The Yogasutra of Patañjali A New Introduction to the Buddhist Roots of the Yoga System

This book offers a systematic and radical introduction to the Buddhist roots of Patañjala-yoga, or the Yoga system of Patañjali. By examining each of 195 aphorisms (sutras) of theYogasutra anddiscussingtheYogabha?ya, it shows that traditional and popular views on Patañjala-yoga obscure its true nature. The book argues that Patañjali’s Yoga contains elements rooted in both orthodoxandheterodox philosophical traditions, including Sa?khya, Jaina and Buddhist thought. With a fresh translation and a detailed commentary ontheYogasutra, the author unearthshow several of the terms, concepts and doctrinesin Patañjali’s Yoga can be traced to Buddhism, particularly the Abhidharma Buddhism of Vasubandhu and the early Yogacara of Asa?ga.The work presents theYogasutraof Patañjali as a synthesis of two perspectives: the metaphysical perspective of Sa?khya and the empirical–psychological perspective of Buddhism.Based on a holistic understanding of Yoga, the study explores key themes of the text, such as meditative absorption, means,supernormal powers, isolation,Buddhist conceptions of meditation and theinterplay between Sa?khya and Buddhist approaches to suffering and emancipation. It further highlights several new findings and clarifications on textual interpretation and discrepancies. An important intervention in Indian and Buddhist philosophy, this bookopens upa new way of looking at the Yoga of Patañjali in the light of Buddhism beyond standard approaches andwill greatly interest scholars and researchers of Buddhist studies, Yoga studies, Indian philosophy, philosophy in general, literature, religion and comparative studies, Indian and South Asian Studies and the history of ideas.

List of Tables and Figure Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter I: On Meditative Absorption (Samadhipada?) Chapter II: On Means (Sadhanapada?) Chapter III: On Supernormal Powers (Vibhutipada?) Chapter IV: On Isolation (Kaivalyapada?) Chapter V: Concluding Observations Appendix I: Buddhist Conceptions of Meditation, Yoga and Bodhisattva’s Spiritual Journey vis-à-vis Patañjala-yoga Appendix II: Asa?ga on Forms of Supernormal Knowledge and Powers (Abhijñas and Rddhis) Appendix III: Discrepancies between Patañjali’s Aphorisms and Vyasa’s Interpretations Glossary Aids to Reading Romanised Sanskrit Bibliography Index

Pradeep P. Gokhale is Honorary Adjunct Professorin the Departments of Philosophy and Pali, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India. He hasthirty-one years of postgraduate teaching and research experience at Savitribai Phule Pune University and was Dr B. R. Ambedkar Research Professor at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath (Varanasi), for six years. He has written in diverse areas such as Indian epistemology and logic; schools of classical Indian philosophy such as Buddhism, Lokayata, Yoga and Jainism; Indian moral philosophy, social philosophy, Indian philosophy of religion and contemporary Buddhism.His research interests have focused on the interface between orthodox and heterodox Indian thought, including between Nyaya and Buddhist logical thought.