Patanjala Yoga and Buddhist Abhidharma on the Sources of Extraordinary Accomplishments (Siddhi and Rddhi)
S. Sarbacker
Religions of South Asia July 13, 2022 DOI: 10.1558/rosa.20337 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Key points | Argues that Patanjalayogasastra 4.1 and Abhidharmakosabhasya 7.53 exhibit parallel conceptions of siddhi and rddhi, and that the Abhidharma discussion of rddhi clarifies the Patanjalayogasastra's notion of the constructed mind (nirmanacitta). Proposes that both traditions share techniques of mind-body discipline from earlier ascetic and Sramana traditions. |
Abstract
The intimate relationship between Patanjala Yoga and Buddhist contemplative traditions has attracted considerable interest in the study of Indian religion and philosophy. This is evident in the work of generations of scholars from Emile Senart and Louis de La Vallee Poussin to the present. This paper continues this comparative project with a deeper examination of the parallels and discontinuities between the representation of spiritual accomplishments or perfections (siddhi and rddhi) in the Yogasutra and Abhidharmakosa and their commentaries. In particular, I examine Patanjalayogasastra 4.1 in comparison to Abhidharmakosabhasya 7.53. These exhibit a parallel set of conceptions of siddhi and rddhi, framed within the respective Samkhya-Yoga and Abhidharma (Sarvastivada-Vaibhasika and Sautrantika) philosophical contexts. The larger discussion of rddhi in the Abhidharmakosabhasya makes otherwise opaque passages in the Patanjalayogasastra transparent, particularly with respect to the notion of the constructed mind (nirmanacitta). These verses indicate that both Patanjala Yoga and the 'Classical Sramana' traditions of Buddhism were concerned with a range of techniques of mind-body discipline (yoga) that emerged during the earlier period of Brahmanical Asceticism and Sramana traditions. These factors lead to the discussion of larger comparative and contemporary issues regarding asceticism, contemplation, and the use of psychoactive substances in India and beyond.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors Journal of Psychopharmacology October 11, 2017
- DMT Models the Near-Death Experience Frontiers in Psychology August 15, 2018
- Developing Guidelines and Competencies for the Training of Psychedelic Therapists Journal of Humanistic Psychology June 29, 2017