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Sutra 1.17 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,
translated and with commentary by Vasyl Vernyhora
An overview of sutra 1.17 in the context of the description of the first jhana/dhyana of Buddhism
1.17. Samprajñāta [samadhi] (samprajñāta; samadhi "with form") [is achieved] by means of (anugamāt) vitarka, vicāra, ānanda and asmita (vitarkavicārānandāsmitārūpa).
The full text of this sutra in Sanskrit in Roman transliteration is as follows:
1.17. vitarkavicārānandāsmitārūpānugamātsamprajñātaḥ.
Three of the four terms listed in sutra 1.17—vitarka, vichara and ananda (but not asmita)—coincide in meaning (and the first two even in spelling) with four of the five aspects of the first rupa-jhana of Buddhism described in the Pali Canon—vitarka, vichara, priti (“rapture”, bliss) and sukha (“joy”).
Moreover, the meaning of the lexeme "asmita" in modern Sanskrit does not have an unambiguous or generally accepted translation, and this allows us to assume that the meaning of this lexeme, like the lexemes "vitarka" and "vichara", has changed significantly over the past couple of thousand years.
Indologists have trouble translating the Sanskrit word "asmita", as it is used with different meanings in different places in the Yoga Sutras. For example, Marshall Govindan (Satchidananda) translated asmita from sutra 1.17 as "awareness of the [supreme] Self", while the same word from sutras 2.3 and 2.6, which discuss the causes of suffering (kleshas), was translated as "egoism". Such a wide range of meanings cannot but indicate that the original meaning of this lexeme was lost during the editing and addition of the Yoga Sutras by its various “co-authors” over the past couple of thousand years.
Interestingly, the word "smita" in modern Sanskrit means "smiling", "blooming (like a flower)", "smile", or "gentle laughter". In sutra 1.17, the word "asmita" is given with a long "a" at the beginning of the word. While a prefix with a short "a" in Sanskrit is a particle of negation (for example, "asat" means "non-existence", "unreal"), a prefix with a long "ā" ceases to be a negation (or can be considered a double negation, that is, an affirmation). This Sanskrit prefix ā- (आ, i.e., a long "a") has several meanings. Although it is often translated as "here", "to", or "before", in certain contexts it can also mean "completely" or "all around". For example, such a prefix gives the word "nīla" with its meaning "blue" a new meaning—"ānīla", that is, "blue everywhere".
When writing Sanskrit text using its own Devanagari alphabet, spaces are not used. For example, sutra 1.17 written this way would look like this:
वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात्सम्प्रज्ञातः॥१७॥
In this case, the task of identifying individual words from a written sentence falls on the reader, which requires thoughtful reading.
The word "asmita" is absent from Wilson's Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1832) for any combination of short and long "a", and the Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899) lists only the version "asmitā" with the translation "egoism", with a note that the translation is borrowed from two sources. The first is an Indian translation of the very same Yoga Sutras, in which this word, strangely enough, denotes completely different concepts. The second is an Indian translation of a commentary on the classic 7th- or 8th-century Sanskrit poem "The Death of Shishupala".
According to the Sanskrit rule of sandhi (the merging of adjacent words when they are written in a sentence), if the previous word ends with a short "a" and the next word begins with a long "a", then only one long "a" is written as a result (and not a triple short "a", and not a sequence of a short and a long "a"): "In Sanskrit, the sandhi rules for a and ā (aa) are part of the sandhi of savarna-dirga (combinations of long vowels), where अ (a) and आ (ā) combines with either अ (a) or आ (ā) to form one long sound आ (ā). Combinations of a+a, ā+a, a+ā, and ā+ā produce one long sound ā (आ)".
The literal translation of the fragment of sutra 1.17 at this point is "ānandāsmitā", while the actual word "ananda" is written in Sanskrit as "ānanda".
Thus, taking into account the sandhi rule, the rare Sanskrit word "asmitā", with its ambiguous interpretation by modern linguists and Indologists, could very well be interpreted in this case as "āsmita" or "āsmitā". Three explanations will be offered below for why the word "āsmita" or "āsmitā" appears in this sutra (the latter may be a modified version of "āsmita").
First, this sutra, taking into account the rules of sandhi, can be read as "vitarka-vicāra-ānanda-āsmita-ārūpa-anugamāt-samprajñātaḥ", in which case the spelling of the word "āsmita" matches the meaning "filled with joy". At the same time, the word "ārūpa" in this reading—which, I repeat, fully corresponds to the Sanskrit version of this sutra that has survived to this day—can mean "all together form".
Secondly, two thousand (or more) years ago the spelling of the words "smita" and/or "āsmita" could have been different ("smitā" and "āsmitā" respectively), and this is how the word "āsmitā" ended up in the then text of sutra 1.17 of the "Yoga Sutras".
