Yoga: Discipline of Freedom: The Yoga Sutra Attributed to Patanjali
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- Create Date：2021-03-28 11:20:03
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Barbara Stoler Miller
- ISBN：0553374281
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Summary
Dating from about the third century A。D。， the Yoga Sutra distills the essence of the physical and spiritual discipline of yoga into fewer than two hundred brief aphorisms。 It is the core text for any study of meditative practice， revered for centuries for its brilliant analysis of mental states and of the process by which inner liberation is achieved。 Yet its difficulties are legendary， and until now， no translation has made it fully accessible。
This new translation， hailed by Yoga Journal for its "unsurpassed readability，" is by one of the leading Sanskrit scholars of our time， whose Bhagavad Gita has become a recognized classic。 It includes an introduction to the philosophy and psychology underlying the Yoga Sutra， the full text with explanatory commentary， and a glossary of key terms in Sanskrit and English。
This new translation， hailed by Yoga Journal for its "unsurpassed readability，" is by one of the leading Sanskrit scholars of our time， whose Bhagavad Gita has become a recognized classic。 It includes an introduction to the philosophy and psychology underlying the Yoga Sutra， the full text with explanatory commentary， and a glossary of key terms in Sanskrit and English。
Reviews
Louis
，
A short yet insightful and accurate translation and explanation of the classic Yoga Sutra attributed to Patanjali。 Barbara Miller explains the aphorisms in an accessible and digestible way。I recommend this text to any student of yoga， serious or not。 The translation may prove illuminating towards the vital spiritual aspect of yoga， which is the essence of the discipline。 It seems that yoga， as it is widely practiced and understood in the West is gravely misunderstood and lacking its full essence A short yet insightful and accurate translation and explanation of the classic Yoga Sutra attributed to Patanjali。 Barbara Miller explains the aphorisms in an accessible and digestible way。I recommend this text to any student of yoga， serious or not。 The translation may prove illuminating towards the vital spiritual aspect of yoga， which is the essence of the discipline。 It seems that yoga， as it is widely practiced and understood in the West is gravely misunderstood and lacking its full essence。If you teach yoga， I reckon it is your duty to read this text， or some other translation of the Yoga Sutra in order for you to know what you are doing， and what you may be dealing with exactly。 。。。more
Eduard Barbu
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Yoga Sutra is the best exposure of the Yoga doctrine I know。 The chief idea of this masterpiece is that the subliminal impressions， called samskara in Indian， are the traces left in mind by the past actions and thoughts。 The meditator returns inside from the phenomenal world through introspection。 He burns the subliminal impressions， thus obtaining the liberation。 Unfortunately， the text contains two flaws。 First， Pantajali makes several statements to the effect that the meditator can attain sup Yoga Sutra is the best exposure of the Yoga doctrine I know。 The chief idea of this masterpiece is that the subliminal impressions， called samskara in Indian， are the traces left in mind by the past actions and thoughts。 The meditator returns inside from the phenomenal world through introspection。 He burns the subliminal impressions， thus obtaining the liberation。 Unfortunately， the text contains two flaws。 First， Pantajali makes several statements to the effect that the meditator can attain supernatural powers。 We might excuse Pantajali for this ingenuity because he lived in a bygone and superstitious age。 Second， though Barabara Miller had done an excellent job translating this fundamental text into English， I find her comments trivial。 She is not a prodigy of critical insight， and sometimes I have the impression she puts words in the mouth of Pantajali。 。。。more
Thevuni Kotigala
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“In a real sense， Patanjali has established what it means in terms of yoga for one’s spirit to achieve its true identity as observer to the world — a witness rather than a suffering participant in a world of ceaseless， volatile change。”
Brooke
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Growing up in western society played a large role in my reading experience。 Eastern thought of the goal of losing oneselves to find integration with God is an idea that I still do not understand。 It was a good learning experience to find that Hinduism is not so much a hippie， love all， pacifism religion， but is very complex and deep。 I know each after a three week study on this topic I've still barely scratched the surface。Also yoga， as a means of meditation， prayer， and worship is a new concept Growing up in western society played a large role in my reading experience。 Eastern thought of the goal of losing oneselves to find integration with God is an idea that I still do not understand。 It was a good learning experience to find that Hinduism is not so much a hippie， love all， pacifism religion， but is very complex and deep。 I know each after a three week study on this topic I've still barely scratched the surface。Also yoga， as a means of meditation， prayer， and worship is a new concept。 American society has certainly white-washed the true devotion and meaning of Hinduism。 Perhaps seeing Hinduism in action in the mother country of India would be a new understanding to it。 。。。more
Zack
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I read this for a class。This is a decent translation with a good format， but the content just isn't my thing， honestly。 I read this for a class。This is a decent translation with a good format， but the content just isn't my thing， honestly。 。。。more
Beth
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Easily my favorite translation of the yoga sutras。
Sara
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I had to read this for my World's Religions class。 having taken a yoga class I did find this text interesting。 But at the same time it was hard for me to keep awake reading this， ans I feel like that had to do with Miller's commentary - it was a bit dense。 All in all， though， this was a quick， interesting read。 I had to read this for my World's Religions class。 having taken a yoga class I did find this text interesting。 But at the same time it was hard for me to keep awake reading this， ans I feel like that had to do with Miller's commentary - it was a bit dense。 All in all， though， this was a quick， interesting read。 。。。more
Arthur Rosenfeld
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I'm a tai chi person， not a yoga person， but I admire the passion of this classic。 I'm a tai chi person， not a yoga person， but I admire the passion of this classic。 。。。more
Jess Moss
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I think I would have enjoyed this more if I practiced yoga。 As it is， I basically speed-read the book so I could count it as "read" before selling it back to the bookstore。 I would have probably gotten more out of it had I taken my time。 I think I would have enjoyed this more if I practiced yoga。 As it is， I basically speed-read the book so I could count it as "read" before selling it back to the bookstore。 I would have probably gotten more out of it had I taken my time。 。。。more
Kelsey
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Spoiler alert。 I think this last line of Yoga Discipline of Freedom really sums up the point to the yoga sutras。 "In a real sense Patanjali has established what it means in terms of yoga for one's spirit to achieve its true identity as observer to the world - a witness rather than a suffering participant in a world of ceaseless volatile change。" -Patanjali， Yoga， Discipline of Freedom。 Spoiler alert。 I think this last line of Yoga Discipline of Freedom really sums up the point to the yoga sutras。 "In a real sense Patanjali has established what it means in terms of yoga for one's spirit to achieve its true identity as observer to the world - a witness rather than a suffering participant in a world of ceaseless volatile change。" -Patanjali， Yoga， Discipline of Freedom。 。。。more
Stacy Lynn
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I enjoyed reading the concepts introduced， and I learned a lot in the process。 Great book！
Sarah
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Miller's introduction and commentary are very helpful - although I obviously can't comment on the quality of the translation， her explanation of the nuances and polyvalence of particular terms and their possible translations is very thorough and interesting。 A great way into understanding Patanjali's text。 Miller's introduction and commentary are very helpful - although I obviously can't comment on the quality of the translation， her explanation of the nuances and polyvalence of particular terms and their possible translations is very thorough and interesting。 A great way into understanding Patanjali's text。 。。。more
Sarah
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Very hard book to get through。 Ancient and allusive， has been debated for a loooong time， but still a yoga must-read。 I enjoyed the translator's discussion of the rationale behind the yamas & niyamas。 The more I learn of yogic philosophy， the more it reaffirms my own faith in my own beliefs in a very positive & complimentary way。 Very hard book to get through。 Ancient and allusive， has been debated for a loooong time， but still a yoga must-read。 I enjoyed the translator's discussion of the rationale behind the yamas & niyamas。 The more I learn of yogic philosophy， the more it reaffirms my own faith in my own beliefs in a very positive & complimentary way。 。。。more
