Samadhi - Swami Rama

Concentration leads to one-pointedness, prolonged concentration leads to meditation, and meditation expands the mind into the superconscious state called samadhi in Patanjali’s school of raja yoga. Patanjali, however, warns us that the practice of concentration must be accompanied by non-attachment, for one who tries to concentrate while remaining attached to the things of the world will either fail altogether, or his acquired power of concentration may lead him into great danger because he will use it for selfish ends.

The danger of attachment is exemplified in the technological progress of modern man. Through the study of the objective world he has been able to harness the forces of nature, but his attachment to the world has led him to misuse these forces. Atomic energy could be beneficial to all mankind, provided man develops an attitude of concern for humanity. Instead, it has become a threat to mankind’s survival because man lacks an attitude of sympathy toward his fellowmen. The threat of nuclear catastrophe lies not in the nature of the atom, but rather in man’s attachments.

Non-attachment does not signify renunciation of the world, although many people mistakenly interpret it in this way. It means perfecting the art of living here and now, performing duties skillfully, enjoying life and yet remaining free from dependency on, and addiction to, the objects of the world. When this technique is perfected, it is possible to live in the world and yet be free. The aspirant can use the forces of nature and the objects of the world as tools to further the expansion of consciousness. It is not necessary for anyone to renounce the world in order to attain samadhi.

How does one cultivate the attitude of non-attachment? An aspirant can start on the practical level of action. He can read about the great sages of any religion, study their lives, and model his life on theirs. This will lead to non-attachment in that his love for these ideals will begin to develop into love for all humanity. Another method of cultivating non-attachment is to discover Brahman, the central or absolute reality, manifested in the great sages of history. Realizing that these great men and women are individual projections of Brahman will soon lead to the realization that Brahman is not only in them but in each of us, and that we are all one.

There are two stages of samadhi. In savikalpa samadhi, the lower stage, the aspirant retains a sense of individuality. The seeker of truth sees the truth, but retains the sense of "I" as being different from the truth he experiences. He has to go beyond savikalpa samadhi to the stage of nirvikalpa samadhi, in which the seeker becomes one with the One. Here is to be found the union of Atman with Brahman. This stage transcends the stage of intense love and longing for the ideal, for now the seeker merges into his ideal, and no sense of duality remains.

Only one who is well-established in the stage of nirvikalpa samadhi is an illumined yogi, and only he can truly guide other aspirants. Such a yogi is beyond the bondage of space, time, and causation, and is ever free, for it is possible for him to remain dissolved in Brahman and yet return to normal consciousness. He has achieved eternal bliss, which is undisturbed by any external conditions.

There may seem to be some resemblance between withdrawal from the external world in deep sleep and the highest state of nirvikalpa samadhi, but there is also a vast difference. One is an unconscious state while the other is the height of consciousness. Suppose two people go to see a king. One falls asleep before the king, while the other remains awake and enjoys the king’s presence. The one who remains awake is like one in the blissful state of samadhi, while the other, being asleep, remains in the darkness of ignorance. In deep sleep, a person is very near to reality, but is not aware of reality.

Even during sleep a yogi remains fully awake to Brahman, and in the waking state he remains as if asleep to worldly attachments. In this divine union of lover and beloved, subject and object are dissolved in an ocean of supreme love. It is difficult to express the joy of this superconscious state. Personal experience is the only way to realize that eternal joy.

The word samahitam, which means "the state where all one’s questions are answered," conveys the experiential quality of the state of samadhi. When all questions are answered and there is no doubt of any sort, then the mind soars beyond the level of the language in which it is accustomed to think. Samadhi does not occur at the level of thought or even feeling. This is why it is also called bhavatita, which means "beyond feelings." The state of samadhi, according to Patanjali’s system, is considered to be the highest state attainable by yogis.

In other schools the word samadhi is not used. The meditative school of Buddhism, for instance, uses the word nirvana to describe the highest state of consciousness—through negation one experiences a void which is called nirvana. The philosophy of Advaita Vedanta describes something beyond nirvana, however. According to this school, the highest state is called sakshatkara, comparable to the state called samadhi in Patanjali’s system. Here, according to raja yoga, when the individual consciousness expands itself to become universal consciousness, when jiva becomes purusha, then the word samadhi is used. It is a state beyond mind, action, and speech. It is the eighth and final rung on the yoga ladder and is achieved when the aspirant establishes his practice firmly, is able to continue his meditation for a long time without interruption yet with full devotion and reverence, and when the subtle sense of self-identity vanishes, allowing control of the latent modifications of the mind. Then samadhi is attained.

These practical hints will help you in your practice of meditation.

• Whatever spiritual method you follow, practice it systematically and regularly. The reward is immense.

