Sink your speech into the mind, and your mind into the intellect

Pravritti and Nivritti: Samaadhi as systematic involution

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Kunal

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Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah. Salutations to all the teachers.

स यथा सर्वासामपां समुद्र एकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषां स्पर्शानां त्वगेकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषां गन्धानां नासिके एकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषां रसानां जिह्वैकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषां रूपाणां चक्षुरेकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषां शब्दानां श्रोत्रमेकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषां संकल्पानां मन एकायनम्, एवं सर्वाषां विद्यानां हृदयमेकायनम्, एवं  सर्वाषां कर्मणां हस्तावेकायनम्, एवं सर्वाषां आनन्दानामुपस्थ एकायनम्, एवं  सर्वेषाम् विसर्गाणाम् पायुरेकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषांअध्वनाम् पादवेकायनम्, एवं सर्वेषां वेदानां वागेकायनम् ॥

Just as the ocean is the one goal of all sorts of water,

Just as the skin is the one goal of all kinds of texture,

Just as the nostrils are the one goal of all smells,

Just as the tongue is the one goal of all tastes,

Just as the eye is the one goal of all forms,

Just as the ear is the one goal of all sounds,

Just as the manas is the one goal of all thoughts,

Just as the buddhi is the one goal of all kinds of knowledge,

Just as the hands are the one goal of all sorts of work,

Just as the organ of generation is the one goal of all kinds of pleasure,

Just as the organ of excretion is the one goal of all excretions,

Just as the feet are the one goal of all kinds of walking,

Just as the organ of speech is the one goal of all the Vedas, [so the Self is the one goal of this apparently differentiated reality].

- Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, 2.4.11

Consider this ball of Play-doh.

It begins as a formless lump, and evolves into a particular shape that can be identified with a name, and perhaps even a function. The same lump of play-doh contains within it the potential of becoming a humanoid figure, a pot, a flower, or any other shape.

Then, when it manifests in a particular differentiated form, it can be smooshed back into the formless lump from which it came.

The evolution of the formless lump of play-doh into a particular, differentiated, form is known as pravritti (प्रवृत्ति) - outward evolution, or manifestation.

The particular form then going back in on itself to turn back into the undifferentiated lump is known as nivritti (निवृत्ति) - involution, or rest.

The lump of Play-doh is the one goal of all the different forms that can be made from it.

In Yoga, as in most of Indian philosophy, creation is a cyclical process of pravritti and nivritti. The Universe of differentiated forms that we see in front of us right now is an evolved, or specific form of an initially undifferentiated, or generic substance.

Creation is the process of the undifferentiated becoming differentiated, or specific, and destruction is the reverse process of the specific becoming generic - just like forms coming out of and going back into the original lump of play-doh.

Over the past several weeks, we have been discussing what it means to go “deep”, rather than “broad” in meditation.

As a brief recap, the breadth of meditation involves the use of different objects as the aalambanaa, or support for attention. For example, one may use the breath, a mantra, an attitude such as maitri (aka metta) or compassion, a flame, God, or even just a point on a wall. These different objects all ultimately lead to the same place, and so if the Yogi picks one and sticks with it, progress is quicker.

P: What is “progress”?

Specifically, “progress” means depth.

Depth here involves going deeper into the object, seeing the next level of its material cause, rather than being stuck at the surface level.

With the breath, for example, it begins with the breath itself, then goes into the breath as the mahaabhutas that compose it (ie. space and air), then into the tanmaatraas that compose the mahaabhutas (ie. sound and texture), then into the senses that compose them (hearing and touch), and so on until Awareness (aka the Purusha, or the Self) becomes aware of its own reflection in the buddhi.

Breadth of meditation involves using different gross objects (in orange here) as the aalambanaa, or support for Awareness in meditation. However, this can hinder progress in terms of depth. Depth, on the other hand is nivritti - merging the object back into its material cause, all the way back to the buddhi, or the intellect, in which Awareness can, in a sense, see its own reflection and Realize its true nature.

This stepwise process is described by Patanjali in the following sutra:

तस्य भूमिषु विनियोगः॥

Tasya bhoomishu viniyogah

[Samyam] is then applied to the [progressively more subtle] stages/planes.

- Yoga Sutra, 3.6

Last week, we discussed the first level of Samaadhi, known as Vitark Samaadhi, where the object of focus is at the gross level. This Samaadhi can be broken down into two Samapattis, known as Savitark and Nirvitark.

In Savitark Samapatti, the gross aspect of the alambanaa is still intermingled with the word and knowledge.

In Nirvitark Samapatti, on the other hand, the word and knowledge drop away, and the object shines forth in its own right, without the veil of the mind.

