2.6 drk darsanasaktyoh ekatmata iva asmita

Iyengar:  Egoism is the identification of the seer with the instrumental power of seeing. 

Taimni:  Asmita is the identity or blending together, as it were, of the power of consciousness (Purusa) with the power of cognition (Buddhi)

Carrera:  Egoism is the identification, as it were, of the power of the Seer (Purusha) with that of the instrument of seeing. 

Iyengar says that during the act of seeing the seen, the mind appears to be the pure seer.  This merging is due to asmita.  He says we should be aware of the seer (atma) and the instrument that sees (buddhi).  He says the mind and senses are the seer’s agents.  But the mind and the senses identify with the seer.  This is the cause of the seer and the seen to be polarized. 

Taimni discusses this in relation to the physical body.  We often can use our mind to separate ourselves from our physical body but few can separate their intellect from themselves.  He also discusses how highly evolved yogis can leave their bodies and then return – this reminds me of Autobiography of a Yogi:  there are many stores about yogis leaving their bodies. 

Carrera has a useful analogy that says “if we the driver identified with the instrument of driving a car;  if we actually thought we were our car” – this is the essence of this sutra.  When our car was new and we think ourselves new and when our car was old and ready to be junked, we’d think the same of ourselves. 

Comments

[Singing Bowl]

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