Yoga and Buddhism are sister traditions which evolved in the same spiritual culture of ancient India. In the west, Zen is often set alongside Yoga and the two schools of meditation display some interesting similarities. In Zen communities, meditation, cooperative living and a personal relationship with the teacher as a direct source of spiritual power (and evolution of the disciple as a consequence of that relationship) are central. At is purest Zen meditation is a total state of focus leading to a total unification of both mind and body. This is very similar to what I understand Yoga practice to be about.
Also, some of the principles from the Vijnana Bhairava are similar to Zen teachings. The Vijnana Bhairava is a 4,000 year old text which contains the essence of a number of tantric yoga teachings.The philosophy behind the Vijnana Bhairava is that that there is a spaciousness in which everything occurs. It's not that when you get enlightened you'll realize that this world is the illusory world and the real one is the world of spaciousness. It's a nondual perspective that says that the spaciousness is everything and in that spaciousness is everything. Some of the verses talk about the space between the in-breath and the out-breath. In yoga you can tune into that, or rest your attention in the vertebral column, vertebra by vertebra. Again, very similar to the focus of attention when practicing zazen.
This connection between traditions deserves a fuller exploration but I have work to do so it will have to wait for another day.
Also, some of the principles from the Vijnana Bhairava are similar to Zen teachings. The Vijnana Bhairava is a 4,000 year old text which contains the essence of a number of tantric yoga teachings.The philosophy behind the Vijnana Bhairava is that that there is a spaciousness in which everything occurs. It's not that when you get enlightened you'll realize that this world is the illusory world and the real one is the world of spaciousness. It's a nondual perspective that says that the spaciousness is everything and in that spaciousness is everything. Some of the verses talk about the space between the in-breath and the out-breath. In yoga you can tune into that, or rest your attention in the vertebral column, vertebra by vertebra. Again, very similar to the focus of attention when practicing zazen.
This connection between traditions deserves a fuller exploration but I have work to do so it will have to wait for another day.
No comments:
Post a Comment