• Laziness or sloth is the greatest enemy. Life is short, time is fleeting, and obstacles are many. Conquer them by sincere effort and prayer. Help comes from a higher level to sincere aspirants.

• Just as you eat morning, noon, afternoon, and night, so also will you have to meditate four times a day if you want to realize truth quickly. When you meditate, you will develop divine virtues, and a spiritual path is constructed in the mind. If you do not practice regularly and become lax, the spiritual path will be washed away by a flood of impure thoughts. Regularity in meditation is of paramount importance.

• Meditation leads to the gate of intuitive knowledge, which is real knowledge. It is a mysterious ladder that takes the aspirant from earth to heaven. Truth is the Atman, but it is not possible to realize that truth without meditation. The paths are many, but you should follow only one path and practice only one method. All the different paths meet at the gate of the kingdom of Atman. Do not condemn anyone else’s method or religion, but instead follow your own. Methods should not be changed again and again. The fundamentals of all great religions are the same.

The mind assumes the form of the objects it cognizes. When the aspirant continuously meditates on the inner Atman, he reaches the state of samadhi, and in this blissful state nothing is seen or heard. There is no body consciousness. There is only one consciousness, and that is the consciousness of the all-pervading Atman. This superconscious experience is called turiya, the "fourth state." The first three stages—waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep—are common to everyone, and the fourth is latent in everyone. When a yogi establishes himself in the fourth state he experiences the living reality in his mind, action, and speech. Then he realizes, at all times and under all circumstances, that he is identical with sat, chit, and ananda, existence, knowledge, and bliss. Real spiritual life begins after the aspirant enters this state of superconsciousness. It is the state of divine peace.

Samadhi is not a state that can be attained easily, but if it is achieved, supramental or intuitional knowledge is experienced. A person who does not possess this knowledge cannot understand the true meaning of religion. In this state the senses, mind, and intellect cease functioning; just as a river merges into the ocean, so does the individual soul merge into the supreme soul—and all limitations disappear.

So often beginners are afraid of this union because they think their individuality might dissolve or be engulfed. Actually, what occurs is not a loss of individuality, but an expansion of individuality. As long as the mind functions within the limited realms of individual consciousness an aspirant can meditate, but never attain samadhi. The deepest state of meditation, however, expands individual consciousness, and when it has expanded to its fullest capacity, that is called samadhi—sleepless sleep, soundless sound, the highest state of peace, or silence. However we may describe it, this is the highest state a raja yogi can attain while at the same time remaining aware of his attainment.

Many errors and failures face the aspirant on this divine journey. One of the greatest of these is laziness. For instance, after a short period of meditation an aspirant may feel like sleeping, and further meditation then becomes difficult. This is because he has not yet formed the habit of sitting in a steady posture and meditating on a single object.

During meditation the aspirant may feel that he is rising from his seat. Some may feel that they are flying in the air. Various people have different experiences, all of which are functions of the mind, and all of which can become obstructions in the path of meditation. To the wise, they give encouragement for further progress. Some hear melodious sounds and others see light. Some receive spiritual joy, others get both light and joy. These are temporary phases and may inspire those who pass through them. On the other hand, there will be those who will not see or experience any such visions. It is of no consequence. All these experiences are hallucinations, delusions, and illusory visions. They are not necessary for progress in meditation.

In the beginning the aspirant should avoid the artificial light of this world and try to make his abode in darkness so that he may see the living light within. Often visions arise from the inner world, but they come and go without leaving any permanent impressions on the mind. These are hallucinations based on objects previously seen, heard, or imagined. On the other hand, the more an aspirant meditates, the more his intuition is developed. It is this intuition which becomes the real guide.

The state of samadhi is not often experienced, but there are various paths described in the Upanishads to attain it: The path of negation, the path of selfless action, and the path of devotion. Emotional ecstasy, however, is not samadhi. Inspiration does help, but uncontrolled emotion is dangerous. In other words, inspiration from the guru is definitely beneficial, but ecstasy which is full of emotion cannot be called deep meditation.

A simile will give you an idea of samadhi. Four aspirants are at the foot of a mountain. They begin their search along different paths, using different methods. They describe the experiences of their journey differently—until they reach the top of the mountain. When they reach the summit, they all have the same view. There they agree that they are all at the same place. This experience cannot be shared with aspirants who have not completed the climb. Mere words of explanation are like the husk of a grain: One does not benefit from the nourishing properties of the grain’s kernel by studying its husk.

The expression "All roads lead to Rome" is true, but when it comes to methods leading to self-realization, only raja yoga and its methods of training are scientific and subject to empirical verification. Raja yoga leads the student to the final state of realization, not by training the intellect alone, but by training the whole person, thus making him more useful to himself and to humanity.

© "The Royal Path: Practical Lessons on Yoga" by Swami Rama published by The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA.

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