For those who possess intense zeal and earnestness in their practice, spiritual attainment draws near. Yet, even among such seekers, there are differences—some apply mild effort, others moderate, and a few pursue their goal with utmost intensity. Each one’s progress reflects the degree of their effort. But there is also another way: through wholehearted devotion to the Lord. This Lord, Īśvara, is a special Self, untouched by the afflictions of suffering, untouched by actions and their results, and free from the subtle impressions of past deeds. In Him lies the unsurpassed seed of omniscience, the source of all-knowing wisdom. He is the teacher of even the most ancient sages, unbound by the limits of time. The sacred syllable Om is His special designation. By repeating this syllable and deeply contemplating its meaning, the seeker draws closer to the Lord. Through this practice, inward consciousness arises, and the obstacles that hinder progress begin to fall away. Many obstacles can disturb the mind: disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, lack of self-control, mistaken perception, failure to attain a state, and instability. These distractions give rise to suffering, depression, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing. To remove such obstacles, one must devote oneself to the steady practice of a single principle. A powerful way to purify the mind is to cultivate friendliness toward the happy, compassion toward those who suffer, joy toward the virtuous, and equanimity toward those who are not. In this way, the mind becomes clear and serene. Other methods can also bring calm: gentle exhalation and retention of the breath, focusing the mind on a sensory object, dwelling in a state of inner luminosity free from sorrow, turning attention toward one who is free from passion for sense objects, resting the mind on knowledge that arises in dreams or deep sleep, or meditating upon whatever is most suitable to one’s own inclination. When mastery is gained, it extends from the smallest atom to the greatest magnitude. As the fluctuations of the mind subside, the mind becomes like a flawless jewel, taking on the color of whatever is placed before it—whether the perceiver, the act of perception, or the object perceived. This is the state of absorption. In the beginning, this absorption is accompanied by reasoning; it is mixed with concepts of words, meanings, and knowledge. But as memory is purified, the mind becomes empty of its own nature, and only the object shines forth—this is absorption without reasoning. In the same way, there is absorption with and without subtle reflection, even concerning the most subtle objects. Ultimately, the subtlest object of meditation is that which is without distinguishing mark. All these states are called samādhi with seed, for they still contain the seeds of impressions. But when mastery is gained in absorption without subtle reflection, clarity of the inner self arises. In this state, knowledge is filled with truth, distinct from knowledge gained by testimony or inference, for it is direct and concerns a particular object. The impression born of such absorption blocks out other impressions. When even this impression ceases, and all cessation is complete, the highest samādhi arises—samādhi without seed. The yoga of action is founded on three pillars: austerity, study, and devotion to the Lord. These are practiced to cultivate samādhi and to weaken the afflictions that cloud the mind. The afflictions are five: ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life. Of these, ignorance is the field from which the others grow, whether they are dormant, weakened, interrupted, or fully active. Ignorance is to see what is impermanent as permanent, what is impure as pure, what is painful as pleasurable, and what is not the self as the self. Egoism is the apparent identification of the power of seeing with that which is seen, as if they are one and the same. Attachment arises from dwelling on pleasure, while aversion arises from dwelling on pain. Clinging to life flows on by its own force, established even in the wise, just as in all beings.