Theory of Soul and Karma
-Shri Yogendraji
ALL the Hatha Yoga authorities agree that there is soul which by its contact or association with the mind-stuff (Citta) accumulates Karmas; and that these Karma materials, in turn, call for a series of births and rebirths. The mind is held as an indirect cause of the cycle of births and it is only its control that can bring about salvation or freedom from rebirths. It believes that whatever action is done by an individual leaves behind it some sort of potency which has the power to ordain for him joy or sorrow in the future. These actions may be good or bad and determine good or bad births which one will have to undergo for their due fulfilment. Thus, according to the merits or demerits (Punya or Papa) the bodies of all animated beings are produced and these bodies give rise to fresh Karmas which lead to rebirth and then the circle is continued like that of a persian wheel. When, however, the fruits of the actions are such that they cannot be enjoyed in the present life, the individual has to undergo another birth in order to suffer them. Besides these Karma materials, there are the Samskaras (root impressions of all past lives) which create new tastes and instincts (Väsana). These are stored up in the Citta and are revived under suitable circumstances. It is necessary, therefore, that in order to annihilate Karmas, Samskära and Väsanäs which lead to the cycle of births, the mind-stuff have to be restrained from taking various modifications (Vrittis). This forms the groundwork of the Yoga method of practice.
CITTA
The Citta always exists in the form of modifications and these comprehend all the manifold states of consciousness of our phenomenal existence. That these states of consciousness can hardly be distinguished from consciousness itself, for the consciousness is not something separate from its states. The mind-stuff therefore has its existence only in its states and passes away with their passing and submerges when they are submerged. "It differs from the senses in this that they represent the functions and faculties whereas Citta stands as the entity holding the conscious states with which we are directly concerned." It is not the soul but this Citta which appears as the particular states of consciousness in which there are both the knower and the known. So long as Citta is associated with soul, it continues to operate in the form of modifications and the soul is dragged into the identification of the same. This identification is false and as a result causes pleasure and pain to an individual (just because of its contact) which ceases from the time of its dissociation with the soul.
Theory of Soul and Karma
-Shri Yogendraji
ALL the Hatha Yoga authorities agree that there is soul which by its contact or association with the mind-stuff (Citta) accumulates Karmas; and that these Karma materials, in turn, call for a series of births and rebirths. The mind is held as an indirect cause of the cycle of births and it is only its control that can bring about salvation or freedom from rebirths. It believes that whatever action is done by an individual leaves behind it some sort of potency which has the power to ordain for him joy or sorrow in the future. These actions may be good or bad and determine good or bad births which one will have to undergo for their due fulfilment. Thus, according to the merits or demerits (Punya or Papa) the bodies of all animated beings are produced and these bodies give rise to fresh Karmas which lead to rebirth and then the circle is continued like that of a persian wheel. When, however, the fruits of the actions are such that they cannot be enjoyed in the present life, the individual has to undergo another birth in order to suffer them. Besides these Karma materials, there are the Samskaras (root impressions of all past lives) which create new tastes and instincts (Väsana). These are stored up in the Citta and are revived under suitable circumstances. It is necessary, therefore, that in order to annihilate Karmas, Samskära and Väsanäs which lead to the cycle of births, the mind-stuff have to be restrained from taking various modifications (Vrittis). This forms the groundwork of the Yoga method of practice.
CITTA
The Citta always exists in the form of modifications and these comprehend all the manifold states of consciousness of our phenomenal existence. That these states of consciousness can hardly be distinguished from consciousness itself, for the consciousness is not something separate from its states. The mind-stuff therefore has its existence only in its states and passes away with their passing and submerges when they are submerged. "It differs from the senses in this that they represent the functions and faculties whereas Citta stands as the entity holding the conscious states with which we are directly concerned." It is not the soul but this Citta which appears as the particular states of consciousness in which there are both the knower and the known. So long as Citta is associated with soul, it continues to operate in the form of modifications and the soul is dragged into the identification of the same. This identification is false and as a result causes pleasure and pain to an individual (just because of its contact) which ceases from the time of its dissociation with the soul.