On Oct 1, 2007, at 2:07 PM, billy jim wrote:
According to Georg Feuerstein the sole source for this term is
Buddhist sutra and shastra. There are no other instances of "dharma-
megha" being used in the darshanas, epics or yogic literature prior
to Patanjali's usage. I did look at Shankara's vivarana and will
check out Vijnanabhikshu's commentary. Sorry but I don't have time
to type it all. Maybe I can summarize. We'll see.
The textual explanation for the transitions into and of dharma-megha
samadhi occur in a supplementary text called the Maniprabha of
Ramananda Yati.
The YS is just something to jog the memory of initiates and relies on
other texts for clarification and practical applications (techniques).
According to the Maniprabha, asamprajnata-samadhi cannot be reached
thru any of the limbs of yoga. According to it's explanation, the
mechanics are as follows:
--a person receives authentic instruction from an authentic guru.
--Khyati or yogic-discernment develops.
--thru khyati, one gains access to the preliminary stage of
dharmamegha-samadhi.
--this obliterates malas, or the obscurations from tamas and rajas in
the mind-field, leaving the mind totally sattvic, filled with prasada.
--the higher stages of dharma-megha dawn.
--this higher dispassion clears all karma, all kleshas. Total self-
knowledge dawns.
--asamprajnata-samadhi follows.
