social rules:

Shaucha- cleansing the body
Santosha- satisfaction,
tapas- self-discipline, hardening,
Swadhyaya- self-education,
Isvara pranidhana- acceptance of Ishvara. Ishvara (the highest being, Purusha, not involved in contemplation) in yogic, Shaivite texts, Shiva is implied and recognized as the supreme being. Although in the Bhagavad Gita, a Vaishnava scripture, Krishna says to Arjuna, "I am Ishvara."

3. Asana- a pose that the yogi performs steadily and without tension.

4. Pranayama- control of inhalation and exhalation.

5. Dharana- control over the senses.

6. Pratyahara- distraction of the senses from contact with their objects.

7. Dhyana- meditation (internal mental activity, which gradually leads to samadhi).

8. Samadhi- a pacified superconscious state of blissful awareness of one's true nature.

Another ancient text Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the author of this scripture - Swami Swatmarama, a follower of the Nathas ("masters of yoga") and a sage, brought together ancient ideas about Hatha yoga. There are several varieties of the text - this is a ten-chapter scripture and a four-chapter. To date, only the four-headed version has been translated into Russian. Both versions differ from each other only in a different order of slokas - the sequence of presentation.

The ten-headed version has the following sequence:

The first chapter says that a person practices Hatha Yoga in order to achieve Raja Yoga, or Royal Yoga.

The Atman comes from the energy of ether and fire, the Mind comes from the energy of the wind, and the body and sense organs come from the earth, the heaviest energy. The ripening of karma comes from the activity of the sense organs, which leads to the next earth body. And the world is created from action and karma.

A true yogi is one who sees the causes of karma. The first element is the ether, and its property is sound, under the influence of time and illusion (maya), as well as the "look-attention" of Purusha, or Brahman, a wind appears with a characteristic property - touch. At the junction of ether and wind, fire is born, and its property is vision. Water arises from the confluence of ether, wind and fire and has the property of taste. And the earth appears from the previous four and has the property of smell.

Brahma controls the element of earth, Vishnu controls the element of water, Rudra controls the element of fire, Ishvara controls the element of wind, Sada Shiva controls the element of akasha or ether.

This text talks about the six components of yoga:

Asana ( body position),
Pranasanrodha (locking the vital air), or Pranayama (controlling the vital air),
Pratyahara (withdrawing the senses from their objects),
Dharana (concentration)
Dhyana (contemplation with the mind),
Samadhi (collection).

12 Asanas give birth to 12 Pranayamas, 12 Pranayamas give birth to Pratyahara, 12 Pratyaharas give rise to Dharana, 12 Dharanas give rise to Dhyana, and 12 Dhyanas give rise to Samadhi.

Yogi nutrition should be moderate and healthy; list of products suitable for yoga:

wheat, rice, barley, shastika (rice aged for sixty days), milk, ghee, cane sugar, butter, honey, dried ginger, dried leafy vegetables, mung bean, and a small amount of water.

Yoga success leads to: inspiration, steadfastness, firmness in decisions, understanding of the essence, refusal to communicate, knowledge of texts, reliance on the Guru and on one's own experience.

Interfering with yoga on the way: immoderation in eating, overexertion, talkativeness, lack of perseverance in observing niyamas, redundancy in communication.

Second chapter describes Asanas as "pleasant, comfortable" postures.

11 asanas to strengthen the body: Svastikasana, Gomukhasana, Virasana, Kurmasana, Kukutasana, Uttana Kurmasana, Dhanurasana, Matsyasana, Paschimottanasana, Mayurasana, Savasana.

4 meditative asanas: Siddhasana, Padmasana, Simhasana, Bhadrasana.

Third chapter says that the yogi should practice clearing the Nadis (channels), Mudras and Pranayama.

Asana, Kumbaka, Mudra, Mantrayana is the correct sequence of practice. Who has an imbalance of the three doshas, it is recommended to perform six cleansing techniques - Shatkarm (“six actions”):

Dhauti - a ribbon of matter is swallowed;
Basti - having taken the pose of Utkatasana, a tube is inserted into the anus up to the ankles in water, raising the apana, drawing in water;
Neti - a palm-length cotton thread is put into the nose and pulled out of the mouth;
Trataka - look at a small object without blinking until tears flow;
Nauli - not very fast from right to left to rotate the abdominal muscles a hundred times;
Kapalabhati - short and sharp bursts of air, which are accompanied by calm and slow breaths.

By purifying the Nadis in the body, one can retain prana. A yogi who has mastered pranayama can remove all impurities from the body, and he does not need other cleansing techniques.

Fourth chapter describes the execution techniques breathing exercises- Pranayam. Brahma attained the position of Brahma by constant practice of Pranayama.

Pranayama is threefold:

Rechaka- devastation, or controlled exhalation;
Puraka- filling, or controlled inhalation;
Kumbhaka- controlled delay.

All this is Pranava (OM), which consists of 12 matras (matra is the length of the pronunciation of a syllable).

Eight Kumbhakas are described:

Surya Bheda- "breakdown" of the solar channel,
Ujjayi- "victorious"
Sitkari- hissing, or "voluptuous exhalation";
Sitali- cooling;
Bhastrika- "blacksmith furs";
Bhramari- "buzzing of a large bee";
Murchha- "fainting";
kevala- "exceptional"
Plavini(specified in chapter 4 of the version).

Fifth chapter talks about mudras;

sixth chapter talks in detail about Pratyahara;

seventh chapter called "Raja Yoga";

Chapter Eight called "Nadana Sadhana" and is dedicated to practices with sound;

Ninth chapter- "Kala-Jyana" ("knowledge of time"). It is about predictions of one's own death, about working with karma.

Tenth chapter- "Vidya Mukti" ("liberation out of the body").

There is also a commentary on this work "Yoga Prakashika".

Gheranda- a certain collective image of a teacher answering questions. The “question-answer” texts constructed in this way are very normative for the Vedic scriptures.

Unlike the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the text describes a seven-step path.

Shatkarma- cleansing,
Asana- strengthening,
Mudra- balancing,
Pratyahara- appeasement,
Pranayama- relief,
Dhyana- understanding,
Samadhi- renunciation.

Cleaning techniques- Shatkarmas: Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Lauliki, Trataka and Kapalabhati.

It is mentioned that there are as many asanas as there are types of living beings - 8 million 400 thousand, only Shiva knows the exact number. There is a myth that all living beings appeared due to the asanas of Shiva. When he assumes any pose, a creature of the corresponding type and name appears. But only 32 of them people can use. These asanas are: Siddhasana, Padmasana, Bhadrasana, Muktasana, Vajrasana, Swastikasana, Simhasana, Gomukhasana, Virasana, Dhanurasana, Mritasana, Guptasana, Matsyasana, Matsyendrasana, Gorakshasana, Paschimottanasana, Utkatasana, Sankatasana, Mayurasana, Kukutasana, Kurmasana, Uttana , Garudasana, Vrikshasana, Salabhasana, Makarasana, Ushtrasana, Bhujangasana and Yogasana.

Also cited 25 Wise: Maha, Nabho, Uddiyana-bandha, Jalandhara-bandha, Mula-bandha, Maha-veddha, Khechari, Viparita-karani, Yoni, Vajroli, Shaktichalani, Tadagi, Manduki, Sambhavi, Panchadharana, Ashwini, Pashini, Kaki, Matangi, Bhujangini .

