Verses on Sāṃkhya 24

Here [an opponent] asks: It was stated, 'From nature [arises] the great [principle].' What is the definition of that great [principle]? In reply, it is said:

Ascertainment is the intellect; virtue, knowledge, dispassion, and lordship
constitute its bright form; the dark [form] is the opposite of this. // 23

[On the words:] "Ascertainment is intellect": ascertainment is certainty, comprehension—"this is a post, this is a man"; such is the definition of intellect. And that intellect has eight parts, owing to the division between its sattvic and tamasic forms. There, the sattvic form of the intellect is fourfold: virtue, knowledge, dispassion, and lordship. Among these, virtue is defined as that which is taught without contradiction to the conventional rules for the caste-classes and stages of life, characterised by restraints and observances; that is virtue. There, the restraints are five, and the observances are five. "Restraints are non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possession" (Pātañjalayogasūtra 2.30). "Observances are cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study, and devotion to God" (Pātañjalayogasūtra 2.32). What is accomplished through these restraints and observances is virtue.

"The root dhṛ is declared by grammarians to have the meaning of supporting; / because it supports living beings who are falling into misfortune, it is called virtue (dharma)."

Among them, non-violence is non-injury toward stationary and moving living beings through actions of speech, mind, and body. Likewise, truthfulness is speech that is supremely beneficial to living beings, uttered in accordance with how objects known through perception, testimony, and inference are presented as cognitive contents in the internal instrument, without impairing the sense faculties, and devoid of deceit, delusion, erroneous comprehension, or futility. Likewise, non-stealing is desisting from taking [another's property], even in commotions or other urgent circumstances, out of equanimity regarding each item remaining in its proper place. Likewise, celibacy has eight limbs: the cessation of attachment to speech, touch, form, taste, and smell during union between woman and man, that is, in the physical contact of each other's marks of sex; the cessation of the auditory and other faculties [therein]; and non-volition, that is, the cessation of the mind. For they say: "Celibacy has eight limbs, beginning with the renunciation of union, sound, touch, taste, form, smell, intention, memory, and the results of virtuous deeds." Moreover: the seed of brahman is semen; one who carries (carati) that, namely, does not emit it, is a celibate (brahmacārin). Or, one who practices (carati) the Veda or sacred learning (brahman) imparted by the teacher. Or, Brahmā is the self-existent, and this form, consisting of carrying a staff, water-pot, etc., is his; one who behaves (carati) like Brahmā [is a celibate]. Thus, non-possession is the non-acceptance of acquisitions, purchases, sales, and other distinct arrangements—the complete non-appropriation of everything. These are the five restraints. And the cessation of the sense faculties and internal instrument is cleanliness; external [cleanliness is] with earth, water, and the like.

"Avoidance of forbidden food, avoidance of association with thoughtless people, / and steadfast abiding in one's own duty: this is proclaimed to be cleanliness."

Likewise, contentment is lightness of diet, consisting in sustaining one's life by oblations obtained through alms, the daily offering of oblations into the internal fire with mantras, for the sake of consuming the remnants of sacrifice; in accordance with the scripture beginning with: "The first oblation he should offer, he should offer to breath, hail!" (Chāndogyopaniṣad 5.19.1) up to "He who offers this agnihotra without knowing this, it would be just as if he were to push away the burning coals and offer oblation in ashes" (Chāndogyopaniṣad 5.24.1). Austerity consists of the drying up of the body through the kṛcchra, cāndrāyaṇa, and other penances,

in accordance with the traditional text: "Objects turn away from an embodied soul who does not eat" (Bhagavadgītā 2.59);

and yoga does not succeed for one who does not practice austerity. Impurity, variegated by beginningless latent impressions and presenting a net of sense objects, does not undergo destruction without austerity; hence the adoption of austerity. And they consider that this must be practiced without tormenting oneself, so as to pacify the mind. Study is the recitation of purifying mantras, beginning with the praṇava (Om). Devotion to God is the offering of actions to the supreme teacher, or the renunciation of their fruits, in accordance with the scriptural passages: "Brahman is the offering, Brahman is the oblation" (Bhagavadgītā 4.24) and "Without relying on the fruit of action" (Bhagavadgītā 6.1). Through the observance of these restraints, observances, and so forth, attainments arise, such as: "When non-violence is firmly established, hostility ceases in his presence" (Pātañjalayogasūtra 2.35). But in the case of deviation [from them]: "When harassed by improper thoughts, cultivation of the opposite should be undertaken" (Pātañjalayogasūtra 2.33); "Improper thoughts are violence and the rest, whether done, caused to be done, or approved, preceded by greed, anger, or delusion, and having endless suffering and ignorance as their fruit—thus cultivation of the opposite [should be practiced]" (Pātañjalayogasūtra 2.34); and for the yogin who conducts himself in this way: "Upon invitation by those occupying high stations, there should be no attachment or pride, because of the renewed danger of undesirable consequences" (Pātañjalayogasūtra 3.51). These are the restraints and observances of the mendicant. Thus, virtue, which is accomplished through these restraints and observances, has been explained. Now he explains knowledge. Knowledge is twofold: external and internal. There, external [knowledge consists of] the treatises on the lute, drums, celestial music, painting, poetry, mathematics, and grammar. Internal [knowledge] is defined as the apprehension of the difference between the constituents and the spirit: the constituents—sattva, rajas, and tamas—are one thing, the spirit is another. Through external knowledge there is worldly success; through internal knowledge there is liberation. This knowledge arises from turning away from sense objects. He explains dispassion: having seen defects such as [difficulty in] acquisition, preservation, loss, dissatisfaction, and violence, if one is detached from sense objects [only externally], for him there is no liberation. Through dispassion preceded by internal knowledge there is liberation; through external [dispassion] there is transmigration. Lordship is of eight kinds, by being a master (īśvara): atomicity, lightness, heaviness, greatness, extension, unimpeded will, mastery, subjugation, and fulfillment of desires. These four, virtue and the rest, are the sattvic forms of the intellect. When sattva has subdued rajas and tamas, then the spirit, overflowing with sattva, attains these qualities. What else? "Tamasic is the opposite of this." Opposite to this sattvic [form consisting of] virtue and the rest, that is, contrary, fourfold, beginning with non-virtue and ignorance, is the tamasic form of the intellect. Improper thoughts such as violence are of eighty-one varieties, as are each of the ten restraints and observances. Thus, non-virtue, ignorance, lack of dispassion, and lack of lordship—the intellect is eightfold through the division of sattvic and tamasic. From such an intellect, egoity is born.