ABSTRACT
The third quarter of the Yogasūtra focuses on the supernormal achievements (vibhūti) that the yoga practitioner can attain through integrated concentration (saṁyama), which involves dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi on a single object.
Through the interpretation and comments on the aphorisms in this quarter this chapter brings out how the three notions, namely dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi, can be interpreted in terms of the Buddhist theory of meditation. Pata�jali mentions different supernormal powers such as the knowledge of past and future; the knowledge of previous births; clairvoyance; telepathy; disappearance; radiance; transforming an abject into a light one, heavy, small or large one; and attaining a beautiful and strong body, which according to him are the result of integrated concentration on relevant objects. The chapter indicates how these supernormal powers reflect the varieties of abhijñās (supernormal knowledges) and ṛddhis (supernormal achievements) accepted in Buddhism. Patañjali’s comment about the supernormal powers—that they are obstacles on the path of meditative absorption—seems to reflect the Buddha’s attitude to them. Like Buddhism, which recognizes the highest spiritual achievement, namely the knowledge of the destruction of intoxicants as a supernormal achievement. Patañjali, includes discriminatory knowledge and isolation in his list of the supernormal achievements.
