About the Work
“Dhyana and Samadhi” is the seventh chapter of Swami Vivekananda’s Raja-Yoga, a foundational text on the philosophy and practice of yogic meditation. The chapter appears in Volume 1 of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, a multi-volume compilation of the Swami’s lectures, writings, and discourses. The chapter follows a prior chapter titled “Pratyahara And Dharana,” continuing the systematic exposition of the eight limbs of Raja-Yoga as taught in the Indian philosophical tradition.
The work is didactic and philosophical in nature, written in the form of a lecture or discourse. Vivekananda addresses his audience directly, using the second person and referring to his immediate surroundings, such as the table before him and the presence of the audience, to illustrate his points. The chapter is structured as a progressive argument, moving from an analysis of the nature of consciousness through a defense of the superconscious state, and culminating in practical instruction on meditation and its ultimate goal.
The text is not merely theoretical; it is intended as a guide for spiritual practice. Vivekananda draws on the classical yoga tradition, referencing Sanskrit terms such as Dhyana, Samadhi, Dharana, Pratyahara, and Samyama, and he interprets these concepts for a modern audience. The chapter is characterized by its logical rigor, its engagement with contemporary philosophical questions, and its insistence on the scientific and experiential basis of spiritual knowledge.
Context
The chapter is situated within the broader framework of Raja-Yoga, which Vivekananda presents as a scientific method for achieving spiritual realization. Raja-Yoga, literally the “royal path,” is one of the four main paths of yoga in Hindu philosophy, focusing on the control and mastery of the mind through meditation and concentration. The preceding chapters of the book have laid out the preliminary steps of this path, including moral preparation, physical postures, breath control, and the withdrawal of the senses.
“Dhyana and Samadhi” represents the culmination of this progression. The chapter addresses the final stages of the yogic path, where the practitioner moves from concentration on a single point to a state of absorption in which the distinction between subject and object dissolves. Vivekananda is writing at a time when Eastern spiritual traditions were being introduced to the West, and he is concerned with presenting yoga not as a mystical or superstitious practice but as a rigorous, systematic science of the mind.
The intellectual context of the chapter includes the philosophical debates of the late nineteenth century, particularly the challenges posed by materialism, utilitarianism, and scientific rationalism to religious belief. Vivekananda engages directly with these challenges, arguing that reason alone is insufficient to answer the deepest questions of human existence and that a higher state of consciousness is necessary. He also addresses the problem of religious fanaticism, using the example of Mohammed to illustrate the dangers of unregulated spiritual experience.
The chapter is also situated within the broader context of Vivekananda’s mission to revive and reform Hinduism. By presenting yoga as a universal science, he seeks to demonstrate that the insights of the ancient Indian sages are not confined to any particular culture or religion but are accessible to all humanity. His emphasis on the experiential basis of spiritual knowledge and his critique of book-worship reflect his conviction that true religion must be based on direct personal realization rather than on blind faith in scriptures.
Structure of the Book
The chapter “Dhyana and Samadhi” is organized as a continuous argument, but it can be divided into three major movements. The first movement establishes the existence of a superconscious state by analyzing the nature of the mind and its various planes of operation. The second movement defends the necessity and validity of this superconscious state, addressing objections and providing evidence from the lives of religious teachers. The third movement offers practical instruction on how to attain this state scientifically and warns of the dangers of doing so without proper training.
The chapter opens with a review of the preceding steps of Raja-Yoga and a discussion of the conscious and unconscious planes of the mind. This leads to the introduction of the superconscious plane, which is identified with Samadhi. The argument then shifts to the application of this idea, addressing the limitations of reason and the need for a higher source of knowledge. Vivekananda examines the claims of religious teachers throughout history, arguing that they all drew on the superconscious state, and he uses the example of Mohammed to illustrate both the power and the danger of unregulated spiritual experience.
The final portion of the chapter provides practical guidance. Vivekananda describes the progression from Dharana (concentration) to Dhyana (meditation) to Samadhi (absorption), and he introduces the concept of Samyama, the combination of these three stages. He concludes with a reflection on the contemplative state as the highest source of happiness and the ultimate goal of human life.
Detailed Section-by-Section Summary
The chapter begins by acknowledging that the preceding steps of Raja-Yoga have been reviewed only cursorily, with the exception of the finer training in concentration, which is the goal toward which the entire path leads. Vivekananda then launches into an analysis of consciousness, using his immediate experience as a starting point. He notes that his consciousness of the table and of the presence of the audience makes him know that these things exist. However, a great part of his existence is not conscious. The organs inside the body and parts of the brain are not consciously perceived.
He provides examples to illustrate this point. Eating food is done consciously, but the assimilation of that food is unconscious. The manufacture of food into blood is unconscious, and the strengthening of body parts from that blood is also unconscious. Yet it is the same “I” that performs all these actions; there cannot be twenty people in one body. One might argue that his business is only eating and assimilating, and that the strengthening is done by someone else, but this cannot be the case because almost every unconscious action can be brought to the conscious plane. The heart beats without apparent control, but by practice men can bring the heart under control, making it beat slowly, quickly, or almost stop. Nearly every part of the body can be controlled in this way. This demonstrates that functions beneath consciousness are also performed by us, only unconsciously.
