other Yoga paths?

[DavidC]

The Bhagavad-gita describes the four Yoga types that are in the Yoga forum here, but I thought some text (a upanishad or about Shiva?) mentions about three others. Of course they would have to have the eightfold path.

One similar text to Yoga Sutra is the Shiva Sutra, but I have read the whole thing and I guess it is not the one that mentions the other Yoga types. Is this forum area where to discuss the similarities between these two sutras, or should the forum be expanded based on Yoga types in that other text and maybe the Shiva Sutra would be another area?

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

Namasté DavidC,

Perhaps you can look at the approaches in more of a macro view.
Let me off the following for your kind consideration. Below is an offering of approaches (upāya¹), methods if you will.


The upāya-s listed below align with the śiva sūtra knowledge. This is by design. We will also see this alignment within the Vijñāna Bhairava kārikā-s. This work (Vijñāna Bhairava) is of great import, as Abhinavagupta-ji has termed it śiva-vijñāna upaniṣad.

According to Kṣemarāja (the commentator of the śiva sūtra vimarśinī)and the main śiṣya of Abjinavagupata, the great Kasmir Saivaite saint of the 10 century, the 3 sections of the śiva sūtra-s align accordingly to unfolding/traveling from individual consciousness to Unity/Universal Consciousness.

Here are the 3. Within these 3 catagories one could then place various techniques or approaches i.e. different yoga approaches you mentioned in your post would fit t into a catagory listed . ( Hope this helps to expand the conversation a bit).


1. sāmbhavopāya (sāmbhava upāya)
This upāya The rise of Śiva consciousness by mere hints from the guru. It is via iccha śākti that the sādhu advances; the grace/will of the master. The sadhu gains entry into sāmaveśa ( posessed of the Divine), absorption of the individual consciousness in the Divine, without adapting any process. No dhyāna, mantra or any other aid is needed.

1a. sāmbhavopāya is also known as anupāya or 'without means or no upāya' - the way is without a way, as one person has said it. It does not really involve any process. Due to śaktipata or descent of grace in a very intense degree, everything needed for the realization, beginning from the liquidation of individual impurity down to the recognition of the state of Parameśvara may be achieved by the sādhu immediately and without going through any sādhana or discipline.


2. śākopāya (shakti-upāya )
the means of approach to the Divine through śakti, the ever-recurring contemplation of the pure thought of oneself being essentially Śiva or the Supreme ahaṁ.


3. āṇavopāya
āṇu अणु = fine , minute , atomic is known as 'atom' - which is another name for the individual jiva. This upāya is the means whereby the āṇu or the individual jiva uses his own kāraṇa-s or instruments i.e. senses, prana and manas for self-realization. It includes disciplines concerning the regulation of prana, japa, concentration, meditation, etc.

praṇām

words

• upāya उपाय - that by which one reaches one's aim ; a means ; coming near , approach
• More information can be found here: i.e. kārikā-s at this HDF folder: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2323
• 3 chapter's intent - see HDF post http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=17379&postcount=28
  

[DavidC]

Originally Posted by yajvan

[...]According to Kṣemarāja [...] and the main śiṣya of Abjinavagupata, [...]the 3 sections of the śiva sūtra-s align accordingly to unfolding/traveling from individual consciousness to Unity/Universal Consciousness.

Here are the 3. Within these 3 catagories one could then place various techniques or approaches i.e. different yoga approaches you mentioned in your post would fit into a catagory listed . ( Hope this helps to expand the conversation a bit).

1. sāmbhavopāya (sāmbhava upāya) [...]
2. śākopāya (shakti-upāya )[...]
3. āṇavopāya[...]

I recall those from Shiva Sutra or its main commentary in my copy. I guess all the Yogas I am thinking of would involve #3, but I am not sure. Maybe they would also be types of karma, bhakti, raja, or jnana Yogas, which I think are the types in the Bhagavad-gita. However, it seemed like maybe an alternate categorization of all of Yoga. I think I first saw it on a web site with many Sanatana Dharma philosophical/sacred texts.

[DavidC]

I found the text I was thinking of, and here is a translation: http://www.celextel.org/108upanishads/yogatattva.html . It lists mantra, hatha, laya, and raja Yoga. There are also other Yoga upanishads. Is this actually another classification in addition to the Bhagavad-gita?

[DavidC]

Just to be clear, the text I had found listing other Yoga types is Yoga Tattva Upanishad (see the previous post.) It lists raja Yoga and two that are karma Yoga, but is mantra Yoga classified as one of the types in the Bhagavad-gita? It seems it would be karma Yoga because mantras have an effect like hatha and laya Yogas. Of course some mantras express ideas useful in jnana Yoga, but that might just be something additional. What would your intepretation be from the upanishad and the Bhagavad-gita?

[DavidC]

I am now on the last few pages of Shiva Samhita and I see it has yet another classification of Yoga... outside of these books the only one of the three classifications I have ever seen is the one from the Bhagavad-gita and I wonder why. Actually a site about Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh may list them all; I have not read all his books to see which he uses though.