Yougika Pratyaksha, seeing directly through yogic means

Ramaswami Srivatsa

When I study subjects like Yoga sutras, Upanishads or other adhyatmika darshanas preferably under a teacher, word by word and thoroughly, the knowledge I get is Agama pragnya or textual or may also be termed as paroksha or indirect knowledge.. para means other aksha would be eye, or seeing through some one else's eyes. Then I sit down, contemplate deeply, try to find satisfactory answers to the doubts that arise in my mind and also doubts raised by other thought processes . After deep contemplation I am convinced that what the particular viewpoint is indeed the Truth. That state of my mind is known as anumana or inference. When once I am convinced that I have understood the subject correctly and the philosophy itself is absolutely convincing, I proceed to the next stage of direct experience. By following the procedures of deep meditation I develop an unwavering concentration ( samadhi) and with that acquired capability I contemplate on the Truth about myself and am able to see it in my mind's eye, exactly as I read in the text and contemplated . I have nothing else to do. This state of direct perception is variously described as aparoksha or seeing without other's eyes (or directly) or yougika pratyaksha or seeing directly through yogic means. We experience external objects directly with the senses and that is called pratyaksha or direct perception. Seeing directly in the mind's eye the true nature of one's own self is called Yougika-pratyaksha or yogic direct perception.