A
A
Excellent question! Let’s go step by step into the Sanskrit concept of Nirvitarka as given in Pātañjala Yoga Sūtras and related traditions.
1. Etymology
-
Nir- = without, beyond, free from.
-
Vitarka = discursive thought, reasoning, gross conceptualization, verbal–mental examination.
-
So, Nir-vitarka = "beyond reasoning," "without gross conceptualization."
2. Place in the Yoga Sūtras
Patañjali describes different levels of samādhi (YS 1.42–1.44).
-
Savitarka Samādhi (YS 1.42):
Meditation with vitarka (deliberation). The mind is absorbed in a gross object (like body, sound, deity-form, mantra) but still accompanied by words, concepts, and comparisons. -
Nirvitarka Samādhi (YS 1.43):
“Smṛti-pariśuddhau svarūpa-śūnye iva arthamātra-nirbhāsā nirvitarkā.”
→ When memory is purified, the object shines alone, as if empty of its own form.-
No interference of names, associations, or verbal cognition.
-
Pure direct perception of the object, without conceptual overlay.
-
-
Thus Nirvitarka = meditative absorption on a gross object where conceptual thought has fallen silent, leaving only the bare reality of the object.
3. Distinction from Related States
-
Vitarka → gross conceptualization, words, images.
-
Vichāra → subtle reflection (on finer objects, like tanmātras or subtle tattvas).
-
Savichāra → meditation with subtle reasoning.
-
Nirvichāra → meditation without reasoning on subtle objects.
Together they form samprajñāta samādhi (cognitive samādhi).
4. Psychological & Experiential Meaning
-
Savitarka: Mind says, “This is a stone, heavy, rough, round…”
-
Nirvitarka: The object shines as it is, free from names, judgments, comparisons.
-
It's a state of pure perceptual awareness, unmediated by memory or language.
5. Broader Context
-
In Vedānta / Advaita: Similar to nirvikalpa jñāna — immediate awareness without conceptualization.
-
In Buddhism: Parallels can be found in nirvicāra samādhi or states beyond discursive thought.
-
In Cognitive Terms: It resembles non-conceptual awareness or direct perception unclouded by linguistic/conceptual frames.
✅ Summary:
Nirvitarka is a stage of samādhi where the yogin’s awareness of a gross object is pure, direct, and non-conceptual. The memory and verbal associations (smṛti) fall away, leaving only the object’s essence (artha-mātra). It is a step deeper than savitarka samādhi and prepares the ground for subtler absorptions.
Would you like me to also map Nirvitarka → brain states (linking it with neurobiology of samādhi we discussed earlier)? That could bridge Sanskrit psychology and modern neuroscience.
A
No comments:
Post a Comment