Thirdly, it is possible that one of the scribes of the Yoga Sutras wrote in this sutra आ (ā) instead of अ (a). This could have been a simple typo, which occasionally occurred during the copying of various Sanskrit texts, and this problem is well known to Indologists and Sanskrit scholars who are forced to compare different textual versions of the Upanishads and other Sanskrit texts from different libraries. Here it is worth noting that currently in this short sutra 1.17 there are seven short "a" letters and seven long "ā" letters, and therefore it is possible to confuse one of them during copying. Alternatively, there could have been a deliberate substitution of the letter "a" for the letter "ā" to "unify" the spelling of the similar word "āsmita" by replacing it with the word "āsmitā" from sutras 2.3 and 2.6, which one of the scribes (due to the fragility of their media, texts were copied every few decades, or even more frequently) could have taken as a reference for making this substitution. Texts were also often memorized and passed down orally from generation to generation in this form. In such a case, the "unification" of the pronunciation of an individual word similar to another more common word becomes even more likely.
The word "asmitā" in sutras 2.3 and 2.6 is currently translated as "egoism" and is listed as the second of the five causes of suffering. Modern translators and commentators interpret it as "[the mis]identification of the 'highest knowing Self' (dṛk; here referring to Atman and/or Purusha) with the instrument of knowledge (darśana; here referring to manas and/or buddhi)". Incidentally, this interpretation seems redundant, since in sutra 2.3 the word "asmitā" comes immediately after the word "avidyā", which, in general, also means "erroneous perception". Moreover, such an interpretation of the term "asmitā" as "egoism" in the context of the meaning of sutra 2.6 seems strained and unconvincing, since it appears to be merely a special case of erroneous perception (ignorance), and not egoism.
However, it is possible that even at the time the Yoga Sutras were written, the word "asmitā" with this spelling actually meant "egoism" or something similar, and it is this spelling with this meaning that is used in sutras 2.3 and 2.6. At the same time, this word "egoism" is completely inappropriate in its meaning in sutra 1.17.
In modern Sanskrit, changing the length of the "a" vowel in the word "āsmita" changes its meaning from "filled with joy/smile" to "egoism" ("asmitā"). It's worth noting here that, for example, changing a couple of letters at the end of the English word "smile" creates the word "smirk", which has a different meaning.
Thus, it is possible that either due to an incorrect splitting of the Sanskrit line of this sutra into the separate words "asmitā" and "rūpa" instead of "āsmita" and "ārūpa", or due to changes in the spelling of "āsmita" over the last couple of thousand years, or due to the actions of a scribe, the word "āsmita" in sutra 1.17 is now commonly read as "asmitā" (and, accordingly, the word "rūpa" is commonly read instead of "ārūpa").
If in the original version of the recording of sutra 1.17 its author meant precisely the words "āsmita" and "ārūpa" (and this version of reading this sutra is possible even now), then these words can mean "filled with a smile/joy" and "all together form" respectively.
In this reading, this sutra looks like this:
1.17. By means (anugamāt) of all these together (ārūpa)—vitarka ("remembering"), vichara ("vigilant awareness"), bliss and joy (vitarkavicārānandāsmitārūpa)—samadhi "with form" (samprajñāta) is formed (ārūpa).
And then everything falls into place. Because the meaning of the four Sanskrit terms in sutra 1.17—vitarka (“remembering”), vichara (“vigilant awareness”), ananda (“bliss”, rapture) and asmita (“filled with smile”, joy)—in this case completely coincide with the meaning of the four Sanskrit terms that denote aspects of the first jhana/dhyana of Buddhism—vitarka (“remembering”), vichara (“vigilant awareness”), prīti (“rapture”, bliss; prīti) and sukha (“joy”, smile; sukha).
The fifth, or more accurately, the first (since it is the most important) of the five aspects of the first jhana (and all subsequent ones)—ekagrata ("one-pointed concentration"), that is, focusing the mind on one thing—was already discussed in the commentary on sutra 1.32. It should be noted here that in Buddhism, too, the ekagrata aspect is often omitted from the list of aspects of the jhanas, since it is specifically stated that it is present in shamatha, in all jhanas, and in all arupa-ayatanas, constituting the foundation of the Buddha's practice. All other aspects of the practice either assist the practice of ekagrata itself (the guardian efforts of smriti and samprajnata) or are side effects of the practice (rapture and joy in the first two jhanas).
It should also be noted that it is necessary to distinguish between, on the one hand, the side energetic effects that arise upon entering the first jhana—rapture and joy (caused by the overflow of energy acquired in samadhi, that is, its unusually large amount, still unfamiliar to the meditator's consciousness), and, on the other hand, what the meditator is obliged to perform himself—maintaining ekagrata—one-pointedness of the mind, as well as ensuring two guard efforts—smriti, that is, "remembering" about the need to prevent distractions of the mind, and first of all this applies to emerging thoughts, as well as changes in the focus of the mind and the sinking of the mind (weakening of the collectedness of the mind), and samprajnata, that is, "vigilant awareness" for the timely recognition of emerging thoughts (and other distractions) and/or the sinking of the mind in the case of a failure of the guard effort of smriti. The guardian effort of samprajnata is necessary for the fastest possible volitional return to the state of samadhi/shamatha.