Food for a yogi can be: rice, barley or wheat bread, beans, cucumbers, breadfruit, manacachu, kakkola (a type of berry), jujube, bananas and figs, unripe bananas, small bananas, banana stems and roots, brinjal, roots and fruits of the Riddhi plant, young green vegetables, black vegetables, patola leaves, vishtuka (a type of spinach), himalochika vegetables. And yoga should be avoided: bitter, spicy, sour, salty and fried, as well as sour milk, diluted whey, dense vegetables, alcoholic beverages, wine palm nuts and overripe breadfruit, Kulattha fruits, lentils, gourds and climbing plants, wild cucumbers, Kapitha and Palash berries, Kadamba, lemons, Bimba, Lukucha (breadfruit variety), garlic, Pilala, Hinga, Salmali and Kemuk, butter, sour milk, sugar juice and sugar cane juice; ripe bananas, coconuts, pomegranates, grapes and everything that has sour juice in it.

A yogi should not take cold baths in the morning, should not starve, subject the body to suffering, should not eat only once a day or remain without food for more than 3 hours. Before resorting to the practice of Pranayama, all nadis must be purified, they are purified in two ways: Bija-mantras or Dhauti.

Five main pranas are described:

Prana- V areas of the heart,
Apana- in the anus,
Samana- in the umbilical region
Udana- in the neck
Vyana- Penetrates through the whole body.

And five other pranas:

Naga wayu- causes awakening of consciousness,
kurma vayu- induces vision
krikara-causes hunger and thirst
Devadatta- yawning
Dhananjaya- generates speech.

There are 8 types of breath holding: Sahita, Suryabheda, Ujjayi, Sitali, Bhastrika, Bhramari, Murchha, Kavali. The last chapter talks about the attainment of Samadhi. There are four main paths to achieve Samadhi:

Dhyana-samadhi - through contemplation, it is carried out with the help of Sambhavi-mudra;
Nada-samadhi - absorption of the mind in the inner sound;

Nada - it is carried out with the help of Khechari mudra;

Rasananda-samadhi - from tasting nectar and is carried out by Bhramari-mudra;
Laya Samadhi - Samadhi of dissolution, performed by Yoni mudra.

And also the fifth path is Bhakti-yoga, and the sixth is Manomurchha-kumbhaka.

Directions of Yoga

Classically, there are four branches of yoga:

raja yoga- "royal" yoga,
Karma yoga- yoga activities,
jnana yoga- the way of knowledge,
bhakti yoga- loving service to God.

raja yoga

The most ancient direction in yoga. He draws his main ideas from the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, although the name itself appears for the first time in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika around the 14th century AD. e.

Raja yoga, or "royal" yoga, is the goal of Hatha yoga and Kriya yoga. It is called “royal” because it is a practice of working with the mind, and since ancient times the mind has always been called “the king over the psyche and physical body of a person” - remember the phrase “without a king in the head”. The composition of Raja Yoga includes Kundalini Yoga as work with energies and Laya Yoga - work with consciousness.

A person begins the path of self-improvement with ethical, moral and spiritual development, cultivates positive qualities in himself - these are Yama and Niyama, worships the gods, performing rites and rituals, then cleanses his body - Shatkarma.

These first stages of Kriya Yoga, or purifying yoga, purify the mind, speech and body and prepare one for Hatha Yoga.

Hatha Yoga is the path to Raja Yoga. The practice of asanas and pranayamas serves as a preparation of the body and consciousness for working with the mind, for techniques for expanding consciousness and self-governing mental processes. Meditative practices (Dhyana), work with the chakras, raising the Kundalini - all this is Raja Yoga. It leads a person to the highest goal - Moksha (liberation).

Swami Sivananda in his book "Fourteen Lessons of Raja Yoga" writes: "Raja Yoga is the restraint of thoughts, or waves, or modifications of consciousness. And it is “royal” because it is directly connected with consciousness.”

Karma yoga

“Karma” is translated from Sanskrit as ‘action’, any action has a consequence.

Karma yoga is the yoga of action.

Based on the Vaishnava scripture Bhagavad Gita.

The idea of practice is selfless activity, without attachment to the fruits of these actions. To fulfill one's duty out of a sense of service to the Almighty selflessly and without expecting a reward. In order to reach tall It is not necessary to give up material nature, go to the forest for renunciation and practice non-action. Eternal power passes through a person, prompting him to act. Rarely does a person make a choice on their own. By changing our attitude to action, we change karma. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's commentary on Karma Yoga says:

“Karma yoga is communication with God through work, activity. This is what you are teaching. Acting as a householder, not for the sake of getting any results, but for the glorification of the Supreme, is what is meant by this kind of yoga. Outward worship of the Deity of prayer, repetition of the name of God and other religious rites are also included here, if all this is performed without any desire to achieve any results for oneself, but is done solely for the glorification of God. The goal of karma yoga is also the knowledge of the impersonal Absolute, or, conversely, the personal God, or both together.

Through the activities prescribed for a person, one can achieve liberation from the effects of karma and come to enlightenment.

jnana yoga

The yoga of knowledge is the main idea of Advaita Vedanta, the union of Atman with Brahm. A person is able to think and thoughts can be directed to the correct understanding of Brahman - the highest spiritual aspect. Thanks to a scientific approach to intelligence and the ability to study the issues of consciousness, a person is moving to highest level superintelligence. But in no case is it recommended to exalt the mind, it is just a tool for knowing the Higher Self. Our consciousness is limited by the senses, and such words as “infinity”, “Absolute”, “immortality” are not in the intellectual sphere, but at the level faith. Thinking about such subjects as outside of time and space, a person is faced with cognitive dissonance, and to help realize the issues of eternity is the task of Jnana Yoga.

bhakti yoga

This is the practice of emotional attachment and love for the personal form of God. In Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism, the person of God is either Shiva, or Shakti, or Vishnu. In the Vaishnava tradition, these are mainly the avatars of Vishnu - Krishna, Rama and Narasimhadeva.

In the directions of Vaishnavism - Vallabha Sampradaya, Nimbarka Sampradaya and Gaudiya Vaishnavism - Krishna is called the supreme form of God and is called the source of all other avatars. In scriptures such as the Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhakti Yoga is proclaimed to be the highest spiritual practice and is superior to Jnana Yoga (the yoga of knowledge) and Karma Yoga (the yoga of action).

In the Shaiva tradition, Bhakti, or loving service, is directed towards the many incarnations of Shiva. Also in Shaktism: worship and love relationship with the Mother Goddess is aimed at her different incarnations - Lakshmi, Durga, Kali, etc. In many ancient texts, Bhakti Yoga is named as the most effective and efficient way to achieve spiritual heights, especially in the age of degradation - Kali Yuga.

Bhakti yoga consists of 8 processes:

Shravana- listening to God
kirtanam- repetition of the Holy Name (maha-mantra), description of the forms and qualities of God,
Smaranam- remembrance of God
pada sevana- serving the lotus feet of God in accordance with the time, place and circumstances,
Archana- worship of the Deity in the temple, Vandana - offering prayers to God,
Dasya- the personification of oneself as the eternal servant of God,
Sakhya- Establishing a relationship with God
Atma-nivedan- complete surrender to God.

