导论
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中文
第一章
绪论
我们所有的知识都以经验为基础。我们所称的推理性知识——无论是从较特殊推至较普遍，还是从普遍推至特殊——都以经验为其根基。在所谓的精密科学领域，人们容易发现真理，因为它诉诸每个人的特定经验。科学家不要求你相信任何东西，而是将其自身经验所得的某些结果呈现出来，当他要求我们相信其结论时，他诉诸的是人类某种普遍的经验。在每一门精密科学中，都有一个为全人类所共有的基础，因此我们能够立即看出由此得出的结论之真伪。现在，问题是：宗教是否也有这样的基础？对此我必须作出肯定与否定两方面的回答。
宗教，正如它在世界各地通常被讲授的那样，据称是建立在信仰与信念之上的，在大多数情况下，它仅由各种不同的理论体系构成，这也正是为何我们会发现所有宗教彼此争论不休的原因。这些理论又建立于信念之上。一个人说在云端之上坐着一位伟大的存在，统治着整个宇宙，而他要求我仅凭他的断言就相信这一点。同样，我可以有自己的想法，我也要求别人相信，若他们要求理由，我也无法给出。这就是为何宗教与形而上学哲学在今日声誉不佳。每一个受过教育的人似乎都在说："哦，这些宗教不过是一些没有任何标准来评判的理论束，每个人都在宣扬自己偏爱的观念。"尽管如此，宗教中仍有一个普世信仰的基础，它统辖着所有不同的理论和不同国度不同教派的种种分歧观念。深究其基础，我们会发现它们也是建立于普遍经验之上的。
首先，若你分析世界上所有各种宗教，你将发现它们分为两类：有经典的宗教和没有经典的宗教。有经典的宗教最为强盛，拥有最多的信众。没有经典的宗教大多已消亡，少数新兴者信众甚寡。然而，在所有这些宗教中，我们发现有一个共识：它们所教导的真理乃是特定人物的经验成果。基督徒要求你相信他的宗教，相信基督，相信他是上帝的化身，相信上帝，相信灵魂，相信灵魂更好的状态。若我向他寻求理由，他说他相信这些。然而若你追溯基督教的源头，你会发现它是建立于经验之上的。基督说他见到了上帝；门徒们说他们感受到了上帝；如此等等。同样，在佛教中，那是佛陀的经验。他经历了某些真理，亲眼见到了它们，与它们接触，并将之传扬于世。印度教亦是如此。在他们的典籍中，被称为仙人（Rishi）或圣者的著者们宣称他们经历了某些真理，并将之传授。由此可见，世界上所有的宗教都建立于我们一切知识那唯一的、如金刚石般不可动摇的基础之上——直接经验。所有的导师都见到了上帝；他们都见到了自己的灵魂，看见了自己的未来，看见了自己的永恒，而他们所看见的，他们便传扬出去。只是有一点不同：在大多数宗教中，尤其是在现代，有一种特殊的主张，即这些经验在当今时代已不可能实现；它们只在少数人身上才是可能的，那些人是后来以他们名字命名的宗教的最初创立者。在当今时代，这些经验已成为过去，因此我们现在必须凭信仰来接受宗教。这一点我完全否认。若在这世界上任何特定知识领域曾发生过一次经验，那就绝对意味着这种经验在此之前已有数百万次的可能，并将永恒地重演。均一性是大自然严格的规律；曾经发生过的事，永远可以再次发生。
因此，瑜伽科学（Yoga）的导师们宣称，宗教不仅建立于古代的经验之上，而且一个人只有亲自拥有同样的感知，才能成为真正的宗教徒。瑜伽是教导我们如何获得这些感知的科学。在亲身体验宗教之前，大谈宗教没有多大用处。为何有如此多的纷争，如此多的以上帝之名进行的争斗与厮杀？以上帝之名流淌的鲜血，比任何其他原因所流的都要多，因为人们从未走向源头；他们满足于对先人习俗作出心理上的认同，并要求他人也这样做。若一个人感觉不到灵魂，他有什么权利说他有灵魂？若一个人看不见上帝，他有什么权利说上帝存在？若上帝存在，我们就必须见到祂；若灵魂存在，我们就必须感知它；否则，不信倒是更好的。坦率的无神论者胜过伪善之人。现代的观念，一方面在"博学者"那里认为宗教、形而上学以及一切对最高存在的探索都是徒劳的；另一方面，在受过一些教育的人那里，似乎认为这些东西确实没有基础，其唯一价值在于它们为为世界行善提供了强大的动力。若人们相信上帝，他们或许会变得善良、有道德，从而成为良好的公民。我们不能责怪他们持有这样的观点，因为这些人所受的全部教导，不过是相信一套没有任何实质内容支撑的永恒词句空谈。他们被要求靠词句为生；他们做得到吗？若他们做得到，我对人类的本性便会毫无尊重。人渴求真理，渴望亲自体验真理；《吠陀》（Vedas）宣称，当他把握住它、实现它、在内心深处感受到它时，所有疑惑才会消除，所有黑暗才会消散，所有曲折才会被拉直。"不朽的子嗣们，即便是居于最高天界的那些，道路已被找到；走出这一切黑暗的道路在于感知那超越一切黑暗者；别无他途。"
因此，王瑜伽（Râja-Yoga）的科学意在向人类呈现一种实践上经过科学论证的方法，以达到这一真理。首先，每门科学都必须有其自己的研究方法。若你想成为一名天文学家，坐在那里哭喊"天文学！天文学！"是永远无济于事的。化学亦然。必须遵循特定的方法。你必须走进实验室，取不同的物质，将它们混合、化合、实验，由此便会产生化学知识。若你想成为一名天文学家，你必须走进观测台，拿起望远镜，观测星辰行星，然后你才能成为一名天文学家。每门科学都必须有其自己的方法。我可以向你宣讲数千篇布道，但它们不会使你变得有宗教信仰，直到你实践那方法为止。这些都是所有国家、所有时代的圣者的真理，是那些纯洁无私、除了为世界行善别无动机的人的真理。他们都宣称发现了某种超越感官所能带给我们的更高真理，并邀请人们加以验证。他们要求我们采纳这方法并诚实地去实践，而后若我们未能发现这种更高的真理，我们便有权说他们的主张中没有任何真理；然而在我们这样做之前，我们否认他们断言的真实性是不理性的。因此，我们必须忠实地按照规定的方法去努力，光明终将降临。
在获取知识时，我们借助归纳，而归纳建立于观察之上。我们首先观察事实，然后归纳，再由此得出结论或原理。关于心灵的知识、关于人的内在本性与思想的知识，在我们尚未获得观察内部正在发生的事实的能力之前，是永远无法获得的。观察外部世界的事实相对容易，因为为此目的已发明了许多仪器；但在内部世界，我们没有仪器可以借助。然而我们知道，为了拥有真正的科学，我们必须进行观察。没有适当的分析，任何科学都将是没有希望的——不过是空洞的理论化。这就是为何自古以来所有的心理学家都在彼此争论不休，除了那少数几个找到了观察手段的人。
王瑜伽的科学，首先提出要给我们提供这样一种观察内部状态的手段。那个仪器就是心灵本身。当专注的力量得到适当的引导，并被导向内部世界时，它将分析心灵，为我们照亮事实。心灵的力量如同分散的光线；当它们集中时，便会照亮一切。这是我们唯一的知识手段。每个人都在内部和外部世界中运用它；然而对于心理学家而言，同样精细的观察必须被导向内部世界，正如科学家将其导向外部世界一样；而这需要大量的练习。从我们的童年起，我们就被教导只注意外部的事物，而从不注意内部的事物；因此，我们大多数人几乎已失去观察内部机制的能力。要使心灵如同向内翻转，阻止它向外走，然后集中其所有力量，将其投射于心灵自身，使之认识自己的本性，分析自身，这是非常艰难的工作。然而这是唯一能够形成科学方法去探讨这一课题的途径。
这种知识有何用处？首先，知识本身是知识的最高回报；其次，它也具有实用价值。它将消除我们所有的苦难。当一个人通过分析自己的心灵，仿佛面对面地遇见某种永不毁灭的东西——那种本质上永恒纯净而完美的东西——时，他将不再苦恼，不再不幸。一切苦难都来自恐惧，来自未得满足的欲望。人将发现他永不死亡，那时他将不再有对死亡的恐惧。当他知道自己是完美的，他将不再有徒劳的欲望，这两种原因既都消除，便将不再有苦难——即便在这肉身之中，也将有完美的至福。
达到这种知识只有一种方法，那就是被称为专注（concentration）的东西。实验室里的化学家将其心灵的所有能量集中于一点，并将其投射于他所分析的材料上，由此发现其秘密。天文学家将其心灵的所有能量集中起来，通过望远镜投射于苍穹；于是群星、太阳与月亮向他揭示了自己的秘密。我越能将思想集中于我正在向你们讲授的事上，就能向你们投射更多的光明。你们在倾听我，你们越集中思想，就越能清楚地把握我所要说的。
世界上所有的知识，不都是通过集中心灵力量而获得的吗？若我们只知如何敲击，如何给予必要的一击，世界随时准备交出它的秘密。那一击的力量与强度来自专注。人类心灵的力量是无限的。心灵越是集中，在一点上投入的力量就越大；这便是秘诀所在。
集中心灵于外部事物上是容易的，心灵自然向外走；然而在宗教、心理学或形而上学的情形中却并非如此，因为在这些领域中主体与客体是合一的。客体是内在的，心灵本身就是客体，有必要研究心灵本身——心灵研究心灵。我们知道，心灵的力量中有一种被称为反思的力量。我在向你们讲话。与此同时，我仿佛站在一旁，如同第二个人一般，知晓并聆听着我所说的话。你工作和思考的同时，你的一部分心灵站立一旁，观察你的思想。心灵的力量应当被集中，并反转于自身，正如最幽暗之处在太阳穿透的光芒面前显露其秘密一样，这集中起来的心灵也将穿透其自身最深的秘密。如此，我们将抵达信仰的基础，那真实纯正的宗教。我们将亲自感知我们是否有灵魂，生命是五分钟还是永恒，宇宙中是否有上帝，或者更多。这一切都将向我们显现。这正是王瑜伽所要教导的。它教导的全部目标是：如何集中心灵，然后如何发现我们自身心灵最深处的隐秘，再如何归纳其内容，并由此形成我们自己的结论。因此，它从不追问我们的宗教是什么，无论我们是有神论者还是无神论者，无论是基督徒、犹太人还是佛教徒。我们是人类；这已足够。每个人都有权利和能力去寻求宗教。每个人都有权利追问原因，并在他肯下功夫的条件下，由自己来得到答案。
由此，我们看到，在研究王瑜伽中，信仰或信念皆非必要。在你自己发现之前，什么都不要相信；这正是它教导我们的。真理不需要任何支撑来使其得以成立。你的意思是说，我们清醒状态下的事实需要任何梦境或想象来加以证明吗？当然不是。对王瑜伽的研究需要漫长的时间和持续不断的修习。这种修习的一部分是身体方面的，但主要是心理方面的。随着我们深入，我们将发现心灵与身体之间是何等密切地相互联系。若我们相信心灵不过是肉身较精微的部分，而心灵作用于肉身，那么依理而言，肉身也必然反作用于心灵。若肉身患病，心灵也会生病。若肉身健康，心灵便保持健康而强健。当一个人愤怒时，心灵变得紊乱。同样，当心灵紊乱时，肉身也会变得紊乱。对于大多数人来说，心灵在很大程度上受肉身控制，因为他们的心灵极少得到发展。绝大多数人类与动物相距甚微。不仅如此，在许多情况下，他们的控制能力并不比低等动物高出多少。我们对心灵的掌控极为有限。因此，为了实现这种掌控，获得对身心的控制，我们必须借助某些物质上的帮助。当肉身得到充分的控制之后，我们才能尝试对心灵进行调御。通过调御心灵，我们将能够使其置于我们的控制之下，使它按我们所愿运作，并迫使它按我们所望集中其力量。
依王瑜伽修行者的见解，外部世界不过是内部世界或微细世界的粗糙形态。较精微的始终是因，较粗糙的则是果。因此外部世界是果，内部世界是因。同样，外部力量不过是较粗糙的部分，而内部力量则是其较精微的部分。一个发现并学会了如何驾驭内部力量的人，将把整个大自然置于其掌控之下。瑜伽修行者为自己设定的任务，不亚于掌握整个宇宙，控制整个大自然。他希望到达一个"大自然的规律"对他毫无影响的境地，在那里他将能够超越一切。他将成为整个大自然——内在与外在——的主人。人类的进步与文明，其实不过就是控制这大自然。
不同的种族采取不同的控制大自然的方式。就像在同一社会中，某些人想控制外部大自然，另一些人想控制内部大自然一样；在各民族中，也有些人想控制外部大自然，另一些人想控制内部大自然。有人说，通过控制内部大自然，我们便能控制一切。另一些人则说，通过控制外部大自然，我们便能控制一切。推至极端，二者都是正确的，因为在大自然中并不存在所谓内部与外部的划分。这些都是人为设定的界限，从来就不曾真实存在。外在主义者与内在主义者注定在双方的知识都达到极限时，在同一个点上相遇。正如一位物理学家，当他将自己的知识推至极限时，会发现它融入了形而上学；一位形而上学家也会发现，他所称之为心灵与物质的东西，不过是表面上的区分，而实在是一体的（One）。
一切科学的终极目标，是找到那一体性——那从中产生出多元的那个一，那以多种形式存在的那个一。王瑜伽提议从内部世界出发，研究内部大自然，并由此控制整体——既包括内部也包括外部。这是一次非常古老的尝试。印度一直是其特别的据点，但其他民族也曾尝试过。在西方国家，它被视为神秘主义，想要修习它的人要么被烧死，要么作为巫师和术士被杀掉。在印度，由于种种原因，它落入了一些人手中，这些人摧毁了其中百分之九十的知识，并试图将余下的部分变成大秘密。在现代，许多所谓的导师在西方兴起，比印度的那些人更糟糕，因为后者知道一些东西，而这些现代的阐释者却一无所知。
这些瑜伽体系中一切秘密的和神秘的东西，都应当立即加以拒绝。生命中最好的向导是力量。在宗教中，正如在其他一切事务中一样，要舍弃一切使你软弱的东西，不要与其为伍。神秘主义削弱人类的大脑。它几乎摧毁了瑜伽——最宏伟的科学之一。从它被发现、距今已有四千多年前起，瑜伽便在印度得到了完整的描述、系统的阐述和广泛的传播。一个引人注目的事实是，注释者越是近代，他所犯的错误越多，而著者越是古代，他便越是理性。大多数现代作者谈论各种神秘之事。如此一来，瑜伽便落入了少数人的手中，他们将其变成秘密，而非让白昼的充分光芒与理性照耀其上。他们这样做，是为了将那力量据为己有。
首先，我所教导的没有任何神秘之处。我所知道的一点点，我都会告诉你们。就我能够推理的，我就推理；至于我不知道的，我将只是告诉你们书中所说的。盲目地相信是错误的。你们必须运用自己的理性和判断；你们必须去实践，看看这些事情是否发生。就像你们学习任何其他科学一样，你们应当以同样的方式来研究这门科学。其中既无神秘，也无危险。就其真实的那部分而言，它理应在大庭广众之下、在光天化日之中被宣讲。任何试图使这些事情神秘化的尝试，都会产生极大的危险。
在进一步讲述之前，我将向你们介绍一点数论（Sânkhya）哲学，整个王瑜伽都建立于此之上。根据数论哲学，感知的生成过程如下：外部对象的影响由外部器官携带至各自的脑中枢或感官，感官将这些影响携带至心灵，心灵再传至决断功能，神我（Purusha）即灵魂从中接收，于是感知便产生了。接下来，神我仿佛发出命令回到运动中枢，去做必要的事情。除神我之外，这一切都是物质性的，但心灵是比外部器官精细得多的物质。构成心灵的那种物质，也参与形成被称为唯（Tanmâtras）的精微物质。这些唯变得粗糙，形成外部物质。这就是数论的心理学。因此，理智与外部粗糙物质之间，只有程度上的差别。神我是唯一的非物质性存在。心灵是一种仪器，可以说是在灵魂手中的仪器，灵魂通过它来捕捉外部对象。心灵处于不断变化与动摇之中，当达到完善时，它能够同时与数个感官、与一个感官或者与任何感官都不相连接。例如，若我非常专注地听时钟，我也许就不会看见任何东西，尽管我的眼睛是睁开的，这表明心灵未与视觉器官相连接，而是与听觉器官相连接了。然而完善的心灵能够同时与所有感官相连接。它具有反观自身深处的反照力量。这种反照力量正是瑜伽修行者所要获得的；通过集中心灵的力量，并将其向内转，他试图知晓内部发生着什么。在这里没有单纯信仰的问题；这是某些哲学家经由分析所得出的结论。现代生理学家告诉我们，眼睛并非视觉器官，视觉器官位于大脑的某个神经中枢，所有其他感官亦然；他们还告诉我们，这些中枢由与大脑本身相同的物质构成。数论哲学家也告诉我们同样的事。前者是从物质层面的陈述，后者是从心理层面的陈述；然而二者是相同的。我们的研究领域超越这一切。
瑜伽修行者提议达到那种精细的感知状态，在其中他能够感知所有不同的心理状态。必须有对所有这些状态的心理感知。人能够感知感觉是如何传导的，心灵是如何接收它的，它是如何传至决断功能的，以及决断功能如何将其传递给神我。正如每门科学都需要某些准备工作，并有其自身的方法，必须遵循之后才能被理解，王瑜伽亦然。
关于食物有某些必要的规定；我们必须使用那种为我们带来最纯净心灵的食物。若你走进一个动物园，你会立即发现这一点得到了印证。你看见那些庞大的动物——大象，它们却是平静而温顺的；若你走向狮子和老虎的笼子，你会发现它们烦躁不安，这说明食物造成了多大的差异。在这身体中运作的所有力量，都是由食物产生出来的；我们每天都能看见这一点。若你开始禁食，起初你的身体会变弱，体力将会受损；然后几天之后，心力也会受损。首先，记忆力会衰退。然后到了一个节点，你无法思考，更谈不上进行任何推理。因此，在开始时我们必须注意吃什么食物，当我们获得足够的力量，当我们的修习已大有进展时，在这方面便不需要那么小心了。植物在生长时，必须围以篱笆以防受损；然而当它长成大树时，篱笆便被撤去了。它已足够强健，能够承受一切侵袭。
瑜伽修行者必须避免奢侈与苦行这两个极端。他不应禁食，也不应折磨肉身。《薄伽梵歌》（Gita）说，凡如此行者，不能成为瑜伽修行者：禁食者、彻夜不眠者、睡眠过多者、工作过度者、无所事事者，这些都不能成为瑜伽修行者（《薄伽梵歌》第六章第十六节）。
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
All our knowledge is based upon experience. What we call inferential knowledge, in which we go from the less to the more general, or from the general to the particular, has experience as its basis. In what are called the exact sciences, people easily find the truth, because it appeals to the particular experiences of every human being. The scientist does not tell you to believe in anything, but he has certain results which come from his own experiences, and reasoning on them when he asks us to believe in his conclusions, he appeals to some universal experience of humanity. In every exact science there is a basis which is common to all humanity, so that we can at once see the truth or the fallacy of the conclusions drawn therefrom. Now, the question is: Has religion any such basis or not? I shall have to answer the question both in the affirmative and in the negative.
Religion, as it is generally taught all over the world, is said to be based upon faith and belief, and, in most cases, consists only of different sets of theories, and that is the reason why we find all religions quarrelling with one another. These theories, again, are based upon belief. One man says there is a great Being sitting above the clouds and governing the whole universe, and he asks me to believe that solely on the authority of his assertion. In the same way, I may have my own ideas, which I am asking others to believe, and if they ask a reason, I cannot give them any. This is why religion and metaphysical philosophy have a bad name nowadays. Every educated man seems to say, "Oh, these religions are only bundles of theories without any standard to judge them by, each man preaching his own pet ideas." Nevertheless, there is a basis of universal belief in religion, governing all the different theories and all the varying ideas of different sects in different countries. Going to their basis we find that they also are based upon universal experiences.
In the first place, if you analyse all the various religions of the world, you will find that these are divided into two classes, those with a book and those without a book. Those with a book are the strongest, and have the largest number of followers. Those without books have mostly died out, and the few new ones have very small following. Yet, in all of them we find one consensus of opinion, that the truths they teach are the results of the experiences of particular persons. The Christian asks you to believe in his religion, to believe in Christ and to believe in him as the incarnation of God, to believe in a God, in a soul, and in a better state of that soul. If I ask him for reason, he says he believes in them. But if you go to the fountain-head of Christianity, you will find that it is based upon experience. Christ said he saw God; the disciples said they felt God; and so forth. Similarly, in Buddhism, it is Buddha's experience. He experienced certain truths, saw them, came in contact with them, and preached them to the world. So with the Hindus. In their books the writers, who are called Rishis, or sages, declare they experienced certain truths, and these they preach. Thus it is clear that all the religions of the world have been built upon that one universal and adamantine foundation of all our knowledge — direct experience. The teachers all saw God; they all saw their own souls, they saw their future, they saw their eternity, and what they saw they preached. Only there is this difference that by most of these religions especially in modern times, a peculiar claim is made, namely, that these experiences are impossible at the present day; they were only possible with a few men, who were the first founders of the religions that subsequently bore their names. At the present time these experiences have become obsolete, and, therefore, we have now to take religion on belief. This I entirely deny. If there has been one experience in this world in any particular branch of knowledge, it absolutely follows that that experience has been possible millions of times before, and will be repeated eternally. Uniformity is the rigorous law of nature; what once happened can happen always.