Given the overlapping meanings of four of the five aspects of the first jhana with terms from sutra 1.17, as well as the mention of the remaining aspect, "ekagrata", later in sutras 1.32 (in the synonymous formulation "eka-tattva"), 3.2 (in the synonymous formulation "eka-pratyaya") and 3.11 (literally), it can be concluded that individual copyists, "editors", and "co-authors" of the Yoga Sutras not only inserted their thoughts into the original text but also rearranged the sutras as they saw fit. Moreover, they could even delete those sutras that they either disliked or misunderstood, and therefore considered meaningless or even harmful.
This behavior of medieval (and other) copyists of ancient texts is well known. They not only edited the ancient texts themselves, as is clearly seen in the Bhagavad Gita, but also composed continuations of ancient legends. An example is the story of Prahlada, whom Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu, saved from the asura-demon named Hiranyakashipu. But the Sharabha Upanishad describes a continuation of this story from the Shaivite author's perspective, in which the terrible Sharabha (an eight-legged mythical deer-like creature), an incarnation of Shiva, kills Narasimha. Even later Shakti texts state that after the meeting of Sharabha and Narasimha, Pratyangira (a fearsome form of Devi) appeared and "tamed" Sharabha.
The ongoing philosophical confrontation between Vaishnavas, Shaivites, Shaktas, and representatives of other lesser-known Hinduism sects is well known. It's also worth noting that, for example, commentaries on such an authoritative Hindu text as the Brahma Sutras were written by representatives of all the major Hindu sects. And in their texts, they defended their own (and, of course, exclusive) position based on their interpretation of this authoritative text. Even the atheistic Charvakas defend the validity of their views in their commentary on the Brahma Sutras.
Incidentally, the confrontation wasn't always purely philosophical. For example, in 1760, a tragic clash occurred between combat units of Shaivite sannyasins (self-denying monks) and combat units of Vaishnavite vairagis (mendicant monks) at the opening of the Kumbh Mela in Hardwar, resulting in the deaths of 18,000 monks (according to a more reliable version, 1,800).
The confrontation between various schools of Hinduism, including various schools within the teachings (darśana, "darshana") of yoga, with nearly every yoga teacher, both ancient and modern, formulating their own teachings with their own preferences and predilections, has led to multiple revisions of virtually all extant authoritative texts, including not only the Bhagavad Gita but, of course, the Yoga Sutras. Incidentally, there is a Kashmiri version of the Gita, consisting not of 700, but of 715 verses; in the "Book of Bhishma", in the verses immediately following the text of the Bhagavad Gita, it is written* that it supposedly consists of 745 verses, 45 of which are now lost.
* The Sanskrit text of the verse is from the 43rd chapter immediately following the last chapter of the Gita in the Book of Bhishma of the Mahabharata, which is not found in all versions of the epic:
षट्शतानि सविम्शानि श्लोकानां प्राह केशवः ।
अर्जुनस् सप्तपन्चाशत् सप्तषष्टिन्तु संजयः ।
धृतराष्त्र श्लोकमेकं गीताय मानमुच्यते ॥
ṣaṭśatāni savimśāni ślokānāṃ prāha keśavaḥ,
arjunas saptapancāśat saptaṣaṣṭintu saṃjayaḥ,
dhṛtarāṣtra ślokamekaṃ gītāya mānamucyate.
This verse states that in the Gita, Krishna-Keshava recited 620 verses (the Gita itself has 584), Arjuna 57 (85), Sanjaya 67 (40), and Dhritarashtra 1 (1). Thus, the total number of verses (shlokas) is 745. The Kashmiri text "Gitarthasangraha" contains 715 verses.
All of this prevents us from accepting current versions of Sanskrit texts as the ultimate truth. For this reason, the task of discovering the original meaning of a teaching always rests with the reader, who should apply a critical approach based primarily on logic, linguistics, and an assessment of the historical circumstances surrounding the writing and dissemination of the texts.
To summarize everything said above in this section, and taking into account such an obvious coincidence of meanings in the pairs of words "samprajnata- [samadhi] ("samadhi with form")—rupa-dhyana" ("the state of samadhi in the first rupa-dhyana", i.e. "dhyana with form"), "vitarka"—"vitarka", "vichara"—"vichara", "ananda"—"priti" and "asmita"—"sukha", it is quite possible to conclude that sutra 1.17 describes the aspects of achieving the first rupa-dhyana (rupa-jhana). This is the most logical explanation of the content of sutra 1.17. Thus, the samprajnata-samadhi of the "Yoga Sutras" is the first rupa-dhyana/jhana of Buddhism.
After the above, sutra 1.17 can be translated as follows:
1.17. By means of all these together—recollection (vitarka), vigilant awareness (vichara), bliss (ananda) and joy (asmita)—the [first rupa-dhyana] samprajnata-[samadhi] (with seed, samadhi “with form”) is formed.
Moreover, sutra 1.42 from the block of sutras 1.41-46 also speaks of the attainment of the first rupa-dhyana of Buddhism, as well as the three subsequent rupa-dhyanas. Such inconsistencies and repetitions of descriptions indicate that these fragments were written by different people.
The full version of the book "The True Practical Essence of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" with a translation of all 196 sutras of the Yoga Sutras with commentaries on all important and/or complex sutras: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6GT6M8B.
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