For more on word, meaning, and knowledge, take a look at these articles:

We see the world through a curtain of thought

The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon

As we go deeper into Samaadhi, what we are really doing is tuning into progressively more subtle levels of the same object that we began our Dhaaranaa with.

P: Wait a second, what do you mean by “subtle”?

Jogi: In this context, “subtle”, or sookshma (सूक्ष्म), refers to the source or material cause of something that evolves from it. In the case of a flower made of Play-doh, the Play-doh is more subtle than the flower.

As a result of going deeper into progressively more subtle levels of the aalambanaa, we start to see how all of reality is, in fact, composed of increasingly subtle causes. This vision, in turn, results in detachment from the specific forms, which results in us taking the forms less seriously. As a result of this, we feel more calm, fulfilled, and joyful, since we see the entire Universe as a vibrant play - a leela - rather than as the empty mental constructions in which we otherwise live.

The 25 Tattvas: Systematic Nivritti, or involution

At the beginning of this series, we discussed the 25 Tattvas, or categories, into which the entire Universe can be divided:

Your senses create the world

This diagram is the key to understanding the following stages of Samaadhi, so take a careful look.

The 25 Tattvas of Sankhya: The orange box is what we normally consider to be “other”, and the dark blue box is what we normally consider to be “me.” The stepwise process of Samaadhi involves using progressively more subtle Tattvas as the aalambanaa, or support for Awareness in meditation.

To use the example of Play-doh, Prakriti, towards the top of this diagram, is like the undifferentiated formless lump. This evolves into the buddhi, or intellect. The buddhi is a specific, or vishesha (विशेष) form of Prakriti, which is saamaanya (सामान्य), or generic.

The buddhi is like a flower made out of the Play-doh of Prakriti. This “creation” is known as pravritti, or outward evolution.

The buddhi, in turn, evolves into the ahamkaar, or the “I-maker.” Here, the buddhi takes on the role of the lump of play-doh as the saamaanya, or generic form, and the ahamkaar is the specific, differentiated form (aka vishesha) that emerges from it.

This continues all the way down until the Mahabhutas, which in turn differentiate into the objects we see around us right now.

Notice, as Play-doh “evolves” into various forms, there is no other substance other than Play-doh. If you turn the formless lump of Play-doh into a flower, a face, or a cup, there is nothing there, besides the same Play-doh with which you began. The only difference is in name, form, and function.

In the same way, as Prakriti evolves into buddhi, which in turn evolves into ahamkaar, and so on, there is no additional substance aside from Prakriti. The only difference is in name, form, and function.

P: Ok, but how does this relate to Samaadhi?

Through the process of Samaadhi, we are using our focused attention to systematically deconstruct the entire manifest Universe into its unmanifest cause, seeing the Universe, directly, as nothing but a play of Prakriti. This is akin to seeing the various forms of Play-doh as nothing but different forms of Play-doh.

यच्छेद्वाङ्मनसी प्राज्ञस्तद्यच्छेज्ज्ञान आत्मनि ।ज्ञानमात्मनि महति नियच्छेत्तद्यच्छेच्छान्त आत्मनि ॥

YacchedVaanManasi praagyasTadYacchejGyaana aatmani

GyaanamAatmani mahati niyachhetTadYachhejChhaanta aatmani

Let the wise [Yogi] sink speech into mind, sink [the mind] into the buddhi, sink the buddhi into the Mahat¹ and sink that into the peaceful Self.

- Katha Upanishad, 1.3.13

The four stages of Samaadhi are differentiated by the level of subtlety of the aalambanaa, or the support for Awareness in meditation.

When it comes to Play-doh, a child can turn it into a flower, or a face, or anything else, but you would not necessarily value one form over another - you will simply see them all as Play-doh. However, when it comes to the world, we take the forms seriously, taking some as “good”, others as “bad”, and so on. We are attracted to some forms, averse to others, we take some as “me” or “mine”, and others as fearful. As a result of taking these differentiated forms seriously, we suffer.

Through the process of Samaadhi, however, we start to see the world as nothing but a manifestation of Prakriti, and so viscerally see, for ourselves, how our attractions, aversions, fears, etc. are themselves nothing but different forms of the same Prakriti. As a result, we become free of their hold on us.

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रिय:।
युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन:॥

GyaanaVigyaanaTriptaAatmaa kootastho vijitaIndriyah
Yuktah itiUchyate yogi samaLoshtaAshmaKaanchanah

That Yogi who is satisfied by this knowledge and is victorious over the senses remains undisturbed in all situations. Such a Yogi sees everything - dirt, stones, and gold - as the same.

