Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 7

Author(s): Nand Kishor Prasad
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

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A COMPARISON OF YOGA SYSTEMS AS PROPOUN. DED BY PATANJALI AND HARIBHADRA SŪRI
DR. GOKUL CHANDRA JAIN*
A comparative study of Yoga Systems as propounded by Patañjali and Haribhadra Süri can be a good topic for Doctoral Dessertation. A seminar paper has its own limitations. However, I will try to project some important points which may serve as outlines for further study.
First of all one should know the traditional background of the two exponents. Patanjali belongs to the ancient Sāmkhya-Yoga School whereas Haribhadra to the Jaina School of Indian Philosophy.
Secondly, when Patanjali propounded his doctrine, he might be well aware of the other Schools including Jaina School prevailing during his age, but certainly not with the exposition of Haribhadra, as he is later than Patanjali.
Thirdly, when Haribhadra composed his works on Yoga many traditions and interpretations including Patanjali were current.
Fourthly, Haribhadra was a Brāhmaṇa-śramaņa-a Brāhmaṇa turned into a śramaņa. And as a versatile scholar he had shouldered great responsibility of exploring the oneness of purpose of all the main streams of Indian wisdom, as soon as he adopted Sramanism.
And finally in the śramanism which Haribhadra inherited, the term Yoga' had an absolutely different meaning than Patañjali. It is significant in the Doctrine of Karma.
Umäsvāti says that actions of the body, the organ of speech and the mind is called yoga 'Kāyavānmanah karma yogah (Ts. 6/1). Actually the vibration of soul caused by the action of these three is yoga. Here yoga is activity, karma. It is differentiated into three kinds according to the nature of the cause, namely bodily activity, speech activity and thought activity i. e. kāyayoga, vacanayoga and manoyoga.
Bodily activity or the kāya-yoga is the vibration set in the soul by the molecules of the body. Speech activity or vacanayoga is the vibration set in the soul by the molecules composing the organ of speech. Thought activity or the manoyoga is the vibrations of the soul caused by the molecules composing the mind.
*
H. O. D., Prakrit & Jainagam, S. S. U., Varanasi--221002.
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