The practice itself consists in constant, daily remembrance of God as a friend, husband, brother, lover or son. Constant pronunciation of the name of God, offering him gifts, flowers, fruits and milk.

“One can understand Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as I am only by devotional service. And when, by devotional service, one's entire consciousness is fixed on Me, one enters the kingdom of God." Bhagavad Gita. 18 chapter 55 sloka.

Laya yoga

Mindfulness practice. "Laya" translates as "rhythm" or "dissolution" - this is the practice of a state of meditation in Everyday life, observing inner silence and stopping the internal dialogue, the practitioner is immersed in the awareness of the Atman - the higher Self, the “observer”.

God Shiva told Matsyendra 250 thousand ways to achieve Laya - dissolution in Non-duality. Laya yoga is part of Raja yoga, in many texts it is called the “culmination” of yoga practice, and its achievement is sometimes possible after gaining Samadhi.

Gheranda Samhita 7.22. (“Shiva proclaimed many truths - such as the immortality of dissolution (Laya-Amrita) and others. One of (these truths) leading to salvation, I gave you briefly”).

The three main principles in Laya Yoga are: Shravana - the transfer of a teacher, Manana - reflection on the practice and dispelling doubts, Nididhyasana - the constant practice of awareness by the methods of Laya.

The methods of practice include five yantras (visual tools that serve to focus attention):

Prajna-yantra - yantra of wisdom,
Shakti- yantra - yantra of energy,
Nidra- yantra - yantra of dreams,
Nada- yantra - yantra of sound,
jyoti-yantra - yantra of light.

Modern directions of Yoga

Demand creates supply, and at the moment there are more and more areas of yoga. Many modern teachers who have achieved good results create their own direction and try to be original and unusual for their followers. Basically, modern schools are those that were formed in the west, where yoga was something mysterious, exotic and mystical.

Iyengar Yoga

The name comes from the name of the founder of the Bellur school, Krishnamacharya Sundararaja Iyengar. In 1952, Iyengar visits Europe and demonstrates various asana complexes, thereby causing great interest in yoga in Western world. His book Light on Yoga has been translated into 17 languages. He opened many centers around the world, several institutes for the study of yoga. Thanks to Iyengar, yoga became known to everyone.

The practice is performed in the classical static Hatha Yoga technique, but great importance is attached to the correct position of the body in the asana. At the first stages, various auxiliary materials (props) are used: bricks, belts, rollers and other devices for an anatomically correct body position in the asana.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

This school was founded by Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois, who headed the Ashtanga Yoga Institute in India. He was a student of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya for over 30 years. Ashtanga vinyasa is a dynamic practice, a kind of hatha yoga, performed dynamically, replacing the sequence of asanas with vinyasas (respiratory-motor systems of exercises). For all postures, a certain number of vinyasas are set - from five to eight.

Although the spread around the world happened recently, the practice itself has been known for millennia. Patanjali talks about Ashtanga (eight branches). The beginning of these practices was laid in the Himalayas and Tibet, where the cool climate allowed for active dynamic practices, and there was no great burden on the heart, as it could happen in the hot Indian part.

One of the most famous of these dynamic complexes is Surya Namaskar - Salutation to the Sun. A complex of 12 asanas with pranayama, delays and bandhas, can be performed with mantrayana and yantrayana at the same time. There are about seven levels of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga practice, depending on the level of difficulty of the practice.

Kundalini Yoga or Yoga Bhajana

A modern trend in yoga that appeared in 1968 in the USA. Yogi Bhajan opened the Healthy, Happy, Blessed Charitable Foundation where he taught Kundalini Yoga. Previously, this technique was passed only from a teacher to a worthy student, but now anyone could learn it. In those years, there was a boom in drug addiction in America, and Kundali yoga became a lifeline in the matter of returning to healthy lifestyle life. The technique of raising the energy of the "Kundalini" (snake), so named because of the similarity of the energy in the area of the Muladhara chakra (root chakra in the spine region) with a snake when it sleeps, twisted into rings. It is extremely effective, and a person, having recently started to practice, in a short period of time could feel the effect of working with energies and could afford to replace some addictions with new, health-enhancing hobbies. Bhajin said that the practice of Kundalini Yoga was for the laity, for those who had to go to work and could not afford the path of the hermit. Thanks to a large set of respiratory and energy technician the energy starts to stir up and rise up. The end result is that the energy must rise to the higher chakras and merge with the divine or cosmic energy and bring enlightenment to the practice.

Bihar School of Yoga

The founder of this school is a famous yogi, thinker, scientist and traveler Swami Satyananda Saraswati, a student of Swami Sivananda, no less famous Guru. He is the author of over 80 books. In 1963, he founded the International Community of Yogis and in the Indian state of Bihar in the town of Munger began to give followers the ancient direction of the Bihar school of yoga. The center founded by Saraswati simultaneously houses an ashram and a modern research center to this day.

The practice is to perform simple asanas in a small amount. More emphasis is placed on pranayama and cleansing techniques, and emphasis is also placed on raising the Kundalini. In addition, it includes a unique approach to the practice of Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra

Founder Swami Satyananda Saraswati at the beginning of the 20th century. Sleep yoga. The practice involves techniques such as identifying oneself in a dream, developing the dream body (Maya-deha), controlling and transforming dreams, entering the awareness of dreamless sleep and the Clear Light. This is a special kind of meditation, during which the whole body relaxes, and the consciousness ceases to be directed to the outside world.

Sivananda Yoga

Another methodical direction of teaching Hatha Yoga, developed by Swami Sivananda. He tried to collect in his school maximum amount spiritual practices that help on the path of self-improvement. Practices included worship of the Deity, and the study of the scriptures, and the training of the body, and selfless work.

Sivananda yoga is five rules in practice:

proper body workout exercise),
correct breathing(pranayama),
proper relaxation (Shavasana),
proper nutrition(vegetarianism),
right understanding (study of scriptures and meditation).

Classes always begin with the Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) complex.

Then 12 asanas: Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Matsiasana, Pashchimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Dhanurasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Bakasana, Padahastasana, Trikonasana. And the practice of pranayama, meditation and chanting mantras.

Despite the huge variety in practices, yoga remains the most mysterious and attractive. Thousands of people daily begin to practice yoga, improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Yoga is designed to make the world more harmonious and healthier. Yoga gives not only physical health, but also mental and mental health. A person who does not eat meat, does not use any harmful substances, and engages in body, mind and speech, truly becomes happy. The path of yoga is the path of a spiritual, highly moral and deeply religious person.

1.62. Having renounced all false desires and abandoned all false attachments of the world, the yogi sees in his own spirit the Universal Spirit in its true essence. 1.63. Seeing his spirit - and this gives happiness found in himself - with the help of his own spirit, he forgets this world and enjoys the indestructible bliss of Samadhi. ("Shiva Samhita").

Yoga

a concept in Indian culture, in a broad sense, meaning a set of various spiritual and physical practices developed in different directions of Hinduism and Buddhism and aimed at controlling the psyche and psychophysiology of an individual in order to achieve an elevated mental and spiritual state. In a narrower sense, yoga is one of the six orthodox schools (darshans) of Hindu philosophy. The original goal of yoga is to change the ontological status of a person in the world.

