Tracing the Path of Yoga: The History and Philosophy of Indian Mind-Body Discipline

Contents
Acknowledgments
Pronunciation Guide for Sanskrit Terms
Introduction The History and Philosophy of Yoga
Chapter 1 Defining Yoga
	Yoga as “Discipline”
	“Limbs” (anga) of Yoga
	Paths (mārga) of Yoga
	Yoga as “Union”
	The Numinous and Cessative in Yoga
	Householder and Renouncer Traditions
	The Guru-Śisya Relationship
	Yogī, Yogin/Yogini, Sādhaka, and Siddha
	Class, Gender, and Sexuality
	The Origins of Yoga
	Living Yoga Traditions
	Defining “Yoga” and “Tantra”
	The Chronology of Yoga Traditions
Chapter 2 The Prehistory of Yoga: The Indus Civilization and the
	Indus Valley Civilization and the “Yogi” Seal (2800–1500 BCE)
	The Indo-Aryans and the Vedic Brāhmanical Tradition
	Structure of the Vedic Tradition
		Rsi, Deva, Devī, Asura, Asurī
		Sacrifice (yajña) and Worship (pūjā)
		Vedic Justice (rta), Law (dharma), and Social Order
		Sanātanadharma, Varnāśramadharma, and Purusārtha
	Proto-Yogic Concepts and Practices in the Vedic Literature
		Mantra
		Tapas, Prānāyāma, and Brahmacarya
		Vrata and Āśrama
		Soma, Visa, Ausadhi
	Virtuosos and Proto-Yogis in the Vedic Literature
		Rsi
		Keśin and Muni
		Brahmacārin
		Yati, Tapasvin, Vrātya
	The Vedic Roots of Yoga
Chapter 3 Brāhmanical Asceticism and Śramana Traditions
	The Emergence of Asceticism and Renunciation in Indic Religion
	Brāhmanical Asceticism in the Āranyakas and Upanisads
	From Sacrifice (yajña) to Knowledge (jñāna)
	Methods of Yoga in the Upanisads
	Emergence of the Śramana Traditions
	Mahāvīra and the Jain Model of Asceticism and Yoga
	The Life of Mahāvīra Vardhamāna
	Yogic Principles and Practices in Early Jainism
		Ahimsā and Vrata
		Tapas
		Jhāna
	The Development of Buddhism and the Buddhist Path (mārga)
	The Life of the Buddha
	The Dharma and Samgha
	Yoga in the Early Buddhist Tradition
		Mārga, Vrata, Triśiksā
		Paritta
		Bhāvanā and Śamatha
		Meditation (dhyāna) and Absorption (samāpatti)
		Abhijñā
		Vipaśyanā and Smrtyupasthāna
		Ārya-pudgala
	The Politics of Śramana Asceticism: The Mauryan Empire
Chapter 4 The Classical Hindu Model of Yoga: Pātañjala Yoga and Astāngayoga
	The Yoga Darśana
	Patañjali and the Yogasūtra
	Foundations of Pātañjala Yoga
	Practices of Pātañjala Yoga
		Kriyāyoga
		Astāngayoga
		Yama
		Niyama
		Āsana, Pranayama, and Pratyahara
		Dhāranā, Dhyāna, and Samādhi
		Vibhūti and Siddhi
		Kaivalya
	Role and Import of Pātañjala Yoga
Chapter 5 Hindu Epic, Purānic, and Scholastic Representations of Yoga
	Hindu Epic (itihāsa) Literature: Mahābhārata and Rāmāyana
		The Mahābhārata
		The Yoga of the Mahābhārata
		The Bhagavadgītā
		The Rāmāyana
		The Yogavāsistha
	Hindu Purāna Literature: Sectarian Narrative and Practice
	Deities of the Purānas
	Astāngayoga in the Purāna Literature
	The Integration of Yoga into Brāhmana Life
	Smārta Yoga and Priestly Law and Ritual
	Yoga and Vedānta Philosophical Systems
	The Classical Hindu Representation of Yoga
