Having re-read once again a translation and commentary of the Yoga Sutras, I’m trying to make sense of some elements of Patanjali’s philosophy. In particular I would like to understand if the ego (Ahamkara) which is considered part of Chitta (consciousness) can have its own Chitta Vrittis (patterns of consciousness). Stilling Chitta Vrittis is what Yoga practice is for.
Chitta consists of Manas (sensory, processing mind), Buddhi (intellect and discerning faculty) and Ahamkara (ego or sense of self).
So from that decomposition, the five types of Chitta Vrittis (correct knowledge, incorrect knowledge, imagination, sleep, and memory) could relate to any of those three components of Chitta.
From what I understand, Ahamkara is usually coloring all Chitta Vrittis, attaching to them a sense of self. But are there Chitta Vrittis that are purely associated with Ahamkara?
I think so. Take, for example, the sutra “I-sense – Who am I?” during Samyama. We first create a Chitta Vritti that’s nearly exclusively associated with the Ahamkara and then release it into stillness.
I would be glad a to get some feedback on my line of thinking, where my understanding is faulty, or maybe get a pointer to the literature where this is explained.
There is also a related question: are there Chitta Vrittis that are predominately related to Buddhi (i.e. Vrittis that are not of Manas or Ahamkara)?
The chitta vrittis are simply fluctuations of the mind. So thoughts such as “I am playing football”, or “I am listening to music”, or “I am thinking this thought” are chitta vrittis.
Patanjali did not divide vrittis into ahamkara, manas and buddhi. Most thoughts will have some element of each.
When it comes to using the sutra “The I-thought: Who am I?” this does not necessarily refer to the ahamkara. It could do for one person, but to another it may bring up the feeling of pure awareness and to another person it may bring up the feeling of the whole of existence.
I misunderstood the translator and commentator of the Yoga Sutras, and Ahamkara, Manas and Buddhi stand beside Chitta (rather than being part of it).
You say “Patanjali did not divide vrittis into ahamkara, manas and buddhi. Most thoughts will have some element of each.”
Can I give you an analogy, and you tell me if that makes sense to you?
The analogy: a water wave (a water vritti) is wet because liquid water is wet. A water wave can also be foamy if it breaks. But the foaminess of a water wave is a property that arises only because water is in contact with air. But there is certainly no water wave that would just have the property of foaminess without being also wet. So, in an analogous way a Chitta Vritti can have Ahamkara elements, but there is no Ahamkara Vritti (or if there is, they are not necessarily Chitta Vrittis, because Ahamkara is not a component of Chitta).
Thanks!
Edit: I just tried to find that part in the book again, where I got the idea from that Ahamkara (like Buddhi and Manas) is part of Chitta. Here is the text from the book The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali by Chip Hartranft:
Conceptually, Patañjali appears to share the sāṃkhya view that what awareness regards is a display generated by a tripartite consciousness consisting of sensing (manas), self-making (ahaṃkāra), and intelligence (buddhi). These three components have radically different properties: thought, emotion, and feeling like a self are all constructive in nature, arising actively as latent impressions (saṃskāras) erupt against a background of sensory inputs mediated by the nonconstructive manas. These impressions color and organize all aspects of perception, linking them in cycles of action-imprint-action that are imbued with suffering.
Patanjali does not say explicitly anywhere that he regards the chitta to be comprised of three seperate aspects: Manas, buddhi and ahamkara. However, he does speak of these things as if this is his view. He also borrows heavily from Samkhya philosophy and that is how these are regarded within that philosophical system.
And yes, a foamy wave has to include the quality of “wet” as well as “foamy”. The thought “I need to go to the shop tomorrow” includes aspects of the manas, buddhi and ahamkara.