From this, Vivekananda concludes that the human mind works on two planes. The first is the conscious plane, where all work is accompanied by the feeling of egoism. The second is the unconscious plane, where work is unaccompanied by egoism. Unconscious work lacks egoism; conscious work has it. In lower animals, unconscious work is called instinct. In higher animals, and in man, the highest animal, conscious work prevails.
But the mind does not end there. There is a still higher plane, beyond consciousness. Just as unconscious work is beneath consciousness, there is work above consciousness that is also unaccompanied by egoism. The feeling of egoism is only on the middle plane. When the mind is above or below that line, there is no feeling of “I,” yet the mind still works. When the mind goes beyond self-consciousness, it is called Samadhi, or superconsciousness.
Vivekananda then addresses a potential objection: how do we know that a man in Samadhi has not gone below consciousness or degenerated, since in both cases work is unaccompanied by egoism? The answer is found in the effects and results. When a man enters deep sleep, he is beneath consciousness. He breathes and moves the body without ego, and he returns the same man, with the same sum total of knowledge; no enlightenment comes. But when a man enters Samadhi, if he goes in a fool, he comes out a sage. The difference is clear: from one state a man returns the same, from the other he returns enlightened, a sage, a prophet, a saint, his whole character and life changed and illumined. Since the effects differ, the causes must differ. The illumination from Samadhi is much higher than that from unconsciousness or from conscious reasoning, so it must be superconsciousness. Therefore, Samadhi is called the superconscious state.
The second movement of the chapter opens by summarizing this idea of Samadhi and immediately addressing its application. Vivekananda describes the field of reason and conscious mental workings as narrow and limited, a small circle within which human reason must move, unable to go beyond. Yet beyond this circle lies all that humanity holds most dear. Questions of whether there is an immortal soul, a God, or a supreme intelligence guiding the universe are beyond reason’s field; reason cannot answer them. Reason’s only response is agnosticism: “I do not know either yea or nay.” However, these questions are crucial; without answers, human life becomes purposeless. All ethical theories, moral attitudes, and what is good and great in human nature have been moulded upon answers that came from beyond the circle. Therefore, answers are essential.
Vivekananda argues that if life is only a short play and the universe a “fortuitous combination of atoms,” there is no reason to do good to another. There would be no basis for mercy, justice, or fellow-feeling; the best course would be “to make hay while the sun shines, each man for himself.” If there is no hope, no freedom, only rigorous dead laws, one should only seek personal happiness. He critiques utilitarian grounds for morality, which hold that one should procure the greatest happiness for the greatest number. He asks why one should do this rather than produce the greatest unhappiness, if that serves one’s purpose. The utilitarian cannot answer why one should be unselfish, or how one knows right from wrong. If one is impelled by desire for happiness and fulfills it, that is one’s nature. The passage asks where all truths about human life, morality, the immortal soul, God, love, sympathy, being good, and especially being unselfish come from.
All ethics, human action, and thought hang upon the idea of unselfishness; the whole idea of human life can be put into that one word. The text demands a reason for being unselfish, rejecting poetry and the sayings of “Mr. and Mrs. So-and-so” as insufficient. If utility means the greatest amount of happiness, then selfishness is utility. The utilitarian can never answer this. The answer given is that this world is only one drop in an infinite ocean, one link in an infinite chain. The question is where those who preached unselfishness got this idea. It is not instinctive, since animals do not know it, nor is it reason, since reason knows nothing of these ideas.
Studying history reveals one fact held in common by all great religious teachers: they all claim to have gotten their truths from beyond, though many did not know where. One says an angel came down in human form with wings and delivered a message; another says a Deva, a bright being, appeared; a third dreamed his ancestor told him things. All claim this knowledge came from beyond, not through reasoning. The science of Yoga teaches that they were right, that the knowledge came from beyond reasoning, but that it came from within themselves.
The Yogi teaches that the mind has a higher state of existence beyond reason: a superconscious state. When the mind reaches this state, metaphysical and transcendental knowledge comes to man. This state of going beyond reason may come by chance to someone who does not understand its science; he stumbles upon it and interprets it as coming from outside. This explains why the same inspiration or transcendental knowledge appears in different countries as coming through an angel, a Deva, or God. The meaning is that the mind brought the knowledge by its own nature, and the finding was interpreted according to the belief and education of the person. The real fact is that these various men stumbled upon this superconscious state.
The third movement of the chapter begins with a warning about the danger of stumbling into superconsciousness. The Yogi warns that accidentally reaching the superconscious state carries great danger, frequently resulting in brain derangement. Those who stumbled upon this state without understanding it, however great they were, groped in darkness and typically combined their knowledge with superstition, opening themselves to hallucinations.
