Sutra I. 51 Tasyapi nirodhe sarva-nirodhan nir-bijah samadhih

Commentary: When all the samskaras (past imprints and trigger points that have run the reactive programs in the past) have been purified and have ceased (nirodha), there is no longer any wavering, no turning back into ignorance. Here citta-vrtti nirodha is realized. "Nir" means devoid of or free; while bija is "seed"or germ. Thus nirbija samadhi is translated as the union or absorption without seed -- without ay cause toward being propelled back into ignorance or duality. One may play at shifting scenes or contexts, but one is free from the pulls of unconscious impressions (samskaras) and hence Pure Primordial Consciousness and Pure Beingness (experience) have coincided -- they have merged as one without a second.

Here the sadhak abides joyfully because his samskaras have been washed clean, being bathed and matured in and by the self luminous light inherent in his/her own true natural abode (swarupa) which is of the same taste inside or out in the non-dual reality of All Our Relations. Here even nirodha ceases as one enters into the non-dual abode of non-doing -- of absolute stillness and openness where all latent seeds of past impressions have been removed -- where all and everything reside as-it-is. This is not the annihilation of consciousness (citta), but on the contrary, the end of the vrtti, prejudice, bias, and spin of citta. HERE is great abundance and fulfillment where santosha (spiritual fullness), integrity (asteya), satya (authenticity), and all the other yam/niyams are perfected and effected spontaneously all at once.

To summarize the end of Pada I, the vrtti are thus eliminated (nirodha) through first the integration or dawning of rtambhara, which produces a core/primordial seed impression, which in turn remediates and ends all the other past conditioned triggers Rtambhara is a precious innate truth bearing wisdom which is not derived from scripture (sruti), agama, from inference (anumana), nor from objective partial data gleaned from things or events. Rather, it is a core way of knowing, where the realization of the inner Heart (bodhicitta) purifies and clarifies all as it is opens and ripens.

Patanjali is giving us very practical advice on practice. It is not abstract philosophy. We can just ask ourselves how does I.41-51 work in practice? Say we are sitting in meditation, These are stages going from gross distractions (vitarka), to more subtle (vicara) ort subtle, to beyond the most subtle (nirvicara), to sunya, absolute cessation of the citta-vrtti, the dawning of the intrinsic transcendental wisdom (prajna), and then everlasting oneness/union (samadhi).  At first we may become distracted by some coarse (vitarka) external noises, a spider on the wall, the cushion,  clothes, or perfume or any such coarse distractions.  After practice these type of gross distractions (vitarka) of the mental processes become attenuated and live in the background, because a far deeper underlying heart/core background has grown and is revealed. Thus a nirvitarka stage is accomplished.

After even more intelligent and joyous practice, maybe even in the same sit, we become aware of thoughts arising (mental objects), like one is remembering some “thing” that occurred in the past or some  “thing” that one has to do in the future, or some “one”, and so forth. The conditioned mind can wander with even subtle objects of thought  That is vicara ( subtle) thought processes at work. Eventually these become rarified and emptied with practice -- empty spaces between the words and thoughts become longer.  Great light and clarity start to intercede for longer periods of time in this space (nirbhasa, jyoti, prakasha, prajna, etc.). We start to get used to residing in the sweet space of the HeartMind (prasadanam) more readily. Up to this point this corresponds to the apara-vairagyam (the lower form of vairagya) which is dualistic (samprajnata) -- with asmita as a cognizer and a separate cognized object. (See I.17) .

Then, with further practice even the most subtle thought processes cease (nirvikalpa and nirvicara). Then one rests in samadhi empty of self ownership (asmita) and empty of objects and empty of the process of objectification. This corresponds to the para-vairagyam (see I.18 and 19. This is asamprajnata samadhi (transcognitive). and non-dual  and transpersonal of which the more common form is sabija samadhi (temporary with seed), while the permanent kind is (nirbija) without seed. Eventually the intrinsic self-luminous and self-arising light of transcendental wisdom (prajna) informs us as to the heart/core or mind-essence, as the seed source becomes recognized increasingly, the yogi matures in that recognition, and blossoms as final unconditioned liberation (kaivalyam) is won -- with practice.

Nirbija samadhi is the summum bonum of yoga, because there is no longer any falling back into the estrangement and disempowerment of separateness (dualism). There is no disruption or discontinuity in residing ceaselessly and continuously. There is no place else go but HERE - from original self to limitless and boundless omniscience. This is our natural uncontrived, unconditioned, primordial state (swarupa-sunyam) prior to avidya's conditioning, the disturbances of the vrtta, vasana, samskara, karma, klesha, and any other mentally induced habitual formation. Although timeless, it is expressed in the Sacred Now as sacred presence.

Nirbija samadhi is not discontinuous, although the yogi may enter at will into many worlds, contexts, dimensions, and "situations", the overall context of Ultimate Integrity -- of Eternal Spirit is never lost sight of, it is always recognized within the sphere of sacred presence, always present -- as such, sacred space is continuously present always and all ways as vajra-space being immutable. Here Divine Grace is known as samadhi -- as non-dual union.

Although theoretically accessible to all people at all times, most are still getting their thrills riding on karmic roller-coasters; few have cut through to the core of their masks and veils; obscurations; long time false identifications, propensities, mental habits, and tendencies; and burned up their past karmic residues, except for the true yogi. Thus, being driven by the seas of karma, samskaras, or avidya has ended for such a yogi, for such acknowledges unending and beginningless bliss. For such a one, All Our Relations is the way it is, and hence all interaction for such a yogi occurs in sacred space as a communion between creation/creator, shakti and shiva, the evolutionary power and absolute consciousness extending the Buddhafield as doorways are created into and out of the Buddhaverse.

END OF THE CHAPTER ONE ON SAMADHI

 

 CONTINUE TO CHAPTER TWO ON SADHANA (PRACTICES)