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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
101
in ancient India. It is rather difficult to trace exactly the roots of such Yoga tradition. It is, however, suggested, on the strength of the Yoga-styled naked monuincnts found in Mohañjodaro, that the ludus Valley Civilization might have originated some of the Yoga concepts, 10 which Auslric and Dravidian people also seem to have contributed considerably. Thereafter the tradition of Yoga has sown in three streams viz., Jaina, Bauddha and Hindu." Yuvācārya Śrī Mahaprajnaji's way of putting forth this very fact is much interesting. The strcam of Yoga had dams built at various slages. As a result we have Jaina Yoga, Bauddha Yoga and Patañjala Yoga."
Really these three are not completely separate and independent systems, but they are interrelated to a considerable extent and have insluenced each other. Their basic principles and concepts are much similar and their goal is more or less the same. Yet they rose up as different systems owing to the usage of different terms and names for certain Yogic concepts and owing to varicd interpretations or their sub-doctrines in the respective philosophical circles in the different periods of history. Pārsva and Mahavira are the originators of the Jaina system of Yoga, the Buddha is that of the Buddhist system and Patañjali is known as the best exponent of the Vedic or Hindu system of Yoga. Patañjali's Yogasutra is a unique work of codification of the Yoga of his times and, as such, stands supreme and unparalleled in the field. Its supremacy and populatity led the Vedic tradition of Yoga to be known as Patañjala Yoga. The 196 Sūtras in it cxpound the eight-sold constituent modes or methods of Yoga - (Astangayoga) to be practised sequentially and progressively. They are yama (restraint), niyama (observance), āsana (steady posture), prānāyāma (regulation of breath), pratyahāra (withdrawal of senses from their objects) dhārana (concentration of mind on any object etc.) dhyāna (meditation) and samādhi (super-conseious siate). The Yogic concepts, views and experiences of the Buddha, as scattered in the Pali Pitakas, were gleaned and syathetically presented in the
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