Dennis Littrell
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Excellent for a first readingThe main strength of this book is in the late Professor Miller's Introduction which is lucid and insightful in identifying and placing Patanjali's Yoga Sutras for the general reader。 The weakness is in Miller's use of certain non-yogic and sometimes misleading terms in her translation， usage which stems from her position as an academic of yoga and not a practitioner。 Sometimes she translates words that probably should not be translated since there are no real English Excellent for a first readingThe main strength of this book is in the late Professor Miller's Introduction which is lucid and insightful in identifying and placing Patanjali's Yoga Sutras for the general reader。 The weakness is in Miller's use of certain non-yogic and sometimes misleading terms in her translation， usage which stems from her position as an academic of yoga and not a practitioner。 Sometimes she translates words that probably should not be translated since there are no real English equivalents--for example， "samadhi" itself。 And sometimes she uses what I would consider not the most agreeable English equivalent。Her use of the word "spirit" in the third aphorism is an example: "When thought ceases， the spirit stands in its true identity as observer to the world。" The Sanskrit word she is translating is "drashtri" which is usually "seer" although it can also mean "soul，" according to B。K。S。 Iyengar。 When one reads the next aphorism， "Otherwise， the observer [seer:] identifies with the turnings of thought" it becomes clear that the seer is not spirit; indeed "spirit" is a confusing word in this context since it has no clear cognate in the dualistic yoga philosophy。 The closest equivalent would be "purusha" but that would be inappropriate since that refers to the entire non-material consciousness （as opposed to "prakriti，" which is what is manifested）。 Perhaps I should simply say that "soul" in yogic philosophy is not the same thing as "spirit。"Another example would be her translation of vairagya in I。15 as "dispassion" which is technically correct but misses the larger meaning of the non-attachment that comes from renunciation， which is the point of the aphorism。 I could also quibble with her use of the word "contemplation" as the equivalent of the Sanskrit "samadhi。" But it is really impossible to translate the last three limbs of yoga: dharana， dhyana， and samadhi into English， and the contemporary practice is to simply use the Sanskrit terms themselves。 And， at any rate， there is considerable controversy about the experience of these states。 Miller follows the established practice of rendering them respectively as concentration， meditation， and contemplation。 Yet it is clear that samadhi， especially "nirbija samadhi" or seedless samadhi， is beyond contemplation。 Georg Feuerstein actually defines samadhi as "ecstasy。"Another strength of the book is the translation itself--once one puts aside the quibbles about some of the terms and looks at the forest， as it were， of the entire expression。 Miller has worked hard to make the text readily accessible to the general reader by using familiar terms in familiar sentence structures。 She also groups several related aphorisms together and comments on them as a whole， giving each group a title。 For example， aphorisms I。17 - I。22 are labeled， "Ways of Stopping Thought。" This organization works well in helping the reader to a good overall understanding of Patanjali with only a first reading。 Miller has not simplified the text or dumbed it down in any sense。 What she has done is to give the pithy statements a sort of liquidity that makes for easy reading。Her subtitle: "Discipline of Freedom" is an apt description of Patanjali's yoga in the sense that this yoga employs technique and practice to reach liberation whereas other yogas might employ faith and devotion， selfless service， or knowledge as ways to transcend this earthly existence。I would recommend that this text be studied in conjunction with Iyengar's Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali （1993） since that book contains a more detailed exposition of Patanjali's text and has more extensive commentaries。 --Dennis Littrell， author of “Yoga: Sacred and Profane （Beyond Hatha Yoga）” 。。。more
Briana Saussy
