Yoga: The Alpha and the Omega, Vol 4

Discourses on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 
Talks given from 21/04/75 am to 30/04/75 am

English Discourse series
10 Chapters
Year published:
During the early 1980's it was planned to publish the "Yoga: The Alpha and the Omega" volumes as "Yoga: The Science of the Soul". Only the first three volumes were actually published, the title stayed as "Alpha and Omega" for the other seven volumes.

Yoga: The Alpha and the Omega, Vol 4
Chapter #1
Chapter title: The seeds of misery
21 April 1975 am in Buddha Hall

1. KRIYA-YOGA IS A PRACTICAL, PRELIMINARY YOGA, AND IT IS COMPOSED OF AUSTERITY, SELF-STUDY AND SURRENDER TO GOD.

2. THE PRACTICE OF KRIYA-YOGA REDUCES MISERY, AND LEADS TOWARDS SAMADHI.

3. MISERIES ARE CAUSED BY: LACK OF AWARENESS, EGOISM, ATTRACTIONS, REPULSIONS, CLINGING TO LIFE AND FEAR OF DEATH.

4. WHETHER THEY BE IN THE STATES OF DORMANCY, ATTENUATION, ALTERATION OR EXPANSION, IT IS THROUGH LACK OF AWARENESS THAT THE OTHER CAUSES OF MISERY ARE ABLE TO OPERATE.

THE ORDINARY humanity can be divided into two basic types: one is the sadist and the other the masochist. The sadist enjoys torturing others, and the masochist enjoys torturing himself. The sadist is of course attracted towards politics. There, there is the possibility, the opportunity to torture others. Or, he is attracted towards scientific research, particularly medical research. There, there is the possibility in the name of experiment, to torture innocent animals, patients, dead and alive bodies. If politics is too much and he is not so certain about himself, or not intelligent enough to move into research, then the sadist becomes a schoolmaster; he tortures small children. But the sadist always moves, knowingly or unknowingly, towards a situation where he can torture. In the name of country, in the name of nation, society, revolution, in the name of truth, discovery, in the name of reformation, of reforming others, the sadist is always in search of an opportunity to torture someone.

Sadists are not very attracted towards religion. The other type is attracted towards religion, the masochist. They can torture themselves. They become great mahatmas, they become great saints, and they are revered by the society because they torture themselves. A perfect masochist always moves directly towards religion, just as a perfect sadist moves towards politics. Politics is the religion of the sadist; religion is the politics of the masochist. But if a masochist is not too certain, then he can find some other sub paths. He can become an artist, a painter, a poet, and can allow himself to suffer in the name of poetry, literature, painting.

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