In Hinduism, dhyana is considered to be an instrument to gain self knowledge, separating maya from reality to help attain the ultimate goal of moksha.The Bhagavad Gita, thought to have been written some time between 400 and 100 BC, talks of four branches of yoga:
- Karma yoga: The yoga of action in the world
- Jnana yoga: The yoga of Wisdom and intellectual endeavor
- Bhakti yoga: The yoga of devotion to God
- Dhyana yoga: The yoga of meditation
Dhyana in Raja Yoga is also found in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Practiced together with Dharana and Samādhi it constitutes the Samyama. Depictions of Hindu yogis performing dhyāna are found in ancient texts and in statues and frescoes of ancient
The Bhagavad Gita talks of only two main modes, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga (not to be confused with physical exercise, or Hatha Yoga). Meditation is a subset to attaining Jnana since you realize the one Advaita principle.
No comments:
Post a Comment