Niyama
Encyclopedia
Niyama generally denotes a duty or obligation adopted by a spiritual aspirant (or community of same), or prescribed by a guru or by scripture (notably, the niyamas of raja yoga
). The semantic range above reflects the breadth of the term's application in practice, and in the Buddhist sense extends to the determinations of nature, as in the Buddhist
niyama dhammas.
, a set of prescribed actions are codified as niyamas, observances, requirements, obligations. In the above texts, these are ten in number, except in Patanjali's work, which lists only five.
The ten traditional Niyamas are:
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the Niyamas are the second limb of the eight limbs of Raja Yoga
.
They are found in the Sadhana Pada Verse 32 as:
Raja Yoga
Rāja Yoga is concerned principally with the cultivation of the mind using meditation to further one's acquaintance with reality and finally achieve liberation.Raja yoga was first described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and is part of the Samkhya tradition.In the context of Hindu...
). The semantic range above reflects the breadth of the term's application in practice, and in the Buddhist sense extends to the determinations of nature, as in the Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
niyama dhammas.
In Hinduism
In numerous scriptures including the Shandilya and Varuha Upanishads, Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Gorakshanatha, the Tirumantiram of Tirumular and the Yoga Sutras of PatanjaliPatañjali
Patañjali is the compiler of the Yoga Sūtras, an important collection of aphorisms on Yoga practice. According to tradition, the same Patañjali was also the author of the Mahābhāṣya, a commentary on Kātyāyana's vārttikas on Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī as well as an unspecified work of medicine .In...
, a set of prescribed actions are codified as niyamas, observances, requirements, obligations. In the above texts, these are ten in number, except in Patanjali's work, which lists only five.
The ten traditional Niyamas are:
- HriHRIHRI may refer to:* Harish-Chandra Research Institute* heme-regulated inhibitor kinase* Horticulture Research International* Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management* Huddersfield Royal Infirmary* Hull Royal Infirmary* Human Readable Interpretation...
: remorse, being modest and showing shame for misdeeds; - SantoshaSantoshaSantosha is one of the niyamas of Yoga as listed by Patanjali. Contentment is variously described, but can be thought of as not requiring more than you have to achieve contentment...
: contentment; being satisfied with the resources at hand - therefore not desiring more; - DanaDana (Buddhism)Dāna is generosity or giving. In Hinduism and Buddhism, it is the practice of cultivating generosity. Ultimately, the practice culminates in one of the perfections : the perfection of giving - dāna-pāramitā...
: giving, without thought of reward; - Astikya: faith, believing firmly in the teacher, the teachings and the path to enlightenment;
- Ishvarapujana: worship of the Lord, the cultivation of devotion through daily worship and meditation, the return to the source;
- Siddhanta shravana: scriptural listening, studying the teachings and listening to the wise of one's lineage;
- Mati: cognition, developing a spiritual will and intellect with the guru's guidance;
- VrataVrataIn the context of Hinduism and Hindu mythology, the term vrata denotes a religious practice to carry out certain obligations with a view to achieve divine blessing for fulfillment of one or several desires. Etymologically, vrata, a Sanskrit word , means to vow or to promise...
: sacred vows, fulfilling religious vows, rules and observances faithfully; - JapaJapaJapa is a spiritual discipline involving the meditative repetition of a mantra or name of a divine power. The mantra or name may be spoken softly, enough for the practitioner to hear it, or it may be spoken purely within the recitor's mind...
: recitation, chanting mantras daily; - TapasTapas (Sanskrit)Tapasya in Sanskrit means "heat". In Vedic religion and Hinduism, it is used figuratively, denoting spiritual suffering, mortification or austerity, and also the spiritual ecstasy of a yogin or tāpasá . In the Rigveda, the word is connected with the Soma cult...
: the endurance of the opposites; hunger and thirst, heat and cold, standing and sitting etc.
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the Niyamas are the second limb of the eight limbs of Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga
Rāja Yoga is concerned principally with the cultivation of the mind using meditation to further one's acquaintance with reality and finally achieve liberation.Raja yoga was first described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and is part of the Samkhya tradition.In the context of Hindu...
.
They are found in the Sadhana Pada Verse 32 as:
- ShauchaShauchaShaucha , purity, is one of the Niyamas of Yoga or Hinduism. It is mentioned in the Mahabharata and Patanjali's text. It may also mean to cry with tears; pointing to the cleansing crying gives when one is defiled by the sorrow caused by the departure of a relative or a friend, or after a...
: cleanliness of body and mind. in the traditional codification, this item is listed under YamasYamasYamas, and its complement, Niyamas, represent a series of "right living" or ethical rules within Hinduism and Yoga. These are a form of moral imperatives, commandments, rules or goals...
; this word means purity. - SantoshaSantoshaSantosha is one of the niyamas of Yoga as listed by Patanjali. Contentment is variously described, but can be thought of as not requiring more than you have to achieve contentment...
: satisfaction; satisfied with what one has; contentment. - TapasTapas (Sanskrit)Tapasya in Sanskrit means "heat". In Vedic religion and Hinduism, it is used figuratively, denoting spiritual suffering, mortification or austerity, and also the spiritual ecstasy of a yogin or tāpasá . In the Rigveda, the word is connected with the Soma cult...
: austerity. - SvādhyāyaSvadhyaya' is a Sanskrit term in Hinduism having several meanings, including study of the Vedas and other sacred books, self-recitation, repetition of the Vedas aloud, and as a term for the Vedas themselves...
: study of the Vedic scriptures to know more about God and the soul, which leads to introspection on a greater awakening to the soul and God within. - IshvarapranidhanaIshvarapranidhanaIshvarapranidhana represents surrender to, and love for, the divinity within the individual in Hinduism and Yoga.-Etymology and meaning:In its simplest form, the word is a combination of the words , Ishvara, meaning Lord, God, Supreme Being or Life Force, and Pranidhana, meaning attention to, love...
: surrender to (or worship of) God.
In Buddhism
In early Buddhist texts, the niyama dhammas denote those principles of causality which govern the universe, which are reckoned in five categories:- Kamma Niyama— ("action") consequences of one's actions
- Utu Niyama— ("time, season") seasonal changes and climate, law of non-living matter
- Bīja Niyama— ("seed") laws of heredity
- Citta Niyama— ("mind") will of mind
- Dhamma Niyama— ("law") nature's tendency to perfect
External links
- Yama and Niyama, by Yogacharya
- Foundations of Yoga Analysis of Patanjali's Yama and Niyama
- Yama and Niyama Comments on the Patanjali’s Scheme.