Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Ignorance and Karma YS IV - 11

Yoga Sutra - IV- 11 - HETU PHALASRAYALAMBANAIH SAMGRHITATVAD ESAM ABHAVE TADABHAVAH- The impressions being held together by cause, effect, basis and support, they disappear with the disappearance of these four.

Swami Satchidananda translated this sutra without commentary.

"How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood :

"Karma can only operate and produce tendencies as long as certain causes are present. These causes (II, 3) are ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and the desire to cling to life. The effects of these causes (II, 13), are rebirth, a long or a short life, and the experiences of pleasure or pain. Basically , karma is rooted in the ignorance of the Atman. Remove this ignorance, and you destroy karma."

We are informed that the Swetaswatara Upanishad says "This vast universe is a wheel. Upon it are all creatures that are subject to birth, death, and rebirth. Round and round it turns, and never stops. " It is the wheel of Brahman. As long as the individual self thinks it is separate from Brahman, it revolves upon the wheel...But when through the grace of Brahman it realizes its identity with him, it revolves upon the wheel no longer. It achieves immortality."

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