140040 UE The technical terminology of yoga. (2019W)

The Dharmaputrikā is an unedited yoga manual preserved in several eleventh and twelfth century palm-leaf Nepalese manuscripts. It explains in detail and in a didactic manner the entire course of the yoga practice: preparatory disciplines, internal breathing processes implemented for the three goals it pursues (yogic powers, ability to change bodies, and liberation), as well as obstacles which might prevent achieving these goals.

The course will be dedicated to the reading of Chapter One of the Dharmaputrikā, which systematically presents the instrumental principles of this yoga, in eight subdivisions: 1) six ancillaries (ṣaḍaṅga); 2) six means (ṣaḍupāya); 3) six disciplines (ṣaṭsādhana); 4) four rules (caturyama); 5) two forms of yoga (dvirūpo yogaḥ); 6) a threefold yoga (trividho yogaḥ); 7) ten impediments (daśopasarga); 8) eight qualities related to lordship (aṣṭaiśvaryaguṇa).

The critical reading of this chapter aims to introduce the basic terminology of yoga, to discuss the difficulty underlying these definitions, and to propose a reappraisal of some technical terms.

The Dharmaputrikā, being so far unedited (a critical edition is in preparation), the Sanskrit text will be based on four Nepalese manuscripts, an apograph and the edition of Kathmandu.