By Swami Harshananda
Samapatti literally means ‘attaining identity with the object of concentration’.
This is a technical term used by Patañjali[1] in his Yogasūtras.[2] Literally it means attaining identity[3] totally with the object of concentration. It refers to the state that the mind attains.
When the citta or the mind loses its vṛttis or modifications raised by tamas and rajas through yogic disciplines and becomes absolutely pure like a colorless crystal which becomes one with the object of concentration, it is said to have attained samāpatti. This is like the pure crystal totally reflecting a red hibiscus flower kept near it as if losing its own identity in the process. This is the same phenomenon as samādhi.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore