2.41 · The Bright Mind

From purity also come clarity of mind, cheerfulness, one-pointedness, mastery of the senses and fitness to see the self.

Word by word

sattva-śuddhi

purity of mind

saumanasya

cheerfulness, good-heartedness

ekāgrya

one-pointedness

indriya-jaya

mastery of the senses

ātma-darśana

seeing the self

yogyatvāni

fitness for

ca

and also (from purity, 2.40)

Where it fits

Vyāsa joins this to 2.40 with "furthermore" and says these fruits come from steady purity (Woods p. 188). The chain runs from a clear mind to fitness to see the self, the aim of discernment (2.26). The next observance in the order of 2.32, contentment, follows (2.42).

Reading

Vyāsa reads these further fruits of purity as a chain, each arising from the one before. Clarity of mind gives cheerfulness, cheerfulness gives one-pointedness, then comes mastery of the senses, and last the mind's fitness to see the self. The order matters. Saumanasya, cheerfulness or good-heartedness, comes before concentration. A mind that is bright and good-humoured settles far more easily than one that is grim.

Vyāsa

“For one who is pure comes clarity of mind; from that, cheerfulness; from that, one-pointedness; from that, mastery of the senses; and from that, the intellect's clear aspect becomes fit to see the self.”

Vyāsa's Yoga-bhāṣya, the oldest commentary. New translation from the Sanskrit, with reference to Woods (1914), p. 188.

Practice

Before you practise today, do something that genuinely cheers you: music, a short walk, a good joke. Then sit, and notice whether the mind settles more easily.

A question to sit with

What would brighten your mind?

Key ideas

aṣṭāṅga (the eight limbs), viveka (discernment), puruṣa (the seer, the self)