Wisdom - Seven Stages - YS II - 27 (Part I)

Yoga Sutra II- 27 - TASYA SAPTADHA PRANTABHUMIH PRAJNA- One's wisdom in the final stage is sevenfold. [One experiences the end of 1) desire to know anything more; 2) desire to stay away from anything; 3) desire to gain anything new; 4) desire to do anything; 5) sorrow; 6) fear; 7) delusion.]

Swami Satchidananda comments at the end of the last sutra YS II - 26, that "Patanjali goes on to explain the Purusha's different stages of attainment as he gradually goes upward to rest in his own true nature. " This process is referred to as saptadha bhumi - the seven planes of understanding.

• Stage 1. - This is when we come to realize or conclude that all the running around, going here or there, does not give us the knowledge that we seek. "Knowledge is a thing to be obtained from within by tuning in". The tuning in is so we can understand ourselves and "know thyself" first. "If we do not know ourselves, we will make mistakes in knowing other things."
• Stage 2. - Understanding that all experiences of pleasure and pain come not from the outside, but from the interpretation of our own mind. "The mind makes these experiences and creates these feelings." When we realize this, we try to correct our mind instead of blaming others or the outside world. We will no longer need to seek after things or avoid them.
• Stage 3. - This is the stage where the mind becomes neutral, understanding it fully and attaining cosmic understanding (samadhi). No books can give this understanding and you don't need to study anything to get this phase. Satchidananda states many saints were illiterate. "There is wealth of knowledge inside." " This understanding without learning is the third level of consciousness."
• Stage 4. - This is the stage that we rise above all "doership" because we understand nature and its workings. In other words we understand the cosmic plan. As one is no longer bound to any particular duty, whatever a person appears to be doing it is done as the >akarta, the non-doer.
• Stage 5. - `This stage is the after-effect of the above understanding or just doing God's will. "Once we come to know there is nothing to be done, the chittam is completely free of impressions. It is liberated."
• Stage 6. - At this level the mind , the chittam loses itself. "This is called mano-nasa or chitta-masa and means the mind is completely chucked off. When the mind gets totally dissolved, the seventh and last plane remains."
• Stage 7. - This stage is when the Purusha alone remains, resting in his own svarupa [(Swarupa) self-form, true form, essential form or figure.] The Bhagavad Gita says "Beholding the Self by the Self, one is satisfied in the Self." This is the highest form of samadhi.

Swami Satchidananda informs us that we should know these stages so we will not be frightened, "because one day we will certainly all reach that state." He points out that once we achieve the first stage, we will learn to turn within without expectations from externals.

To be continued....