The teachers of the science of Yoga, therefore, declare that religion is not only based upon the experience of ancient times, but that no man can be religious until he has the same perceptions himself. Yoga is the science which teaches us how to get these perceptions. It is not much use to talk about religion until one has felt it. Why is there so much disturbance, so much fighting and quarrelling in the name of God? There has been more bloodshed in the name of God than for any other cause, because people never went to the fountain-head; they were content only to give a mental assent to the customs of their forefathers, and wanted others to do the same. What right has a man to say he has a soul if he does not feel it, or that there is a God if he does not see Him? If there is a God we must see Him, if there is a soul we must perceive it; otherwise it is better not to believe. It is better to be an outspoken atheist than a hypocrite. The modern idea, on the one hand, with the "learned" is that religion and metaphysics and all search after a Supreme Being are futile; on the other hand, with the semi-educated, the idea seems to be that these things really have no basis; their only value consists in the fact that they furnish strong motive powers for doing good to the world. If men believe in a God, they may become good, and moral, and so make good citizens. We cannot blame them for holding such ideas, seeing that all the teaching these men get is simply to believe in an eternal rigmarole of words, without any substance behind them. They are asked to live upon words; can they do it? If they could, I should not have the least regard for human nature. Man wants truth, wants to experience truth for himself; when he has grasped it, realised it, felt it within his heart of hearts, then alone, declare the Vedas, would all doubts vanish, all darkness be scattered, and all crookedness be made straight. "Ye children of immortality, even those who live in the highest sphere, the way is found; there is a way out of all this darkness, and that is by perceiving Him who is beyond all darkness; there is no other way."
The science of Râja-Yoga proposes to put before humanity a practical and scientifically worked out method of reaching this truth. In the first place, every science must have its own method of investigation. If you want to become an astronomer and sit down and cry "Astronomy! Astronomy!" it will never come to you. The same with chemistry. A certain method must be followed. You must go to a laboratory, take different substances, mix them up, compound them, experiment with them, and out of that will come a knowledge of chemistry. If you want to be an astronomer, you must go to an observatory, take a telescope, study the stars and planets, and then you will become an astronomer. Each science must have its own methods. I could preach you thousands of sermons, but they would not make you religious, until you practiced the method. These are the truths of the sages of all countries, of all ages, of men pure and unselfish, who had no motive but to do good to the world. They all declare that they have found some truth higher than what the senses can bring to us, and they invite verification. They ask us to take up the method and practice honestly, and then, if we do not find this higher truth, we will have the right to say there is no truth in the claim, but before we have done that, we are not rational in denying the truth of their assertions. So we must work faithfully using the prescribed methods, and light will come.
In acquiring knowledge we make use of generalisations, and generalisation is based upon observation. We first observe facts, then generalise, and then draw conclusions or principles. The knowledge of the mind, of the internal nature of man, of thought, can never be had until we have first the power of observing the facts that are going on within. It is comparatively easy to observe facts in the external world, for many instruments have been invented for the purpose, but in the internal world we have no instrument to help us. Yet we know we must observe in order to have a real science. Without a proper analysis, any science will be hopeless — mere theorising. And that is why all the psychologists have been quarrelling among themselves since the beginning of time, except those few who found out the means of observation.
The science of Raja-Yoga, in the first place, proposes to give us such a means of observing the internal states. The instrument is the mind itself. The power of attention, when properly guided, and directed towards the internal world, will analyse the mind, and illumine facts for us. The powers of the mind are like rays of light dissipated; when they are concentrated, they illumine. This is our only means of knowledge. Everyone is using it, both in the external and the internal world; but, for the psychologist, the same minute observation has to be directed to the internal world, which the scientific man directs to the external; and this requires a great deal of practice. From our childhood upwards we have been taught only to pay attention to things external, but never to things internal; hence most of us have nearly lost the faculty of observing the internal mechanism. To turn the mind as it were, inside, stop it from going outside, and then to concentrate all its powers, and throw them upon the mind itself, in order that it may know its own nature, analyse itself, is very hard work. Yet that is the only way to anything which will be a scientific approach to the subject.
What is the use of such knowledge? In the first place, knowledge itself is the highest reward of knowledge, and secondly, there is also utility in it. It will take away all our misery. When by analysing his own mind, man comes face to face, as it were, with something which is never destroyed, something which is, by its own nature, eternally pure and perfect, he will no more be miserable, no more unhappy. All misery comes from fear, from unsatisfied desire. Man will find that he never dies, and then he will have no more fear of death. When he knows that he is perfect, he will have no more vain desires, and both these causes being absent, there will be no more misery — there will be perfect bliss, even while in this body.
There is only one method by which to attain this knowledge, that which is called concentration. The chemist in his laboratory concentrates all the energies of his mind into one focus, and throws them upon the materials he is analysing, and so finds out their secrets. The astronomer concentrates all the energies of his mind and projects them through his telescope upon the skies; and the stars, the sun, and the moon, give up their secrets to him. The more I can concentrate my thoughts on the matter on which I am talking to you, the more light I can throw upon you. You are listening to me, and the more you concentrate your thoughts, the more clearly you will grasp what I have to say.
