Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i>
This paper suggests that the Uddālaka story, told in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> (MU) (950 CE), in which the young sage Uddālaka undergoes a process of body and mind purification after an experience of the appearance of <i>kuṇḍalinī</i> in the body, prompted by the recitation of the...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-03-01
|
| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/3/111 |
| _version_ | 1817988912746856448 |
|---|---|
| author | Tamara Cohen |
| author_facet | Tamara Cohen |
| author_sort | Tamara Cohen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper suggests that the Uddālaka story, told in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> (MU) (950 CE), in which the young sage Uddālaka undergoes a process of body and mind purification after an experience of the appearance of <i>kuṇḍalinī</i> in the body, prompted by the recitation of the syllable OṂ, could be seen as a precursor to systems of praxis outlined in later Haṭha Yoga (HY) texts. The narrative of Uddālaka paints a picture of a complex and blended world of sectarian influence, spiritual knowledge and embodied praxis within which the MU was no doubt composed, and within which early HY also likely emerged as praxis for the sake of <i>mokṣa</i>. The depiction of Uddālaka’s yogic transformation is summarized here and analyzed to reveal a multilayered picture of influence that may shed light on the formative environment of early Hatha Yoga. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:40:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-59e48152988c40d1808711a034fa9ca4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:40:29Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-59e48152988c40d1808711a034fa9ca42022-12-22T02:22:12ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442020-03-0111311110.3390/rel11030111rel11030111Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i>Tamara Cohen0Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5R 2M8, CanadaThis paper suggests that the Uddālaka story, told in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> (MU) (950 CE), in which the young sage Uddālaka undergoes a process of body and mind purification after an experience of the appearance of <i>kuṇḍalinī</i> in the body, prompted by the recitation of the syllable OṂ, could be seen as a precursor to systems of praxis outlined in later Haṭha Yoga (HY) texts. The narrative of Uddālaka paints a picture of a complex and blended world of sectarian influence, spiritual knowledge and embodied praxis within which the MU was no doubt composed, and within which early HY also likely emerged as praxis for the sake of <i>mokṣa</i>. The depiction of Uddālaka’s yogic transformation is summarized here and analyzed to reveal a multilayered picture of influence that may shed light on the formative environment of early Hatha Yoga.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/3/111yogahaṭha yogamokṣopāyayogavāsiṣṭhakuṇḍalinīpraṇavaprāṇajīvanmuktividehamukti |
| spellingShingle | Tamara Cohen Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> Religions yoga haṭha yoga mokṣopāya yogavāsiṣṭha kuṇḍalinī praṇava prāṇa jīvanmukti videhamukti |
| title | Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> |
| title_full | Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> |
| title_fullStr | Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> |
| title_short | Uddālaka’s Yoga in the <i>Mokṣopāya</i> |
| title_sort | uddalaka s yoga in the i moksopaya i |
| topic | yoga haṭha yoga mokṣopāya yogavāsiṣṭha kuṇḍalinī praṇava prāṇa jīvanmukti videhamukti |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/3/111 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tamaracohen uddalakasyogaintheimoksopayai |