History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c94.207.3

v7.c94.207.3

*yama* (abstinences), *niyama* (observances), *āsana* (bodily posture), *prāṇāyāma* (control or regulation of breath), *pratyāhāra* (withdrawal or suppression of the organs of sense), *dhāraṇā* (fixed attention), *dhyāna* (meditation or contemplation), *samādhi* (concentration or absorption into the object of meditation). The Vaikhânasasmārtasūtra enumerates the same eight angas of Yoga. The remaining sūtras of *pāda* two (from 30 to 55) deal with the enumeration and definitions of yamas and niyamas, their explanations and the treatment of āsana, prāṇāyāma and pratyāhāra. The Śāntiparva (304.7 = 316.7 of Ch. ed.) speaks of Yoga as 'aṣṭaguṇita' or aṣṭaguṇin). Out of the eight aṅgas the first five are indirectly useful for samādhi, because they eradicate what are opposed to samādhi (such as hiṁsā, asatya &c), and are therefore called *bahiṟaṅga* (external, indirect) sādhanas (means) of Yoga, while dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi are said to be *antaraṅga* to Yoga (Y. S. III. 7, 'trayam-antaraṅgaṁ pūrvebhyaḥ'. The last three are dealt with in the 3rd *pāda*. It is these sūtras in the 2nd *pāda* that are emphasized and elaborated in Dharmaśāstra works. Therefore some detailed treatment of these matters is needed here.