How has all the knowledge in the world been gained but by the concentration of the powers of the mind? The world is ready to give up its secrets if we only know how to knock, how to give it the necessary blow. The strength and force of the blow come through concentration. There is no limit to the power of the human mind. The more concentrated it is, the more power is brought to bear on one point; that is the secret.
It is easy to concentrate the mind on external things, the mind naturally goes outwards; but not so in the case of religion, or psychology, or metaphysics, where the subject and the object, are one. The object is internal, the mind itself is the object, and it is necessary to study the mind itself — mind studying mind. We know that there is the power of the mind called reflection. I am talking to you. At the same time I am standing aside, as it were, a second person, and knowing and hearing what I am talking. You work and think at the same time, while a portion of your mind stands by and sees what you are thinking. The powers of the mind should be concentrated and turned back upon itself, and as the darkest places reveal their secrets before the penetrating rays of the sun, so will this concentrated mind penetrate its own innermost secrets. Thus will we come to the basis of belief, the real genuine religion. We will perceive for ourselves whether we have souls, whether life is of five minutes or of eternity, whether there is a God in the universe or more. It will all be revealed to us. This is what Raja-Yoga proposes to teach. The goal of all its teaching is how to concentrate the minds, then, how to discover the innermost recesses of our own minds, then, how to generalise their contents and form our own conclusions from them. It, therefore, never asks the question what our religion is, whether we are Deists or Atheists, whether Christians, Jews, or Buddhists. We are human beings; that is sufficient. Every human being has the right and the power to seek for religion. Every human being has the right to ask the reason, why, and to have his question answered by himself, if he only takes the trouble.
So far, then, we see that in the study of this Raja-Yoga no faith or belief is necessary. Believe nothing until you find it out for yourself; that is what it teaches us. Truth requires no prop to make it stand. Do you mean to say that the facts of our awakened state require any dreams or imaginings to prove them? Certainly not. This study of Raja-Yoga takes a long time and constant practice. A part of this practice is physical, but in the main it is mental. As we proceed we shall find how intimately the mind is connected with the body. If we believe that the mind is simply a finer part of the body, and that mind acts upon the body, then it stands to reason that the body must react upon the mind. If the body is sick, the mind becomes sick also. If the body is healthy, the mind remains healthy and strong. When one is angry, the mind becomes disturbed. Similarly when the mind is disturbed, the body also becomes disturbed. With the majority of mankind the mind is greatly under the control of the body, their mind being very little developed. The vast mass of humanity is very little removed from the animals. Not only so, but in many instances, the power of control in them is little higher than that of the lower animals. We have very little command of our minds. Therefore to bring that command about, to get that control over body and mind, we must take certain physical helps. When the body is sufficiently controlled, we can attempt the manipulation of the mind. By manipulating the mind, we shall be able to bring it under our control, make it work as we like, and compel it to concentrate its powers as we desire.
According to the Raja-Yogi, the external world is but the gross form of the internal, or subtle. The finer is always the cause, the grosser the effect. So the external world is the effect, the internal the cause. In the same way external forces are simply the grosser parts, of which the internal forces are the finer. The man who has discovered and learned how to manipulate the internal forces will get the whole of nature under his control. The Yogi proposes to himself no less a task than to master the whole universe, to control the whole of nature. He wants to arrive at the point where what we call "nature's laws" will have no influence over him, where he will be able to get beyond them all. He will be master of the whole of nature, internal and external. The progress and civilisation of the human race simply mean controlling this nature.
Different races take to different processes of controlling nature. Just as in the same society some individuals want to control the external nature, and others the internal, so, among races, some want to control the external nature, and others the internal. Some say that by controlling internal nature we control everything. Others that by controlling external nature we control everything. Carried to the extreme both are right, because in nature there is no such division as internal or external. These are fictitious limitations that never existed. The externalists and the internalists are destined to meet at the same point, when both reach the extreme of their knowledge. Just as a physicist, when he pushes his knowledge to its limits, finds it melting away into metaphysics, so a metaphysician will find that what he calls mind and matter are but apparent distinctions, the reality being One.
The end and aim of all science is to find the unity, the One out of which the manifold is being manufactured, that One existing as many. Raja-Yoga proposes to start from the internal world, to study internal nature, and through that, control the whole — both internal and external. It is a very old attempt. India has been its special stronghold, but it was also attempted by other nations. In Western countries it was regarded as mysticism and people who wanted to practice it were either burned or killed as witches and sorcerers. In India, for various reasons, it fell into the hands of persons who destroyed ninety per cent of the knowledge, and tried to make a great secret of the remainder. In modern times many so-called teachers have arisen in the West worse than those of India, because the latter knew something, while these modern exponents know nothing.