The main areas of yoga are raja yoga, karma yoga, jnana yoga, bhakti yoga and hatha yoga. In the context of Hindu philosophy, yoga refers to the system of Raja Yoga, set forth in the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali and closely related to the fundamental principles of Sankhya. Yoga is discussed in various Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva Samhita and Tantras. The ultimate goal of yoga can be completely different: from improving physical health until reaching moksha.

Indian philosophy, yoga is one of the six orthodox philosophical schools of Hinduism. The philosophical system of yoga is closely related to the Samkhya school. According to the teachings of Patanjali, the yoga school adopts the psychological and metaphysical aspects of Samkhya philosophy and is more theistic compared to Samkhya. An example of the theistic nature of yoga is the fact of adding the Divine Being to the 25 elements of the Samkhya being. Yoga and Samkhya are very close to each other, on this occasion Max Muller said that "the data of philosophy are colloquially called Samkhya with God and Sankhya without God ...". The close connection between Samkhya and yoga is also explained by Heinrich Zimmer:

The main text of the yoga school is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, who is considered the founder of yoga philosophy. The yoga of Patanjali is known as raja yoga, or the yoga of mind control. Patanjali defines the word yoga in the second sutra, which is the key sutra of the entire text. This definition is based on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms. I. K. Taimni gives the following translation: “Yoga is the curbing (nirodhah) of the variability (vritti) of the mind (chitta).” Vivekananda translates the sutra as “Yoga consists in not allowing the mind (chitta) to take on various forms (vritti).”

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali also formed the basis for the Ashtanga yoga system (the "eight-fold yoga"), which is defined in the 29th sutra of the 2nd book. Ashtanga yoga is the main distinguishing feature of almost all modern variations of raja yoga. Eight steps or levels of ashtanga yoga:

Yama - principles of interaction with the external environment

Niyama - principles of interaction with the internal environment

Asana - unification of mind and body through physical activity

Pranayama - breath control leading to unification of body and mind

Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses from contact with their objects

Dharana - Purposeful Concentration of the Mind

Dhyana - meditation (internal activity that gradually leads to samadhi)

Samadhi - a peaceful superconscious state of blissful awareness of one's true nature

They are sometimes divided into four lower and four higher grades, of which the lower grades are compared with hatha yoga, while the higher grades belong specifically to raja yoga. The simultaneous practice of the three higher stages is called samyama.

The term "yoga" is often used in the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad-gita describes yoga as the control of the mind, the art of action, the realization of the supreme nature of the soul (atma) and the transcendence of the Supreme Lord (Bhagavan). Krishna teaches that the root of all suffering is the mind aroused by selfish desires. The only way to stop the flame of desire is to control the mind through self-discipline while engaging in elevated spiritual activities. Abstaining from activity, however, is considered as undesirable as over-involvement in it. According to the Bhagavad-gita, the highest goal is to free the mind and intelligence from material activities and concentrate them on the spiritual platform through the dedication of all actions to God.

In addition to chapter 6, which is entirely devoted to the traditional practices of yoga, including meditation, the Bhagavad Gita describes the three most important types of yoga:

Karma yoga - "the yoga of activity"

Bhakti yoga - "the yoga of devotion" or "the yoga of devotional service"

Jnana yoga - "the yoga of knowledge"

Although these paths are different from each other, their main goal is practically the same - to realize that God in His personal form (Bhagavan) is the primordial truth on which all existence is based, that the material body is temporary, and that the Supersoul (Paramatma) is omnipresent. . The ultimate goal of yoga is moksha - liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara) through awareness of God and one's relationship with Him. This goal can be achieved by practicing any of the three types yoga, although in the sixth chapter Krishna speaks of the superiority of bhakti over other ways to achieve the highest goal.

Hatha yoga is one of the yoga systems described by Yogi Swatmarama in his Hatha Yoga Pradipika, compiled in India in the 15th century. Hatha yoga differs significantly from Patanjali's raja yoga: it focuses on shatkarma, the purification of the body, leading to the purification of the mind (prana, or vital energy (tha). Hatha yoga gives further development sitting yogic postures (asanas) of Raja Yoga of Patanjali, adding gymnastic yogic elements to them. Nowadays, hatha yoga in its many variations is the style of yoga most commonly associated with the concept of "yoga".

Vaisheshika

The Vaisheshika system is one of the six main theistic schools of Indian philosophy (Mimansa, Vedanta, Yoga, Sankhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika). It was founded by the sage Canada, his real name is Uluk. Vaisheshika got its name from the word vishesh which means peculiarity. The nickname Canada means the atom eater.

The impetus of the Vaisheshika system is its hostile attitude towards Buddhist phenomenalism. Recognizing the Buddhist point of view on the sources of knowledge: perception and inference, Vaisheshika at the same time believes that souls and substances are indisputable facts. It does not associate itself with problems of theology.

A related system of philosophy to Vaisheshika is Nyaya. Both systems set the same goal for a person - the liberation of the individual self. They regard ignorance as the root cause of all pain and suffering, and liberation as the absolute cessation of suffering, which must be achieved through correct knowledge of reality. However, there are some differences between them, which boil down mainly to two points.

Firstly, if the Nayayikas recognize four independent sources of knowledge - perception, inference, similarity and evidence, then the Vaisheshikas - only two: perception and inference, reducing similarity and oral evidence to them.

Secondly, the Nayyikas recognize sixteen categories, believing that they exhaust all reality and include all categories accepted in other philosophical systems; the Vaisesika system recognizes only seven categories of reality, namely: substance (dravya), quality (guna), action (karma), universality (samanya), peculiarity (visesa), inherent (samavaya) and non-existence (abhava). The category is literally understood as the object denoted by the word.

Vaisheshika philosophers divide all objects designated by words into two classes - being and non-being. The class of being includes everything that is, or all positive realities, such as existing objects, mind, soul, etc. In turn, the class of non-being includes all negative facts, such as non-existent things. There are six types of being, that is, six types of positive realities: substance, quality, action, universality, peculiarity, inherentness. The later Vaisheshikas add to them a seventh category - non-existence, which denotes all negative facts.

Unorthodox schools of Hinduism

Lokayata

Lokayata, Charvaka - the materialistic teachings of ancient India. The Lokayata school is considered atheistic. This is one of the most controversial areas of Indian philosophical thought. The origin of the school's name itself is unclear.

Most often, those who consider the soul to be identical with the body, existing only as long as the body is alive, are called Lokayatikas.

Lokayata is faith in the real world (loka) and disbelief in the existence of the other world.

The second name of the school is associated either with the words chara and vaka, the combination of which literally means “beautiful speech”, or with the name of the philosopher Chubback, who is believed to be a skeptic and materialist, the author of the Brihaspati Sutras (c. 600 BC). . e.). Others consider the semi-legendary sage named Brihaspati to be the founder of the teaching. Some sources claim that materialists have long been called the word "charvaka" - whether because they preached the doctrine of "eat, drink, be merry" ("charv" - eat, chew).

Lokayata refers to the category of nastika, that is, a teaching that denies the authority of the Vedas.

