Yoga sutras II, 7-8 THE FIVE KLESHAS – RAGAH, DVESAH

[lavina]

II, 7 sukha anusayi ragah
II, 8 duhkha anusayi dvesah

Attachment
is the dwelling upon
pleasure.

Aversion
is the dwelling upon
pain

M. Stiles


Iyengar states that “Dwelling on pleasurable experiences ingnites desire and a sense of attraction which creates attachment. Pleasurable experiences generate greed and lust, which strengthens attachment and stimulates a greater craving as one always wants more and more. One becomes absorbed by the pursuit of pleasure and addicted to gratification...Pain, sorrow, and misery trigger a chain of hate or aversion. Recollecting lost pleasures, tormented by desires unfulfilled, man is led to sorrow. In extreme distress he comes to hate himself, his family, neighbours and surroundings and feels a sense of worthlessness.” (p.109-110)

So then this is where dispassion and acceptance can help us walk the line between the two states – accepting but not becoming attached to pleasure, accepting but not becoming averse to pain & suffering – being aware of both but not becoming involved. This is where the practice of abhyasa and vairagya (I, 12 http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f20...rt-i-1264.html) can be implemented.

Swami Satchidananda makes a very important point: “Just like that, happiness is already in us. Wherever we go, we reflect our happiness onto people and things. When we see a smiling face and feel happy, it is because the smiling face reflects our happiness. Just as a pure, clean mirror reflects our face beautifully, certain pure, clean faces freflect our happiness. Then we say, ‘she gives me happiness.’ In other faces, our happiness reflects in a distorted way and we say, “I don’t like that person.’ It’s absolutely nonsense – no one can ever give us happiness or unhappiness but can only reflect or distort our own inner happiness.” (p. 91)


Iyengar, B.K.S. Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. New Delhi, India: Harper Collins Publications India. 1993

Swami Satchidananda. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Buckingham, VA: Integral Yoga Publications. 2004

Stiles, M. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Boston, MA: Red Wheel/Weiser LLC. 2002

[Fin]

Originally Posted by lavina

Swami Satchidananda makes a very important point: “Just like that, happiness is already in us. Wherever we go, we reflect our happiness onto people and things. When we see a smiling face and feel happy, it is because the smiling face reflects our happiness.

Excellent post, Thank you, Lavina.

When we see happiness in others the happiness is already present in us.
When we see sadness in others, that very sadness is also already in us.

What about when we make judgements?
What about when we express hate?
So how should you feel about a criminal who is a murderer, a terrorist or a rapist??

Can we have true freedom from judgement?

I guess true freedom from judgement comes when we can express compassion for both the victim & the perpetrator.

Quote from above...
"– accepting but not becoming attached to pleasure, accepting but not becoming averse to pain & suffering – being aware of both but not becoming involved."

Thank you, this truely help me learn something about equanimity (abhyasa, vairagya).

Namaste,
Fin

[Hubert]

"Pain, sorrow, and misery trigger a chain of hate or aversion. Recollecting lost pleasures, tormented by desires unfulfilled, man is led to sorrow. In extreme distress he comes to hate himself, his family, neighbours and surroundings and feels a sense of worthlessness.”

How true. 8910

[lavina]

A sharing of my short note on II 7,8 that I had found again today from my first attempt through the yoga sutras...

LUST & AVERSION neither brings happiness nor averts unhappiness. True happiness resides within the Self. Happiness and unhappiness is a reflection of or a distortion of what is within.