- Bhagavad Gita, 6.8

The four stages of Samaadhi are like Russian nesting dolls - the next level is included within the former. That is, Asmitaa, Aanand, and Vichaar are included within Vitark. Asmitaa and Aanand are included within Vichaar. Finally, Aanand is included within Asmitaa. This is because all gross forms are included within the tanmaatraas, which are in turn all included within the Ahamkaar, and so on, as all forms of Play-doh are included within the Play-doh.

Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Pratyaksha: Two types of perception

We have previously discussed the Pramaanas - the three tools through which we acquire knowledge. As a brief recap, they are:

1. Pratyaksha: Direct perception

2. Anumaan: Inference

3. Aagama: Trusted testimony

Both inference and trusted testimony are ultimately dependent on pratyaksh, or direct perception.

Regular perception, known as loka-pratyaksha, involves the intermingling of word (shabda), object (artha), and knowledge (jnana), in an (apparently) single movement of the mind. However, once attention becomes more finely tuned, word and knowledge can be separated from the object itself, so that the object can be perceived without the veil of thought obscuring it from Awareness. This second type of perception, where the object shines alone, is known as para-pratyaksha, or the higher perception.

To make this clear, imagine yourself walking down an unfamiliar road.

As you walk, you see something in the distance, but can’t quite make out what it is. This kind of perception is nirvikalpa pratyaksha, literally perception without distinction.

Then, you walk a little closer, and notice that it is a tree with flowers. Using our knowledge of shabda, artha, and jnana, we can see that “noticing” this involves superimposing shabda and jnana onto the artha.

This perception, where word, object, and knowledge are intermingled with each other is known as savikalpa pratyaksha, or perception with distinction.

To summarise, nirvikalpa pratyaksha is perception without distinction - the vague sensory input where you don’t exactly recognise an object, whereas savikalpa pratyaksha is perception with distinction - the specific knowledge of an object that can be categorized.

Now back to the difference between loka-pratyaksha (regular perception) and para-pratyaksha (the higher perception).

In regular perception (aka loka-pratyaksha), we first see the object as undifferentiated and uncategorized - as vague sensory input. This is known as nirvikalpa-pratyaksha. Then, word and knowledge are superimposed upon it, which allows us to classify it. This classified perception is known as savikalpa-pratyaksha. In the higher perception (aka para-pratyaksha) on the other hand, this is reversed - word and knowledge are dropped away - that is, nirvikalpa comes after savikalpa.

In loka-pratyaksha, nirvikalpa comes before savikalpa. That is, the object is first taken in as a vague sensory input, similar to the perception of a baby, and later categorised using words and knowledge.

In para-pratyaksha (the higher perception), on the other hand, the reverse is true - nirvikalpa comes after savikalpa.

That is, the word and knowledge used to categorise the object are dropped away, and the object is seen as it is. This is a deeper meaning of the phrase “Empty Your Cup.”

The first two Samaadhis are each categorized into two levels - one savikalp (differentiated), and one nirvikalp (undifferentiated).

Vitark Samaadhi is broken down into Savitark (the savikalp version), and Nirvitark (the nirvikalp version).

Similarly, Vichaar Samaadhi, the next level, is broken down into Savichaar (the savikalp version), and Nirvichaar (the nirvikalp version).

As we have previously discussed, the ultimate cause of our suffering is avidya, or “The Primal Ignorance.”

How we lie to ourselves: Part I

Avidya manifests in the form of projected names and forms which veil the undifferentiated reality, compelling us to take the names and forms seriously, rather than seeing them, and ourselves, as nothing but a play of nature.

By dropping away names and forms through the process of Samaadhi, we make a habit of seeing the world through undifferentiated, or nirvikalpa perception, and in this way break away from suffering by systematically letting go.

Over the next few weeks we will dive deeper into Samaadhi, climbing sequentially to the heights of the practice of Yoga.

Until next time:

1. Notice the process of perceiving an object (gross or subtle) for the first time. Can you catch yourself before superimposing a category upon an object of perception? The object can be anything - something physical, or something subtle like an idea, a concept, or a feeling.

2. Continue your practice of Dhaaranaa. Extend it and allow it to deepen into Samaadhi, and notice what was different about your practice on the days that it deepens further than others.

3. Ask any questions by clicking the button below:

Next time: Vichaar Samaadhi: Savichaar and Nirvichaar Samapatti

1. The Mahat can be considered to be the collective of buddhis. In Yoga philosophy, there is in fact just one Mahat, which appears differentiated as various Buddhis. The difference between the buddhi and the Mahat can be compared to difference between a drop and a lake, or a tree and a forest.