Despite the fact that today there are no original texts, and some researchers consider Lokayata to be a kind of sophistry of educated Brahmins, it is impossible not to see the influence of the Charvakas on the development of philosophy in India, as evidenced by the controversy with them by adherents of almost all areas of Indian thought.

According to the teachings of the Lokayata, the universe and everything that exists happened naturally, without the intervention of otherworldly forces. There are 4 elements: earth, water, fire and air. They are eternal and are the fundamental principle of all things. The idea that complex forms of life come from a long evolution (albeit from only 4 elements) anticipated the modern understanding of the world (Atheistic Dictionary, 1983).

Lokayata considers that the true is comprehended only by direct perception, that only this world (loka) exists, the only reality is matter, the goal of human existence is the achievement of pleasure. The views of representatives of this school are sometimes compared with the views of the ancient Chinese sage Yang Zhu and ancient Greek epicureanism.

Jainism

Jainism is an ancient Dharmic religion that originated in India around the 6th century BC. The founder of the teaching is considered to be the Kshatriya Vardhamana or Jina Mahavira. Jainism preaches non-harm to all living beings in this world. Philosophy and practice of Jainism are based, first of all, on the self-improvement of the soul to achieve omniscience, omnipotence and eternal bliss. Any soul that has overcome the bodily shell left from previous lives and reached nirvana is called jina. Jainism is often equated with Jain Dharma and Shraman Dharma in ancient texts. In the modern world, Jainism is represented by a small but influential religious community with 4.9 million adherents in India, as well as successfully growing immigrant communities in North America, Western Europe, the Far East, Australia and other parts of the world.

Jainism claims that any being (jiva) is an individual and eternal soul. When the soul is completely liberated from samsara (reaches moksha), it can achieve omniscience (divine consciousness). But for this it is necessary to be an ascetic, and not a layman, therefore, in religious institutions, great importance is attached to asceticism.

The followers of Jainism are called Jains. The highest rank in Jainism is Jina - "winner". This title is given to the most revered religious teachers who have achieved dharma and liberated from samsara. Practicing Jains follow the teachings of 24 special Jins, who are known as Tirthankaras ("creators of the crossing", "those who found and showed the way to salvation"). The 24th and last tirthankara is traditionally considered to be Sri Mahavir (the "great hero", considered the founder of modern Jainism), who lived from 599 to 527 BCE. e. The 23rd Tirthankara was Sri Parsva, who lived from 872 to 772 BCE. e. The first tirthankara was the great king Rishabha, who lived at a time when people did not yet know how to write and count.

Jainism calls for spiritual perfection through the development of wisdom and self-control (gates). The goal of Jainism is to discover the true nature of the human soul. Perfect perception (ananta darsan), perfect knowledge (ananta jna) and perfect behavior (ananta karinta), known as the "three jewels of Jainism", are the path to the liberation of the human soul (to moksha) from samsara (the cycle of birth and death). Moksha is achieved after liberation from karma. Those who have achieved moksha are called siddhas (liberated souls), and those who are connected with the earth through karma are called samsarins (worldly souls). Every soul must follow the path described by the Jinn in order to achieve boundless freedom.

Jainism claims that the universe and Dharma are infinite, without end or beginning. However, cyclical processes of change take place in the Universe. It consists of living forms ("Jiva") and non-living forms ("Ajiva"). The soul of a samsarin (lay person) incarnates into various life forms during the journey through time. Man, “subhuman” (animals, insects, plants, etc.), superman (Gods and Demigods) and hell beings are the four macroforms (kinds) of the samsarian soul. All worldly relations between one Jiva or Ajiva and another are based on the accumulation of karma and conscious thoughts, words and actions in its present form.

Another important characteristic of the Jaina teaching is the prescription not only of the sequence of actions, but also of the norms of mental behavior. There are five basic ethical principles - vows - that Jains must fulfill. The degree to which these vows must be strictly observed depends on whether the Jain is a monk or a lay person. This:

Do no harm to the living (ahimsa).

Be sincere and pious (Satya).

Do not steal (Asteya).

Do not commit adultery (Brahmacharya).

Do not acquire (Aparigraha).

Ahimsa, "non-violence", is fundamental, and its non-observance renders the fulfillment of other principles meaningless. It is sometimes interpreted as "thou shalt not kill", but this concept is much broader. It means not to cause harm or insult to all living things, either directly or indirectly. It is impossible to think of harming anyone, it is impossible to make speeches that can offend anyone. The views of others (non-absolutism and acceptance of different opinions) should also be respected.

The principle of Sathya, "truthfulness", must also be observed by all people. Since the overriding principle is Ahimsa, if the truth can cause violence, then it is better, from an ethical point of view, to remain silent. Thiruvalluvar, in his classic book Tirukkural, devoted an entire chapter to explaining the concept of truthfulness.

Asteya, literally translated "non-theft", means strict adherence to one's property, suppression of the desire to take possession of someone else's, that is, the principle condemns greed. Everyone should be content with what he has managed to acquire by his own honest labor. Asteya means the reduction of physical needs and the pursuit of spiritual values. The main recommendations for implementing this principle are as follows:

It is always fair to reward people for work and results.

Never take other people's things.

Never take things that have been dropped or forgotten by others.

Never buy cheaper items if the price has been reduced in a dishonest way (approx. pyramid schemes, illegal trade, stolen items, etc.).

Brahmacharya, "monastic celibacy", means complete abstinence from sex, but only for monks. Brahmacharya does not condemn sex in general, but warns against wasting sexual energy in the pursuit of momentary pleasure.

Aparigraha, "non-covetousness", renunciation of property and material values before becoming a monk. After this renunciation, a person understands how to separate himself from things and property, also from home and family, and therefore, becomes closer to moksha. For the laity, Aparigraha means getting rid of the desire for accumulation, since the very concept of property is illusory. What once belonged to one will soon become the property of another. Aparigraha teaches not to set the goal of life to accumulate material wealth, but to spend energy on spiritual development.

CONCLUSION

Indian philosophy is truly "living fruits" that continue to nourish the world human thought with their juices. Indian philosophy has retained full continuity. And no philosophy has had such a strong impact on the West as the Indian one. The search for "the light that comes from the East", "the truth about the origin of the human race", which was occupied by many philosophers, theosophists, and, finally, hippies in the 60-70s of our century, is an obvious evidence of the living connection that connects Western culture with India. Indian philosophy is not only exotic, but precisely that appeal of healing recipes that help a person survive. A person may not know the intricacies of the theory, but engage in yoga breathing exercises for purely medical and physiological purposes. The main value of ancient Indian philosophy lies in its appeal to the inner world of a person, it opens up a world of possibilities for a moral personality, and this, probably, is the secret of its attractiveness and vitality.

At the beginning of the work, I set myself the main goal of my essay and the tasks that I completed. Based on the work done, the following conclusion can be drawn. The philosophical schools of ancient India are divided into two groups: orthodox and unorthodox. The former supported the Ved when the latter did not consider him authoritative. Each of the schools of these groups has its own doctrine and its own principles on which it is based.

This essay talks about those moments of philosophical thought that we should know about. Therefore, the material collected in the work will help in the future to easily navigate in such a science as philosophy.

