yogasutra 1.18 - ashtangamarga.com

Samadhi Pada • sutra 18

विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः ॥१.१८॥ virāma-pratyaya-abhyāsa-pūrvaḥ saṁskāra-śeṣo-‘nyaḥ॥1.18॥
The other (asamprajñāta samādhi) is preceded by constant practice (abhyāsa) and is characterised by the persistence of only latent impressions (saṁskāra).

Word by Word Translation

विराम (virāma) – cessation, interruption
प्रत्यय (pratyaya) – content of the mind, cognition, conviction
अभ्यास (abhyāsa) – constant practice, regular repetition, assiduity
पूर्व (pūrvaḥ) – preceded by, antecedent, to come before
संस्कार (saṁskāra) – latent impression, mental tendency, mental imprint
शेष (śeṣaḥ) – residue, that which remains
अन्य (anyaḥ) – other, different

Commentary
In sutra 1.17, Patañjali introduced saṁprajñāta samādhi, a state of meditation where the mind is steadily focused on an object. In this sutra, he presents the next level, asamprajñāta samādhi, where mental fluctuations cease, but the saṁskāra, the mental imprints accumulated over time, remain.
While in samādhi with support (saṁprajñāta) there is still an object of concentration, here only the subtle trace of past experiences remains.

From the perspective of practice, this sutra highlights how the cessation of mental modifications is not immediate, but the result of constant practice (abhyāsa) in the search for stability beyond mental modifications. Even when the mind empties, deep-rooted conditioning does not disappear instantly. Therefore, awareness is essential for these residues to dissolve. Cessation (nirodhaḥ) is not a forced annihilation but a gradual letting go of mental constructs.

Daily Mindfulness Bites
Today, try experimenting with moments of mental stillness without a specific object to concentrate on. A condition in which the mind lets go of all forms of support and rests in pure awareness.
Find a moment during the day to sit in silence, without focusing on anything in particular. Do not try to observe the breath or repeat a mantra. Simply remain present, allowing thoughts to arise and dissolve without holding onto them or pushing them away.
If the mind becomes agitated, welcome it gently. The point is not to “empty” the mind with effort, but to allow everything to settle naturally, like the water of a lake becoming clear again when we stop stirring it.

Reflection
Notice if spontaneous moments of stillness emerge during the day. Perhaps while observing the sky, listening to silence, or losing yourself in a state of presence without thought. Asaṁprajñāta samādhi is not something to “achieve,” but a natural state that surfaces when we let go of all effort.

Insights Behind the Words – Did You Know…?

Pratyaya and Saṃskāra: In the context of yoga, they represent two complementary aspects of the functioning of the mind and the path of inner transformation.

Pratyaya refers to the current content of the mind: it can be a single thought, the object on which attention is focused during meditation, or a conscious tendency that arises in the present moment. For example, while meditating, if a thought crosses your mind, that fleeting image is a pratyaya. In some interpretations, the same term is also used to indicate those “conscious imprints” that, in some way, persist even in deep states like samādhi.

In contrast, the term saṃskāra refers to the residual mental imprints, the subtle and persistent traces left by past experiences. These imprints act as inner seeds, unconsciously conditioning our reactions and habits. Imagine, for instance, that every time you taste a good slice of cake, the mind files that pleasure as a saṃskāra. A modern analogy might compare such an imprint to a “cookie” saved in the “inner browser”: even if the current thought (pratyaya) is different, these “cookies” remain and, later, may influence your choices, perhaps pushing you to seek out that sweet temptation again!

This distinction is fundamental: while pratyaya constitutes the immediate and conscious flow of thoughts, saṃskāra represents the deep substrate that shapes our tendencies and habits. Together, these concepts illustrate how past experiences interact with the present, giving rise to an ongoing intertwining of experiences that can be observed, understood, and ultimately transformed through yogic practice.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

Samadhi Pada • sutra 18

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