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I've read Patanjali's Yoga Sutras two times cover to cover。 The first time I read it I had been doing yoga for five years and I stopped after reading the book and did not pick up my practice again for two and a half years。 The second time I read it I was practicing again and I did not stop my practice。 "Yoga" comes from the Sanskrit verb "Yuj。" Sanskrit being the Mama of Indo-European/Indo-Iranian languages gives us a cognate of the word in our own language "yoke。" Indeed， that is what the pract I've read Patanjali's Yoga Sutras two times cover to cover。 The first time I read it I had been doing yoga for five years and I stopped after reading the book and did not pick up my practice again for two and a half years。 The second time I read it I was practicing again and I did not stop my practice。 "Yoga" comes from the Sanskrit verb "Yuj。" Sanskrit being the Mama of Indo-European/Indo-Iranian languages gives us a cognate of the word in our own language "yoke。" Indeed， that is what the practice of Yoga as understood by its originators and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are dealing with， the practice of yoking oneself。 To what？ Well， that's where for most of us it gets complicated。 You have to read the book to find out。 But if you spend time on the mat， you should spend time with this book too。 。。。more
Jenny
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I enjoyed the introduction and commentary given by Miller。 A great book that has a lot to offer those who study it。
Ancillar
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boy， am i glad this wasn't my first intro to the sutras。 boy， am i glad this wasn't my first intro to the sutras。 。。。more
Thomas
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A clear and concise translation with just enough commentary to flesh out the short but often obscure aphorisms。 It's not a technical or academic treatment， but the commentary serves as a good jumping off point if you want to get into the deeper philosophical stuff。 If you've already read the Sankhya karikas and are looking for a more rigorous connection with the Yoga Sutra you'll have to turn elsewhere。 Miller's translation is an excellent way to get started though。 A clear and concise translation with just enough commentary to flesh out the short but often obscure aphorisms。 It's not a technical or academic treatment， but the commentary serves as a good jumping off point if you want to get into the deeper philosophical stuff。 If you've already read the Sankhya karikas and are looking for a more rigorous connection with the Yoga Sutra you'll have to turn elsewhere。 Miller's translation is an excellent way to get started though。 。。。more
Jennifer Christensen
，
This translation is so much more accessible than some of the myriad of translations out there。 I browsed several different copies in the used bookstore and no two translations were the same。 Each translator puts their own spin on Patanjali's spartan sanskrit。 This one resonated with me。 This translation is so much more accessible than some of the myriad of translations out there。 I browsed several different copies in the used bookstore and no two translations were the same。 Each translator puts their own spin on Patanjali's spartan sanskrit。 This one resonated with me。 。。。more
Thomas
，
I struggled with this short summary of the Sutras。 I think Miller did little to identify Classical Yoga's philosophy and method in the context of the greater conversation of yoga （about this particular text）。 My opinion is that the recitation of this Sutra is most useful for inspiring faith within the practitioner， and considering the brevity of Disciplineand emphasis on Miller's translation （rather than commentary） this text could be used for just that。 -1 for no original Sanskrit。 I struggled with this short summary of the Sutras。 I think Miller did little to identify Classical Yoga's philosophy and method in the context of the greater conversation of yoga （about this particular text）。 My opinion is that the recitation of this Sutra is most useful for inspiring faith within the practitioner， and considering the brevity of Disciplineand emphasis on Miller's translation （rather than commentary） this text could be used for just that。 -1 for no original Sanskrit。 。。。more
Kara
，
This is the first book I have read of the Yoga Sutra。 Although I have attended countless yoga classes and have a nice little yoga home video library， it was nice to read what this phenomenon called yoga is primarily aimed to achieve。 I knew it had more to do with posture and breathing， those are just a means to an end in enlightenment， and that each asana involves not only the physically body but the mental and spiritual as well。 It is the acknowledgement of spirit playing a central part in yoga This is the first book I have read of the Yoga Sutra。 Although I have attended countless yoga classes and have a nice little yoga home video library， it was nice to read what this phenomenon called yoga is primarily aimed to achieve。 I knew it had more to do with posture and breathing， those are just a means to an end in enlightenment， and that each asana involves not only the physically body but the mental and spiritual as well。 It is the acknowledgement of spirit playing a central part in yoga's reason for being that interests me the most。 By the end of this book I had realized， as if I had known it forever， that if one wants to get to the heart of something， one surely can。 。。。more
Alexis
，