What is Samadhi

What is samadhi?

Samadhi is a state achieved by prescribed practices resulting in:

1. Becoming equipoised.

2. Becoming free of five fetters.

3. Gaining oneness with consciousness itself.

4. Becoming absorbed in God consciousness.

Becoming equipoised: Samadhi - becoming Sama Aadheen (सम आधीन). This is achieved by engaging in practices that result in a Stitha-Pradnyaa (स्थितप्रज्ञा) Awastha (अवस्था). Awastha = condition or state; Stitha-pradnyaa = steady wisdom. You can get more on this from the India Scripture of Bhagwat Geeta and from Vivekananda's Rajayoga.

Becoming free of five fetters (klesha-impurity causing tendencies or givens in human mind): We humans are affected by activation of - Manah = mind; Buddhi = intellect; Ahamkriti = Ego or My-ness or Possessiveness; and Chitta Vrutti = Tendencies sullying content of mind stuff; Of these Ahamkriti and Chitta are the most difficult to resolve. Ahamkriti is resolved by becoming free of ego. It is similar to but beyond the state of dreamless sleep called turiya = the fourth state. Chitta Vruttis are resolved by working on the sullying caused by activation of memories, ignorance, imagining into being of reality, naming and rationalising by offering of proofs.

Gaining oneness with consciousness itself: The universal being (meaning is-ness) and presence is called by name Brahman (ब्रहमन). This is everywhere always - within, without, containing, contained and forming, supporting, creating, destroying et al. Its aspect in parts is called Atman (आतमन/इत्मा) - closest word though not synonymous is soul.

Becoming ‘self’-absorbed and as a result consciousness itself is samadhi.

Becoming absorbed in God-consciousness: In this practice the practitioner becomes absorbed in God being the ultimate goal, doer, done and all by one of many routes - by gaining knowledge - dnyana marga (ज्ञान मार्ग), by engaging in action - karma marga (कर्म मार्ग), bhakti marga (भक्ती मार्ग) and / or dhyana marga -(ध्यान मार्ग) engaging in meditative practices.

Conventionally when one speaks about samadhi in India it means giving up the mortal body by progressively stopping / extinguishing carnal, bodily, psychological, mental needs and finally breath and thereby life as a body. Thus it is the merger of the part with the whole. There is exhaustive literature on nirvikalpa samadhi, savikalpa samadhi and mahasamadhi. A short description of each is given in the screenshot that follows (please tap / click the screenshot to view clearly).