Chapter 3 Vibhuti Pada (1-10)

Vibhuti Pada 1

Concentration is focusing the mind on something and remaining fixed.

When the attention of the mind-stuff is directed in a single stream to a chosen field, without being dissipated and thus distracted that is concentration.

Vibhuti Pada 2

Meditation is moving closer to this without distraction.

When the cognition is entirely concentrated in that field thus becoming its own field of observation - that is, when the observer is observed - it is meditation.

Vibhuti Pada 3

Samadhi is becoming perfectly absorbed in stillness and union with that which is concentrated and meditated upon.

When the field of observation and the observing intelligence merge as if their own form is abolished and the total intelligence shines as the sole substance or reality, there is pure choiceless awareness without the divided identity of the observer and the observed - that is illumination.

Vibhuti Pada 4

The three merge into one. This is Samyama.

When these three happen together there is perfect inner discipline . This can happen during what is commonly known as the practice of meditation, and during any other form of physical or mental activity.

Vibhuti Pada 5

When mastered a pure wisdom and insight surfaces in relation to that which has been absorbed.

When such inner discipline is mastered, there arises the vision that is wisdom.

Vibhuti Pada 6

This mastery is developed gradually.

This vision (or the eye of intuition, or the eye of wisdom, or the inner light) can be directed to many fields of observation.

Vibhuti Pada 7

These three aspects are internal compared with the others.

These three are inner spiritual practices compared to the other five already described viz., discipline, observances, posture, exercise of the life-force, and introversion of attention .

Vibhuti Pada 8

But even this can be perceived as external in comparison to the seedless states of Samadhi.

But even these three are external to that enlightenment in which the very seed of duality ceases to exist.

Vibhuti Pada 9

Thoughts rise but are suppressed. Re-occurring thoughts and deeper impressions are also supressed and removed.The connection is made with the moment between. This is transformation through restraint.

Here, again, it is possible to conceive of three stages, though such sequence is not inevitable . At first there is the effortless, though not mechanical, habit of shutting out an undesirable or disturbing thought. This ability arises when there is detect awareness of the moment of the rise of the movement of restraint and the cessation of the movement of thought, and thus there is the understanding of the dynamics of thought. This understanding itself is the formation of the faculty of restraint of undesired thoughts.

Vibhuti Pada 10

Continual peace flows when these rising impressions are suppressed.

Though at first this may seem to involve effort, struggle and striving, when the habit of restraint is formed, there is effortless, tranquil and spontaneous flow of the movement of restraint, and the prevention of the undesired movement of thought.