ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 351

7.0 Comparison with Other Religious Traditions of India S m yika can be partially compared with Pata jali's eightfold yoga, Buddhists yoga and Vedic yoga. A brief comparison follows.
7.1 Pata jali Yoga Pata jali has defined his Yoga S dhn to consist of eight steps or limbs namely Yama, Niyama,
sana, Pr n y ma, Praty h ra, Dh ran Dhy na and Sam dhi. Yama and Niyama help the practitioner to control / eliminate feelings of attachments and aversions and enhance his social status.
sana helps enhance physical strength and tolerance so that he can develop detachment towards his body. Pr ny ma and Praty h ra develop control over his breath and other sense organs. After these five stages, the next three stages are for meditating and enhancing its intensity so that the last stage i.e. Sam dhi enables the practitioner to enjoy the soul and be one with it. From the discussions of Sm yika, we see that it compares with the first five limbs of Pata jali Yoga as the practitioner moves from va yaka to 2nd Pratim and finally as 2nd ik vrata. Of course the situation for monks is different as they are normally in the last three stages of Pata jali has defined his Yoga S dhan
7.2 Buddhist Yoga The limb Vi uddhi M rga of Buddhists emphasize the word sama with each limb and the last limb i.e. Sam dhi is not possible unless the practitioner develops equanimity and eliminates the feelings of attachment and aversion. The word sama is used in the same sense as in Jain texts (equanimity). Various canonical texts of Buddhists like Sa yyukta Nik ya, Majjhima Nika ya etc. talk of equanimity and specify as the path of Buddhist monks. We thus find the use of Sama and equanimity at different places in Buddhist literature but no specific mention of Sm yika.
7.3 Vedic Tradition Git, which is the representative canonical text had abundant mention of the word sama e.g. Verse 2/15 in Git says, The one who maintains equanimity in pains and pleasures, sensual feelings is only capable of attaining Nirvana'. Similarly verse 18/54 says, The one who stays in the state of equanimity is only capable of my (krishna's) devotion'. Similarly there are number of mentions in the entire text of equanimity. Equanimity, being the base of S m yika, therefore we see its similarity in Vedic tradition also.
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