Objects to whom. Body Mind Intellect Blankness

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To Subject. Self. Atman. 

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Gokul Ramesh

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QRA

What are the types of samadhi?

1. Bija samadhi: Yoga samadhi through one pointed meditation on an object, holding the single object as the seed of cognition. Also called samprajnata samadhi. Thoughts continue.
2. Nirbija samadhi: Yoga samadhi through spontaneous dissolution of the seed from Bija samadhi, leading to temporary cessation of thought, breath, and sometimes even heartbeat. Also called Asamprajnata samadhi or Nirvikalpa samadhi.
3. Savikalpa samadhi (Vedanta): The use of non conceptual contemplation to maintain Nirbija samadhi without shutting out the world or sitting for meditation. Also called Nidhidhyasanam.
4. Nirvikalpa samadhi (Vedanta): The ability to stop thoughts and individuality at will during the waking state without shutting out the world or sitting for meditation.
5. Sahaja Nirvikalpa samadhi: Irreversible establishment in the natural state. No effort, intention, or habitual patterns remaining. The flame of desire is totally extinguished. Also called Kaivalya, Nirvana. It is the common goal of Yoga, Vedanta, and Theravada Buddhism.
6. Nitya kumbhaka samadhi: Maintaining the breathless state even in functional life. Only breathes when talking. No more food intake, sleep, excretion or illness.
7. Swarupa samadhi: Just as the mind is dissolved in sahaja samadhi, the breath is dissolved in kumbhaka samadhi, here the whole body is dissolved into the elements while alive and functional. The body is no longer visible but continues to function as all pervading light and can manifest whenever required. Also called Rainbow body.

The last 3 states are the same in Experience. There is no new experience or new freedom after Nirvana. They only differ in the effect the person's body has on their surroundings.

Also within the last 3 states, there is no way to distinguish advancement. The Buddha and Krishna spent their life eating, sleeping, breathing, aging, falling ill, etc without dissolving the body and dropped the body on death, yet many of their followers attained Rainbow body. This is called Nirmanakaya, where someone who already has full Rainbow body before birth takes an ordinary human birth to set an example. I suspect Bhagavan Ramana falls in the same category.

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"We are in charge of our experience. And the more mindful we are, the easier life becomes." 

 

 -  Ellen Langer, Ph.D.

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