Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah – Sutra 1:12

| Rohana Aisha Dewfall

As part of my Raj Yoga TT, I am writing essays to expand my knowledge of yogic philosophies. This is the 2nd essay that I wrote. I have a few more and am currently working on essay 5. I want to have them on my blog to allow ease of access, and to help anyone who comes across it.

Happy reading,

Xoxo

R

Sutra 1:12

Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah

These mental modifications are restrained by practice and non-attachment.

Figure 1

scalesabhyasa

Sutra 1:13 – Of these two, effort towards steadiness of mind is practice.
Sutra 1:14 – Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without a break and in all earnestness.
Sutra 1:15 – The consciousness of self-mastery in one who is free from craving for objects seen or heard about is non-attachment
Sutra 1:16 – When there is non-thirst for even the gunas (constituents of Nature) due to realisation of the Purusha (true Self), that is supreme non-attachment.

Introduction:
In Sutra 1:12, Sri Patanjali instructs his readers to work on their minds and thought patterns through practice and non-attachment. Sutras 13, 14, 15 and 16 expand on this one instruction, providing more detail and allowing a better understanding of what Patanjali means by Abhyasa and Vairagya. Both concepts (practice and non-attachment) are inextricably linked, allowing the yogi to restrain their minds when a balance between the two is found (Swami Prabhavananda & Isherwood, 1981, p. 28; Satchidananda, 1990, p.18-19). A cornerstone of yogic practice, Sutra 1:12 provides a window for yoga to come “off the mat” and into daily life. This essay will examine the concepts of practice and non-attachment, focusing first on Sutra 1:12 before turning attention to analysis Bahasa and then Vairagya. Finally, the essay will conclude with a personal interpretation of these sutras, to demonstrate an understanding that goes beyond mere research and explanatory words.

Sutra 1:12
According to Rizopoulos (2017), both practice and non-attachment can serve as a roadmap to aid navigation through life. In her explanation, she says that the basis of Sutra 1:12 is that the efforts made in practice should be determined, but that in equal measure, the outcome of those efforts should not be of concern, i.e. we should not be attached to them. If this is achieved, the mental medications that exist in our minds (vrittis) will lessen. Gannon (2011) expands on this, asserting that through abhyasa and vairagya we can identify with our inner self, essentially echoing Sutra 1:16. The suggestions given to perfect the efforts made are similar to those explained by Swami Satchidananda in his commentary of Sutras 1:13-16 (1990, pp.18-30). Swami Satchidananda makes these sutras accessible, referring to temples and churches as social centre’s and demystifying the idea that through renouncing worldly goods, there is no enjoyment in life. The explanations given do not give false hope that mastery over the mind through abhyasa and vairagya is easy, but rather, provide suggestions for the reader to apply them in their own way.

Abhyasa:
Practice, Sri Patanjali says must continue “for a long time, without a break and in all earnestness” (Swami Satchidananda, 1990, p.20). The abstract nature of Sutra 1:14 allows the student to interpret and apply it in their own way. The long time necessary may feel daunting at first, but if determined, a habit can be created, which for a keen student may lead to a lifetime commitment to their practice. This practice can be a daily meditation but is not limited to it; many yogis commit to a vegetarian diet, or fasting, others to Karma or Bhakti yoga. The commitment of time demonstrates the earnestness of the student, as illustrated by Swami Satchidananda’s commentary about the amount of births one must go through before reaching heaven (1990, p.21).
There is no shortage of ways to begin establishing a committed practice, and often starting with one leads to the accumulation of more over years. Bryant (2013) suggests that cultivating a Hatha Yoga practice is pathway to train the mind towards abhyasa, because the disciple of rolling out a yoga mat and moving the body is created. Hatha yoga, especially within the Western world is often the gateway for people into the more spiritual side of yoga, alongside the science of the mind.

Vairagya:
Non-attachment from sensory objects is referred to by Sri Patanjali as “self-mastery” (Swami Satchidananda, 1990, p.23). In his commentary, Swami Satchidananda warns that non-attachment is not the same as indifference, but rather it is the ability to let go of the mind’s desires. This ‘letting go’ takes a lot of work, hence its relationship abhyasa. Gannon (2011) explains that vairagya is “facing something – even positive – and not identifying with it,” because while the mind may relate to something and allow it to be defining, the inner, true Self, is not defined by sensory experiences. However, beautifully worded by Malossi (2013), part of the human condition is to cling onto what we like and shun what we don’t like. Ironically this is what leads to most of human suffering as well; the inability to ‘let go’ of our clinging and aversion often leads to mental battles that if unresolved, lead to physical tension. Swami and Isherwood emphasise also that the practice of non-attachment should not be seen as a “kind of sel-torture” but rather the key to freedom.

My Understanding:
Sutra’s 1:12-16 provide us with the necessary tools to work on our minds and move towards a state of peace in our true Self. However, finding the balance between dedication to practice and working on lessening attachment is particularly difficult. Personally, I am goal driven, so I will put the effort in and practice wholeheartedly for what I want to achieve, but I am determined to see the result gained and am attached to it. This determination has stood me in good stead for example, in completing my degree, but has also let me down when results for specific assignments felt unjust and made me upset. The idea of sitting with pain, or joy or any emotion that exists, understanding that emotion and then letting it pass is a beautiful one on paper, but one I have found increasingly challenging. I am better at recognising negative emotions, and often I attempt to let go of resentment or ill-feeling, but it is a practice that seems forgotten in the ‘good times’. In my meditation practice, I often pull my mind back from making ‘To Do’ lists or mulling over events that have occurred. When I started, I couldn’t sit for more than 1 minute in quietness, now, provided my son allows me the time, I can sit for 5-8 minutes, though my thoughts do run away at times. To aid myself, I focus on an image of the Om, or use mantra.
I understand these 5 Sutras to mean that as a student, I should hold myself steady in my convictions and be determined in what I aim to accomplish, while also understanding that the results of my work are not mine to hold and lock away, but rather that they exist independently from me. These Sutras tell me that the journey towards the goal, of graduating, of more sleep, of a detailed plan, or anything else, is much more important that my arrival at that place. For this, the story of Narada telling the yogi he had as many births as the leaves on a tree before he met the lord, comes to mind, because it encompasses everything I am striving for: patience, acceptance and joy.

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