Avidya -Ignorance YS II-4

Yoga Sutra II-4 AVIDYA KSETRAM UTTARESAM PRASUPTA TANU VICCHINNODARANAM - Ignorance is the field for the others mentioned after it, whether they be dormant, feeble, intercepted, or sustained.

In this sutra Swami Satchidananda breaks down the stages or categories of ignorance. Avidya is the Sanskrit word for ignorance, where words such as "delusion", "unlearned", "unwise" are used to describe avidya. The categories of avidya are:

• dormant - Here Swami Satchidananda gives the example of how a "baby's obstacles are completely dormant." When we look at babies we see the innocence in them. As they grow and mature the ignorance and the other obstacles dormant in their mind will manifest at the proper time.
• feeble - The example given here is "The mind of an advanced Yoga practitioner" who is not completely free of klesas (obstacles), however, klesas are in a very subtle trace form in the mind. Since the advanced Yoga practitioner has practiced a lot, the obstacles have sunken to the bottom of the mental lake, being weak from lack of use.
• intercepted- Swami Satchidananda uses a beginning yoga practitioner showing how"The obstacles are temporarily pushed down by constant practice of virtuous qualities such as love, truthfulness, discipline, cheerfulness, etc." If the practice of using these qualities are not done for a couple of days, the klesas (obstacles) will immediately surface.
• sustained - This type of ignorance is seen with the average person. Here the klesas are constantly manifesting. The mind is constantly being affected by the obstructions as there is no discipline or awareness to control them. It's like the moment we think about something an act on it like going to a nightclub when thinking about it.

Basically, Swami Satchidananda says by analyzing our minds we can observe if we have dormant klesas, or are we cultivating good qualities, or being overruled by them.