Aparigrahāh - The Fifth Yama of the Eight Limbs of Yoga
The fifth and final yama (social restraint) is aparigrahāh, Sutra 2.39: Aparigraha-Sthairye Janma-Kathamtā Sambodhah of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras. When translated, this sutra means, “when non-greed is constant, [one] completely understands the how of their life,” or “one who is not greedy is secure, has time to think deeply, and one’s understanding of oneself is complete.”
Aparigrahāh is commonly mistranslated as “non-attachment,” especially in the West, because of a lack of context. There is an idea that yogis should be detached from everything— even our practice. That’s not really the case, or even possible. It’s OK to be connected to and enjoy our practice; this can be a positive thing. However, being overly connected, overly indulgent, or addicted is a different case.
The word aparigrahah literally translates as follows:
a: not
pari: around
grahāh: grabbing
In addition to “not grabbing around,” or not accepting, aparigrahāh also encompasses the idea of non-hoarding and non-greed. In practical terms it means to not accept things that are not appropriate to a relationship, even if they are given to you.
Remembering that the philosophical idea builds with each yama, aparigrahāh now follows brahmacharya. Brahmacarya is the appropriate relationship: Neither party takes what is not theirs, they’re honest about it, and they are non-harming. Therefore, aparigrahāh means to only accept or take what is appropriate to the relationship and to not accept or take that which is not appropriate to the relationship.
Let’s say you’re a college professor and your spouse or partner gives you a Rolex watch as a gift. This gift is appropriate within this relationship. However, a Rolex watch is not an acceptable gift from your student — this gift is not appropriate within the teacher-student relationship.
If the Rolex watch is accepted by the teacher, there is something more to the relationship, which will cause future interactions and responses to be clouded.
Further, Patañjali tells us in this sutra that even if something is offered for free, don’t accept it. Don’t go grabbing around for what is not yours, for what is not appropriate within the relationship.
If you accept something of value, it changes the nature of a relationship. There is now an obligation. If an object given is greater in value than what is appropriate within a relationship, there is no longer an equal exchange of energy. If you don’t have an equal exchange of energy, then you have obligation and you owe. Obligation then clouds judgement and changes your behavior within a relationship.
The same rule applies in underpayment, like in a financial relationship such as employer-employee. This changes behaviors because, if an employer is underpaying or if an employee is underperforming (similar to the principles of asteya), someone is being taken advantage of.
Aparigrahāh is about not allowing yourself to create issues which cause problems later within your relationships. Aparigrahāh is very much defined by brahmacharya and is the reason it follows brahmacharya in the yamas.
Aparigrahāh also teaches us the idea of non-hoarding. When you have stuff, it requires maintenance. In essence, aparigrahāh is not only not grabbing around but it is also about the non-accumulation of things beyond your needs (not accumulating). How many items of clothing do you need? How many cars do you need? How many dishes, glasses, shoes, food, furniture, land, do you need? Anything you accumulate requires maintenance and space. Maintenance and space require effort, time, or money. These things take us out of and away from our internal process. They pull us out of being in-contact within.
If we are constant, if we have stability, and if we are fixed in the non-acceptance of things which are not appropriate within a relationship, then we come to a complete understanding about the how of our life.
What is the how of our life? It’s tuning in and connecting internally with our Knowing — aligning with it, trusting it, and following it.
The objective here is not to feel no connection to or dispassionate about everything; the point is to be connected to the right things. Working toward and seeking out these right, worthy, and positive things in our lives — this is aparigrahāh.
In conclusion, through the yamas Patañjali teaches that we are affected by the way we behave in our relationships with others. It is not just the physical or speech aspects that affect us but also what we think about others during our interactions. The things we do or do not say can potentially have a negative impact on us, or a positive one.
This is really important: Ethics are partially for the other person, but mostly for us! As Patañjali says, “It doesn’t matter if you actually say or do the thing you are thinking about — if you thought it — it’s already had its negative impact on you.”
The yamas explain that we need to guard what we think, guard what we say, and guard what we do. How do we do that? The sutras tell us to reorient our expectations on a fundamental level. When we do that, it then manifests in our responses and reactions to situations.
The entire point of the yamas, and practicing them, is to reorient and reshape the lens of our perspective on the world.
A note for context: My perspective is based in the Viniyoga/Desikachar lineage. Viniyoga is a traditional Indian lineage of Yoga taught by TKV Desikachar, who was the son of Krishnamacharya. My teacher, Chase Bossart, was a 20+ year private student of Mr. Desikachar. I have studied this text with Chase, word for Sanskrit word, for over three years.
Stay tuned to learn more about the rest of the Eight Limbs in my upcoming blog articles.
Namaste,
Kelly