Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s10.t11.4

v1.c7.s10.t11.4

In order to achieve liberation, *Bhagavadgītā* also strongly promotes three kinds of yoga as roads: “Karma Yoga”, “Jnana Yoga” and “Bhakti Yoga”. “Karma” refers to the behaviour or actions. The so-called “Karma Yoga” is requiring its believers to fulfill individual’s social obligations and responsibilities in a detached attitude, do not do anything with a personal desire or self-interest, and do not care about the success or failures, gains or losses of actions, finally through this way to achieve liberation. “Jnana” in the *Bhagavadgītā* refers to the Upanishad’s wisdom of life and wisdom of Samkhya Philosophy. The so-called “Jnana Yoga” is requiring the believers to study the wisdom of the Upanishads and Samkhya Philosophy, and to behave under the guidance of this wisdom to ultimately achieve liberation. The wisdom of the Upanishads refers to that the human soul - “Atman” and the highest cosmic soul - “Bráhman” are essentially the same, once a man is enlightened with the truth of “Advaita Vedānta”, he could achieve the highest ideal of life. The wisdom of Samkhya Philosophy, refers to that all physical phenomena in the world have “three virtues” (three kinds of nature), human behaviour also has three natures, namely good action, fearful action and dark action, Krishna in *Bhagavadgītā* instructed Arjuna to constantly keep the purity of the soul, not subject to the “three natures” of action, do not seek personal gain, not persistent with behavioral consequences, selflessly fulfill his social responsibilities. “Bhakti”, refers to the piety, reverence and faithfulness toward the divinity. The so-called “Bhakti Yoga” in the *Bhagavadgītā* is requiring the believers to worship Krishna devoutly, regard all their actions as devotions