Chapter 6 Classical Śramana Traditions of Yoga
	Jain Sectarian Traditions and the Path to Liberation
		The Tattvārthasūtra of Umāsvāti
		The Yogadrstisamuccaya of Haribhadra and the Yogaśāstra of Hemacandra
	Buddhist Scholasticism and Path (mārga) and Abhidharma Literature
		The Vimuttimagga and the Visuddhimagga
		The Abhidharmakośa and Abhidharmakośabhāsya
	Rise of the Mahāyāna Tradition
	Mahāyāna Monasticism and Householder Traditions
		Madhyamaka
		Yogācāra
		The Lotus Sūtra and the Ekayāna
		The Bodhisattva Path
		Mahāsattva Bodhisattvas
		Mahāyāna Buddhas
		Mantra and Manḍala
	Śramana Traditions and the Transformation of Yoga Traditions
Chapter 7 The Medieval Transformation of Yoga: Bhakti, Tantra, and Hathayoga
	Sectarian Traditions, Popular Devotion, and Ascetic Sampradāyas
		Śaiva Traditions
		Vaisnava Traditions
		Śākta Traditions
		Hindu Sectarian Traditions of Renunciation
		Bhakti
	The Rise of Tantric Traditions
	Origins and Paths of Tantra
		Śaiva Tantra
		Vaisnava Tantra
		Śākta Tantras
		Buddhist and Jain Tantras
	Principles of Tantric Practice
		Transgression
		The Subtle Body (sūksma-śarīra)
		Nādī and Cakra Systems
		Yoginīs and Dākinīs
		Tantric Astāngayoga and SAdangayoga
		Tantric Power and Enjoyment
		Tantric Liberation
	Nāths, Mahāsiddhas, and the Development of Medieval Yoga Systems
		The Nāths
		Hathayoga, Mantrayoga, Layayoga, and Rājayoga
		Astāngayoga and SAdangayoga in Hathayoga Literature
		Yogāsana
		Prānāyāma and Kriyā
		Mudrā and Bandha
		Jīvanmukti
	Buddhist Mahāsiddhas and Buddhist Tantric Yoga
		The Eighty-Four Mahāsiddhas
		The Six Dharmas of Nāropa
	The Advent of Islam and the Marginalization of Buddhism in India
	The Medieval Legacy of Yoga
Chapter 8 Modern Yoga Traditions
	Elements of Modern Yoga
		Physicalism, Scientism, and Medicalism
		Nationalism and Activism
		Reconstructionism, Universalism, and Orientalism
		Entrepreneurism and Commodification
		Body, Gender, and Sexuality Normativism
	Practices of Modern Yoga
		Āsana, Pranayama, and Vinyasa
		Kundalini, Saktipata, and Kriya
		Satsang, Sevā, Kīrtan, Mantra, and Namaste
		Dhyāna and Bhāvanā
	Progenitors, Popularizers, and Schools of Modern Yoga
		Yoga Modernists, Nationalists, and Activists
		Yogananda and Bhishnu Ghosh
		Bhavanarao Pant and the Sun Salutation
		Swami Ramdev, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, and Sri Ravi Shankar
		Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, the “Father of Modern Yoga”
		B.K.S. Iyengar and Iyengar Yoga
		K. Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, and “Power Yoga”
		T.K.V. Desikachar and Indra Devi
		Swami Sivananda Saraswati and the Sivananda Lineage
		Popular Gurus and Ashrams of Rishikesh
	Modern Tantric, Hathayoga, and Bhaktiyoga Gurus
	Modern Buddhist and Buddhist-Inspired Traditions
	Jain and Sikh Yoga Systems
	Abrahamic Yoga and Hybrid Yoga Systems
	Transformations of Yoga in a New Millennium
Conclusion
Notes
Works Cited
Index