LIST OF SOURCES USED

Anthology of world philosophy. - M.: Thought, 1969. - p.145

Bauer V., Dumots I., Golovin S. Encyclopedia of Symbols. - M .: Kronpress, 1995. - p. 84-95.

Gods, Brahmins, people. Transl. from Czech. - M.: Thought, 1969. - p.54-56.

India

Abstract >> Culture and art

philosophical schools Ancient India philosophical schools Ancient India

culture Ancient India (11)
Coursework >> Culture and art
Groups: the first group is the orthodox philosophical schools Ancient India, recognizing the authority of the Vedas (Vedanta (IV ...). She is one of the unorthodox philosophical schools Ancient India. Jainism originated at the same time as Buddhism...
Culture as a model of the world. The problem of interaction between man and nature in Ancient India.
Abstract >> Culture and art
But also with other religious and religious - philosophical systems Ancient India. An analysis of these relationships shows that...). She is one of the unorthodox philosophical schools Ancient India. Jainism originated at the same time as Buddhism...
Culture and art Ancient India
Abstract >> Culture and art
Groups: the first group is the orthodox philosophical schools Ancient India, recognizing the authority of the Vedas (Vedanta (IV ...). She is one of the unorthodox philosophical schools Ancient India. Jainism originated at the same time as Buddhism...

Hello dear readers! Welcome to the blog!

Philosophy of Ancient India - briefly, the most important thing. This is another thread in a series of posts. on the basics of philosophy. In a previous article, we reviewed . As already mentioned, the science of philosophy arose simultaneously in different parts of the world - in Ancient Greece and in Ancient India and China around the 7th-6th centuries. BC. Often the philosophies of ancient India and ancient China are considered together, as they are very related and have had a great influence on each other. But still, I propose to consider the history of the philosophy of Ancient China in the next article.

Vedic period of Indian philosophy

The philosophy of ancient India was based on the texts contained in the Vedas, which were written in the most ancient language - Sanskrit. They consist of several collections written in the form of hymns. It is believed that the Vedas were compiled over a period of thousands of years. The Vedas were used for worship.

The first philosophical texts of India are the Upanishads (end of the 2nd millennium BC). The Upanishads are the interpretation of the Vedas.

Upanishads

The Upanishads formed the main Indian philosophical themes: the idea of an infinite and one God, the doctrine of rebirth and karma. The One God is the incorporeal Brahman. Its manifestation - Atman - is the immortal, inner "I" of the world. Atman is identical human soul. The goal of the human soul (the goal of the individual Atman) is to merge with the world Atman (the world soul). One who lives in recklessness and impurity will not be able to reach such a state and will enter the cycle of rebirths according to the combined result of his words, thoughts and deeds, according to the laws of karma.

The Upanishads are ancient Indian treatises of a philosophical and religious nature in philosophy. The oldest of them date back to the 8th century BC. The Upanishads reveal the main essence of the Vedas, which is why they are also called Vedanta.

In them, the Vedas have received the greatest development. The idea of the connection of everything with everything, the theme of space and man, the search for connections, all this was reflected in them. The basis of everything that exists in them is the inexpressible Brahman, as a cosmic, impersonal principle and the basis of the whole world. Another central point is the idea of the identity of man with Brahman, of karma as the law of action and samsara like a circle of suffering that a person needs to overcome.

Philosophical schools (systems) of ancient India

WITH 6th century BC the time of classical philosophical schools (systems) began. Distinguish orthodox schools(considered the Vedas the only source of Revelation) and unorthodox schools(they did not recognize the Vedas as the only authoritative source of knowledge).

Jainism and Buddhism referred to as unorthodox schools. Yoga and Samkhya, Vaisheshika and Nyaya, Vedanta and Mimamsa These are the six orthodox schools. I listed them in pairs because they are pair friendly.

Unorthodox schools

Jainism

Jainism is based on the tradition of hermitage (6th century BC). The basis of this system is the personality and it consists of two principles - material and spiritual. Karma binds them together.

The idea of the rebirth of souls and karma led the Jains to the idea that all life on Earth has a soul - plants, animals and insects. Jainism preaches such a life so as not to harm all life on Earth.

Buddhism

Buddhism arose in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. Its creator Gautama, a prince from India, who later received the name Buddha, which means awakened in translation. He developed the concept of the way to get rid of suffering. This should be the main goal of the life of a person who wants to get liberation and go beyond the limits of samsara, the cycle of suffering and pain.

To break out of the circle of suffering (to enter nirvana), one must observe 5 commandments (Wikipedia) and engage in meditation, which calms the mind and makes the mind of a person more clear and not subject to desires. The extinction of desires leads to liberation and deliverance from the cycle of suffering.

Orthodox schools

Vedanta

Vedanta has been one of the most influential schools of Indian philosophy. The exact time of its appearance is not known, approximately - 2 c. BC e. The completion of the doctrine is attributed to the end of the 8th century AD. e. Vedanta is based on the interpretation of the Upanishads.

It is the basis of everything Brahman, which is one and infinite. The Atman of a person can cognize Brahman and then a person can become free.

Atman is the highest "I", the absolute, which is aware of its existence. Brahman is the cosmic, impersonal principle of everything that exists.

Mimansa

Mimamsa adjoins Vedanta and is a system that was engaged in explaining the rituals of the Vedas. The core was the idea of duty, which was a sacrifice. The school reached its culmination in the 7th-8th centuries. It had an impact on strengthening the influence of Hinduism in India and reducing the importance of Buddhism.

Sankhya

This is the philosophy of dualism founded by Kapila. Two principles operate in the world: prakriti (matter) and purusha (spirit). According to her, the main basis of everything is matter. The goal of Samkhya philosophy is to divert spirit from matter. It was based on human experience and reflection.

Sankhya and Yoga are related. Sankhya is theoretical basis for yoga. Yoga is a practical method for achieving liberation.

Yoga

Yoga. This system is based on practice. Only through practical exercises a person can achieve reunion with the divine principle. A lot of such yoga systems have been created, and they are still very famous all over the world. It is she who has become most popular now in many countries, thanks to complexes exercise which make it possible to be healthy and not get sick.

Yoga differs from Samkhya in the belief that each person has a supreme personal Deity. With the help of asceticism, meditation, you can get rid of prakriti (from the material).

Nyaya

Nyaya was a teaching about various forms of thinking, about the rules for conducting a discussion. Therefore, its study was mandatory for everyone who was engaged in philosophizing. The problems of being in it were investigated through logical comprehension. The main goal of a person in this life is liberation.

Vaisheshika

Vaisheshika is a school related to the Nyaya school. According to this system, every thing is constantly changing, although there are elements in nature that are not subject to change - these are atoms. An important theme of the school is to classify the objects under consideration.

Vaisheshika is based on the objective knowability of the world. Adequate knowledge is the main goal of systematic thinking.

Books on the Philosophy of Ancient India

From Sankhya to Vedanta. Indian philosophy: darshans, categories, history. Chattopadhyaya D (2003). A professor at the University of Calcutta wrote this book specifically for Europeans who are just beginning to get acquainted with the philosophy of Ancient India.

