Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s10.t7.11

v1.c7.s10.t7.11

Mind Activities (vṛttayaḥ) is a major component of the theoretical framework laid down in the *Yoga-sutra*, which defines Yoga as “the mastery of the activities of the mind-field” in VolumeIand II, positing that there are five mind activities: correct perception, incorrect perception, imagination, sleep and memory, which in actuality cover the majority of the spiritual or conscious activities people normally exercise. Although among the five activities there are both correct and incorrect ones, the yoga school held that they all posed hindrances to the attainment of the highest state of wisdom, and therefore should be suppressed, or put specifically, “eliminated” through long periods of “practice” and “abandonment of desires”. “Practice” means to make continuous efforts to achieve mental tranquility, which requires the deepest absorption and great exertions to fend off the external influences; and “abandonment of desires” refers to the efforts to abandon the pursuit of external things, namely to get rid of worldly pleasures and special, transcendental pleasures (such as heavenly pleasures). Through “practice” and “abandonment of desires” one can finally attain the blessed state of “Samadhi”.