Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s10.t7.9

v1.c7.s10.t7.9

Volume 4 discusses the five means for achieving “siddhis”, ie by birth; through medicine or herbs; through spells or incantations; through austerities; and via the threefold power of Attention, Meditation and Contemplation; positing that the karma of a yogi is “neither white nor black,” while the karma of other people falls into one of the following three types: black, white or black-and-white. The volume also emphasises the theory that if the yogi can perceive the difference between the prakrti and purusha, rid themselves of fixation and acquire “viveka-khyati” (“discriminating consciousness or wisdom”), he may finally achieve the samddhi of the “Dharma-megha” type, in which the “seeds” will be destroyed, enabling one to break out of reincarnation cycles, escape pain and get delivered.