Sanjay Sonawani
Previous Part of this research paper: The Yoga in Jaina Tradition
Maharshi Patanjali codified Yoga. Various mythical stories shroud his origins and time, making him a legendary figure. Many often call him the father of modern yoga. Intense debates exist over whether Patanjali, who authored the Yogasutras, and Patanjali, who wrote the Mahabhashya, are the same person or different individuals from different times.
The time estimated for Patanjali by different scholars ranges from the second century BC to the fourth century AD. In my opinion, the Sutra style was invented after the third century AD and since Yogsutra is written in the Sutra style it only could have been written during the third to the fifth century.
Umaswati of the Jain stream codified the Jaina Yoga under the title “Tattvarth Sutra” during this time. Though we have very little to go we safely can say that Umaswati’s Samana thought must have influenced Patanjali. Umaswati begins his text with a statement “Right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct constitute the path to liberation”, the key philosophy of Samanism.
Maharshi Patanjali, despite all the legends associated with him, is in unison related to the Naga cult and Shaivait tradition. This only means that he was not from the Vedic tradition. The Yoga he expounds is the accumulation and proposition of the Samanik Vrata or Yoga. He gives importance to the Vratas, calling the mahavratas or supreme vows. In Shaivait tradition also the Vratas find a significant place.
Sagarmal Jain states in his article published in the book “Yoga in Jainism” edited by Christopher Chappel that the ‘Samatva’ yoga is the principal concept underlining Jainism. To Jains, it is the first and foremost duty of both the monks and householders. Yoga to Jaina is the observance of equanimity, viewing all living beings as one. And to me, this is the objective of Vrata or yoga. Vedic system, on the contrary, is based on inequality by classifying human society in diminishing order, thus denying the very principle of equality.
Meaning of Yoga
Philosophically, people can interpret the meanings of yoga in various ways and set individual goals. They can practice asanas, dhyana, or Dharana differently, but the goal remains the same: achieving equanimity with the cosmic self. To attain this, one should follow the vratas explained by the Jaina, the founders of the Samana movement—a movement of equanimity.
The Vedic groups that settled in the Magadha region borrowed the concept, but as can be seen, the Vedic Aryans who were settled in Aryavarta never applied the principle of equanimity in social life. The Atharv Veda and Upanishads emerged in the Magadha region, and not in Aryavarta can be seen through the annals of history. However, the Vedic Aryans settled in Magadha too could never touch the fundamental philosophy propounded by the ancient Jains.
Sanjay Sonawani is an Indian researcher in various branches of knowledge, including philosophy, religion, science, history, sociology, linguistics, economics etc. He has written over 100 books, and print and online media have published thousands of his articles.
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