Six systems of Indian philosophy. Müller Max (1995). The professor at Oxford University is an outstanding expert on Indian texts, he owns translations of the Upanishads and Buddhist texts. This book is referred to as a fundamental work on the philosophy and religion of India.

Introduction to Indian Philosophy. Chatterjee S. and Datta D (1954). The authors present the views of Indian philosophical schools briefly and in simple language.

Philosophy of Ancient India - briefly, the most important thing. VIDEO.

Summary

I think the article Philosophy of Ancient India - briefly, the most important" become useful to you. Did you know:

about the main origins of the philosophy of ancient India - the ancient texts of the Vedas and Upanishads;
about the main classical schools of Indian philosophy - orthodox (yoga, sankhya, vaisheshika, nyaya, vedanta, mimamsa) and unorthodox (jainism and Buddhism);
about the main feature of the philosophy of the Ancient East - about understanding the true purpose of a person and his place in the world (it was considered more important for a person to focus on the inner world than on the external circumstances of life).

I wish you all always a positive attitude for all your projects and plans!

Yoga

Yoga is a concept in Indian culture, in a broad sense, meaning a set of various spiritual and physical practices developed in different directions of Hinduism and Buddhism and aimed at managing the psyche and psychophysiology of the individual in order to achieve an elevated mental and spiritual state. In a narrower sense, yoga is one of the six orthodox schools (darshan) of Hindu philosophy. The original goal of yoga is to change the ontological status of a person in the world.

In Indian philosophy, yoga is one of the six orthodox philosophical schools of Hinduism. The philosophical system of yoga is closely related to the Samkhya school. According to the teachings of Patanjali, the yoga school adopts the psychological and metaphysical aspects of Samkhya philosophy and is more theistic compared to Samkhya. An example of the theistic nature of yoga is the fact of adding the Divine Being to the 25 elements of the Samkhya being. Yoga and Samkhya are very close to each other, on this occasion Max Muller said that "the data of philosophy are colloquially called Samkhya with God and Sankhya without God ...". The close connection between Samkhya and yoga is also explained by Heinrich Zimmer:

The main text of the yoga school is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, who is considered the founder of yoga philosophy. The yoga of Patanjali is known as raja yoga, or the yoga of mind control. Patanjali defines the word yoga in the second sutra, which is the key sutra of the entire text. This definition is based on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms. I. K. Taimni gives the following translation: “Yoga is the curbing (nirodhah) of the variability (vritti) of the mind (chitta).” Vivekananda translates the sutra as "Yoga consists in not allowing the mind (chitta) to assume various forms (vritti)."

1. Pit - principles of interaction with the external environment
2. Niyama -- principles of interaction with the internal environment
3. Asana - the union of mind and body through physical activity
4. Pranayama -- control of breath leading to unification of body and mind
5. Pratyahara -- withdrawing the senses from contact with their objects
6. Dharana - Purposeful Concentration of the Mind
7. Dhyana - meditation (internal activity that gradually leads to samadhi)
8. Samadhi - a peaceful superconscious state of blissful awareness of one's true nature

In addition to chapter 6, which is entirely devoted to the traditional practices of yoga, including meditation, the Bhagavad Gita describes the three most important types of yoga:

Karma yoga - "the yoga of activity"
Bhakti yoga - "yoga of devotion", or "yoga of devotional service"
Jnana yoga - "yoga of knowledge"

Although these paths are different from each other, their main goal is practically the same - to realize that God in His personal form (Bhagavan) is the primordial truth on which all existence is based, that the material body is temporary, and that the Supersoul (Paramatma) ubiquitous. The ultimate goal of yoga is moksha - liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara) through awareness of God and one's relationship with Him. This goal can be achieved by practicing any of the three types of yoga, although in the sixth chapter Krishna speaks of the superiority of bhakti over other ways to achieve the highest goal.

Hatha yoga is one of the yoga systems described by Yogi Swatmarama in his Hatha Yoga Pradipika, compiled in India in the 15th century. Hatha yoga differs significantly from Patanjali's raja yoga: it focuses on shatkarma, the purification of the body, leading to the purification of the mind (ha) and prana or life energy (tha). Hatha yoga further develops the sitting yogic postures (asanas) of Patanjali's Raja Yoga by adding gymnastic yogic elements to them. Nowadays, hatha yoga in its many variations is the style of yoga most commonly associated with the concept of "yoga".

Philosophy is the love of wisdom. The philosophy of Yoga is altruism and love for nature.

The philosophy of yoga in a broad sense can be called the ancient doctrine of the spiritual self-improvement of man, which came to us from the civilization of the Aryans and developed into the form known today in the religious and philosophical schools of ancient and medieval India, which for almost two millennia has been a model of wisdom for many admirers of Indian spirituality leading a person to the highest possible goal of his life.

Yoga is one of the darshans, the six orthodox (following the spiritual tradition of the Vedas) philosophical schools of India. Coming directly to the philosophy of classical yoga, we single out two fundamental categories that include all being, all that exists. These are Purusha and Prakriti - spiritual and material substances.

Classical yoga, also called “royal yoga” (“raja yoga”), was formulated by Patanjali around the 2nd century BC. BC. As follows from the "Yoga Sutra", a work consisting of 195 short aphorisms ("sutras"), Patanjali taught dualistic, dualistic metaphysics. It contrasts the Spirit, or "I" (Purusha), with Nature or the Cosmos (Prakriti), considering them as two independent from each other root causes of Reality.

In the anthropology of yoga, the inner world of a person corresponds to the outer being. Man is considered as a microcosm, which is identical in its structure to the macrocosm external to him. Thus, man is also the result of the union of Purusha and Prakriti.

Unlike Prakriti, Purusha is not subject to change. Therefore, we can say that he is outside of time and space. Purusha is called the Spectator watching the unfolding picture of the change of matter.

Buddhi-Mahat is the stage of development of Prakriti and the basis of the universe. In it, as a stage in the evolution of matter, an individual Buddhi is formed, which is an ideal basis for the human psyche. In the future, other elements of the microcosm are formed. These are the organs of perception - hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell; organs of action - arms, legs, organs of excretion and reproduction, organ of speech; the organ of the mind is the mind (manas). So, in fact, everything that we are used to identify with ourselves, with our self - the physical body, memory, emotions, intellect, mental images, etc. - refers to matter and is potentially contained in the individual Buddhi.

Purusha in a person is pure consciousness, his Spirit, his true Self. Yoga assumes the existence of many “small parts” of Purusha, individual souls that manifest through different beings in Prakriti. Our true self is eternal and unchanging. It is conscious and directs all processes in the sphere of Prakriti. The model of the connection of Purusha and Prakriti in a person is often compared to two people lost in the forest. One of which is without legs (Purusha) and the other is blind (Prakriti). It is clear that, having united, they will be able to begin to get out of the forest. Purusha, interacting with Prakriti, fills the individual buddhi of a person, the matrix of all his mental phenomena, with the ability to self-consciousness. Therefore, we, not knowing about Purusha, are aware of ourselves in our mental activity.

Man in his ordinary state does not know his true Self and identifies himself at best with his individual buddhi. But the ability of buddhi to be aware of itself is nothing more than an illusion, because only Purusha has true consciousness. We always say to ourselves: “I walk, I feel, I think”, etc., thereby limiting our being to the framework of Prakriti.