Anything that is secret and mysterious in these systems of Yoga should be at once rejected. The best guide in life is strength. In religion, as in all other matters, discard everything that weakens you, have nothing to do with it. Mystery-mongering weakens the human brain. It has well-nigh destroyed Yoga — one of the grandest of sciences. From the time it was discovered, more than four thousand years ago, Yoga was perfectly delineated, formulated, and preached in India. It is a striking fact that the more modern the commentator the greater the mistakes he makes, while the more ancient the writer the more rational he is. Most of the modern writers talk of all sorts of mystery. Thus Yoga fell into the hands of a few persons who made it a secret, instead of letting the full blaze of daylight and reason fall upon it. They did so that they might have the powers to themselves.
In the first place, there is no mystery in what I teach. What little I know I will tell you. So far as I can reason it out I will do so, but as to what I do not know I will simply tell you what the books say. It is wrong to believe blindly. You must exercise your own reason and judgment; you must practice, and see whether these things happen or not. Just as you would take up any other science, exactly in the same manner you should take up this science for study. There is neither mystery nor danger in it. So far as it is true, it ought to be preached in the public streets, in broad daylight. Any attempt to mystify these things is productive of great danger.
Before proceeding further, I will tell you a little of the Sânkhya philosophy, upon which the whole of Raja-Yoga is based. According to the Sankhya philosophy, the genesis of perception is as follows: the affections of external objects are carried by the outer instruments to their respective brain centres or organs, the organs carry the affections to the mind, the mind to the determinative faculty, from this the Purusha (the soul) receives them, when perception results. Next he gives the order back, as it were, to the motor centres to do the needful. With the exception of the Purusha all of these are material, but the mind is much finer matter than the external instruments. That material of which the mind is composed goes also to form the subtle matter called the Tanmâtras. These become gross and make the external matter. That is the psychology of the Sankhya. So that between the intellect and the grosser matter outside there is only a difference in degree. The Purusha is the only thing which is immaterial. The mind is an instrument, as it were, in the hands of the soul, through which the soul catches external objects. The mind is constantly changing and vacillating, and can, when perfected, either attach itself to several organs, to one, or to none. For instance, if I hear the clock with great attention, I will not, perhaps, see anything although my eyes may be open, showing that the mind was not attached to the seeing organ, while it was to the hearing organ. But the perfected mind can be attached to all the organs simultaneously. It has the reflexive power of looking back into its own depths. This reflexive power is what the Yogi wants to attain; by concentrating the powers of the mind, and turning them inward, he seeks to know what is happening inside. There is in this no question of mere belief; it is the analysis arrived at by certain philosophers. Modern physiologists tell us that the eyes are not the organ of vision, but that the organ is in one of the nerve centres of the brain, and so with all the senses; they also tell us that these centres are formed of the same material as the brain itself. The Sankhyas also tell us the same thing The former is a statement on the physical side, and the latter on the psychological side; yet both are the same. Our field of research lies beyond this.
The Yogi proposes to attain that fine state of perception in which he can perceive all the different mental states. There must be mental perception of all of them. One can perceive how the sensation is travelling, how the mind is receiving it, how it is going to the determinative faculty, and how this gives it to the Purusha. As each science requires certain preparations and has its own method, which must be followed before it could be understood, even so in Raja-Yoga.
Certain regulations as to food are necessary; we must use that food which brings us the purest mind. If you go into a menagerie, you will find this demonstrated at once. You see the elephants, huge animals, but calm and gentle; and if you go towards the cages of the lions and tigers, you find them restless, showing how much difference has been made by food. All the forces that are working in this body have been produced out of food; we see that every day. If you begin to fast, first your body will get weak, the physical forces will suffer; then after a few days, the mental forces will suffer also. First, memory will fail. Then comes a point, when you are not able to think, much less to pursue any course of reasoning. We have, therefore, to take care what sort of food we eat at the beginning, and when we have got strength enough, when our practice is well advanced, we need not be so careful in this respect. While the plant is growing it must be hedged round, lest it be injured; but when it becomes a tree, the hedges are taken away. It is strong enough to withstand all assaults
A Yogi must avoid the two extremes of luxury and austerity. He must not fast, nor torture his flesh. He who does so, says the Gita, cannot be a Yogi: He who fasts, he who keeps awake, he who sleeps much, he who works too much, he who does no work, none of these can be a Yogi (Gita, VI, 16).
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。