Yoga is a set of physical and spiritual practices aimed at developing a person at all levels: mental, spiritual and physical.

Yoga philosophy has the following properties:

It is spiritual, i.e. focused on the disclosure and comprehension of being with the help of awareness of the independent and self-existing Spirit of the individual.

Ethical, i.e. contains virtues, the main of which is non-violence.

Emotional, i.e. teaches about love, kindness and other beneficial qualities.

Practical, i.e. offers ways to control the body.

Intelligent, i.e. its methods involve the use of the powers of the mind, and the main provisions are substantiated by philosophical texts.

Yoga can be seen as a way to liberate consciousness from false identification with a particular physical shell. In other words, this is the discovery of spiritual vision, which returns the "I" to its true nature. It can also be said that yoga destroys the existential suffering of the mind, which is born due to the pernicious habit of identifying oneself as an individual, isolated from the rest of the world.

Experienced masters say that the entire Yoga Sutra and its commentaries were written with the aim of highlighting the doctrine of the meaning of human existence, the theory of liberation.

We already know that liberation means the separation of spirit from matter (Purusha from Prakriti). Why is it needed? The fact is that people in their usual state limit their own being within the framework of Prakriti. This is what causes all our suffering. We begin to strive for a constant sense of attachment and satisfaction, for pleasures that always end. It is important to understand that the stronger the satisfaction, the greater the disappointment in the future, and the desire for the forms of Prakriti determines the existence of karma.

Yoga is aimed at the comprehensive development of a person, and, mainly, at the growth of consciousness, the internal culture of any person.

In the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita (translated from Sanskrit as "Song of God"), the most authoritative source on the philosophy of yoga, God Krishna explains to his disciple Arjuna the meaning of yoga as liberation from suffering and grief: atmane, Partha, when the husband calmed the desires - he is then called "yogi". When the yogi, who has curbed the thought, strengthens himself in yoga, he is like a candle, whose flame does not fluctuate in a place without wind. Where the thought is stopped by the exercise in yoga , freezes, where in the atman the atman contemplating the atman finds joy - for there he will know that happiness that is beyond the senses, one thought is accessible, transcendent, standing in which, he will not deviate from the truth - he who stays there will not be embarrassed even by the most difficult grief; after all, having reached that goal, he does not imagine something higher, better to meet.

This state is yoga that opens the shackles of sorrows. "Like a well-polished diamond, each of whose faces reflects one or another ray of light, so the word "yoga" reflects one or another shade of meaning with each facet, revealing different sides of the entire range of human aspirations to achieve happiness, love and freedom.In the Bhagavad Gita there is another explanation of the term yoga, where the emphasis is on Karma Yoga (the yoga of action): let not the fruits carry you away, but do not be shackled by inaction. He is free from attachments, steadfast in yoga, performing deeds, equating failure with good luck: this evenness is called yoga. "Krishna also calls wisdom in work or the ability to live in labor, harmony and moderation:" He is not a yogi who overeats, and not that who does not eat perfectly, and not the one who sleeps beyond measure, and not the one who deprives himself of sleep. In food, in rest, be moderate, be moderate in action, in sleep and in vigilance - thus you will attain the yoga that takes away sorrow. then, as the sages say, the highest stage is reached. This constant control of the senses and the mind is called yoga. He who attains it is freed from delusions."

Yoga is a method, a system of exercises for calming the restless mind and directing energy into constructive channels. Just as a hydroelectric plant on a mighty river, which, when wisely dammed and channeled, is a huge reservoir of water that saves from drought and famine and generates electricity for the life of cities and industry, so the mind, when controlled, accumulates energy from the Cosmic River and generates huge strength for all-round human growth.

It is as difficult to calm a person's mind as it is to stop a mountain river.

Thanks to practical application yoga in its various stages, the yogi acquires special strength. Like the proponents of Samkhya and other systems of Indian philosophy, the founder of yoga, Patanjali, argues that liberation must be achieved through direct knowledge of the difference between the Self and the physical world, including our body, mind and individuality. But this is possible only if we can suppress and limit the functions of the body and feelings, mind-manas and intellect, and finally, our individuality (that is, the empirical, personal self) And at the same time have self-consciousness, the experience of a transcendent spirit (purusha) . This would convince us that the Self is above the mind-body complex, above the senses and intellect, and above the suffering or joy of the individual - I. The self, as will be shown, must stand above all physical reality with its spatio-temporal and cause-and-effect relationships.

This is the realization of the Self as a free, immortal spirit, standing outside of evil and suffering, death and destruction. In other words, this is the achievement of a state of freedom from all suffering and misfortune - liberation. The yoga system indicates a practical path of self-development to all those who follow the dictates of the spirit and who sincerely strive to follow it. The Samkhya system, on the other hand, pays more attention to the knowledge of the difference between the Self and the rest of the world as a means of achieving liberation. But she does not forget to recommend such practical methods for achieving liberation as study, reflection, and constant concentration on the truth. Yoga philosophy focuses on the practical methods of purification and concentration to understand the difference between the Self and the body and mind, and at the same time to achieve liberation.

However, it should be noted that the teaching of yoga about self-knowledge of the Self has a solid foundation in the metaphysics of Samkhya, which substantiates the reality of the Self as a metaphysical and eternal principle of consciousness. If one believes in a transcendent spirit, then one cannot but admit that there are deeper levels of consciousness than the empirical ones, as well as wider possibilities and higher potencies than the physical or those related to the senses. Glimpses of this deeper reality of our individual life have dawned not only on prophets and saints, but also on such great philosophers as Plato and Aristotle, Spinoza and Leibniz, Kant and Hegel. Physical research and the modern school of psychoanalysis have made a great contribution to the field of knowledge of the dark sides. mental life, creaking from the usual gaze. Yoga goes even further in this regard, formulating some practical methods of purification and self-control for realizing the true self of a person. For a correct assessment of this philosophy, its benevolent understanding and a sincere desire to realize and realize its truths are necessary ...

Vedic directions and schools

Yoga in the Vedic scriptures

Directions of Yoga

raja yoga

Karma yoga

jnana yoga

bhakti yoga

Laya yoga

Modern directions of Yoga

Iyengar Yoga

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

Kundalini Yoga or Yoga Bhajana

Bihar School of Yoga

Yoga Nidra

Sivananda Yoga

CONCLUSION

LIST OF SOURCES USED

culture Ancient India (11)

Culture as a model of the world. The problem of interaction between man and nature in Ancient India.

Culture and art Ancient India

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Vedic period of Indian philosophy

Upanishads

The Upanishads are ancient Indian treatises of a philosophical and religious nature in philosophy. The oldest of them date back to the 8th century BC. The Upanishads reveal the main essence of the Vedas, which is why they are also called Vedanta.

Philosophical schools (systems) of ancient India

Unorthodox schools

Jainism

Buddhism

Orthodox schools

Vedanta

Atman is the highest "I", the absolute, which is aware of its existence. Brahman is the cosmic, impersonal principle of everything that exists.

Mimansa

Sankhya

Yoga

Nyaya

Vaisheshika

Books on the Philosophy of Ancient India

Philosophy of Ancient India - briefly, the most important thing. VIDEO.

Summary

Yoga

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