Vivekananda uses Mohammed as an example. Mohammed claimed the Angel Gabriel came to him in a cave, took him on the heavenly horse Harak, and he visited the heavens. Despite this, Mohammed spoke wonderful truths; the Koran contains the most wonderful truths mixed with superstitions. He was inspired, but his inspiration was stumbled upon. He was not a trained Yogi and did not know the reason for what he was doing. The passage cites both the good Mohammed did and the great evil through his fanaticism: millions massacred, mothers bereft of children, children orphaned, whole countries destroyed, millions killed.
Studying the lives of great teachers like Mohammed shows that they were all inspired, yet whenever a prophet reached the superconscious state by heightening emotional nature, he brought back not only truths but also fanaticism and superstition, injuring the world as much as the teaching helped. To get reason out of the incongruity of human life, we must transcend reason, but scientifically, slowly, through regular practice, casting off superstition. The superconscious state must be studied like any science. We lay foundation on reason, follow it as far as it leads, and when reason fails, reason itself shows the way to the highest plane.
Vivekananda emphasizes that inspiration never contradicts reason. When someone says “I am inspired” but talks irrationally, reject it. The three states, instinct, reason, and superconsciousness, which correspond to unconscious, conscious, and superconscious, belong to one mind, not three. Instinct develops into reason, reason into transcendental consciousness; no state contradicts the others. Real inspiration fulfils reason, as the prophets said: “I come not to destroy but to fulfil.”
All steps in Yoga aim to bring us scientifically to Samadhi. Inspiration is as much in every person’s nature as in the ancient prophets. They were not unique but men like us, great Yogis who gained superconsciousness. One man reaching that state proves every man can; every man must eventually get there, and that is religion.
Vivekananda then argues that experience is the only teacher. Talking and reasoning all our lives won’t yield understanding of truth until it is experienced. Books cannot make a surgeon; maps cannot satisfy curiosity about a country, they only create desire for more perfect knowledge. Clinging to books degenerates the mind. Calling God infinite while compressing Him into a book is horrible blasphemy. Millions were killed for not believing what books said; though killing has stopped, the world remains bound to book-belief.
The chapter concludes with practical instruction on the steps to superconsciousness. After Pratyahara and Dharana comes Dhyana, meditation, where the mind trained to remain fixed flows in an unbroken current toward that point. Intensifying Dhyana to reject the external part of perception and meditate only on the internal meaning is Samadhi. Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi together are Samyama, giving the mind control over everything.
The final reflection is on the contemplative state as the highest. So long as desire exists, real happiness cannot come. Only contemplative, witness-like study of objects brings real enjoyment. The animal has happiness in senses, man in intellect, god in spiritual contemplation. Only the soul attaining this contemplative state finds the world truly beautiful; to one desiring nothing, nature’s changes are a panorama of beauty and sublimity.
Main Arguments
The central argument of the chapter is that the human mind operates on three distinct planes: the unconscious, the conscious, and the superconscious. The unconscious plane is characterized by instinct and is shared with lower animals. The conscious plane is characterized by reason and egoism and is the domain of normal human activity. The superconscious plane, which Vivekananda identifies with Samadhi, is a state beyond reason and egoism in which the mind gains access to transcendental knowledge.
Vivekananda argues that this superconscious state is not a regression to the unconscious but a progression beyond the conscious. The evidence for this is found in the effects: a person who enters deep sleep returns unchanged, while a person who enters Samadhi returns transformed, enlightened, and with a changed character. Since the effects differ, the causes must differ, and the superconscious state must be a higher state than either the unconscious or the conscious.
A second major argument is that reason alone is insufficient to answer the deepest questions of human existence. Questions about the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and the basis of morality lie beyond the circle of reason. Reason can only respond with agnosticism. Yet these questions are crucial; without answers, human life becomes purposeless, and morality loses its foundation. Vivekananda critiques utilitarianism, arguing that it cannot provide a basis for unselfishness. If utility is the greatest happiness for the greatest number, then selfishness is equally valid as utility. The only adequate answer comes from the superconscious state, which is the source of all ethical and spiritual truths.
A third argument is that the superconscious state is the common source of all religious inspiration. Vivekananda surveys the claims of religious teachers throughout history, noting that they all claimed to have received their truths from beyond, whether through an angel, a Deva, or a dream. The science of Yoga teaches that these teachers were right that the knowledge came from beyond reasoning, but wrong in attributing it to external sources. The knowledge actually came from within themselves, from the superconscious state of their own minds. The interpretation of the experience was shaped by their beliefs and education.
A fourth argument is that the superconscious state must be approached scientifically and systematically, not stumbled upon by chance. Vivekananda uses Mohammed as an example of someone who reached the superconscious state without proper training, resulting in a mixture of profound truths and superstition, and leading to fanaticism and violence. The solution is to study the superconscious state as a science, following reason as far as it leads and then transcending it through regular practice.
A fifth argument is that inspiration never contradicts reason. The three states of mind, instinct, reason, and superconsciousness, belong to one continuous mind, and each develops from the previous. Real inspiration fulfils reason rather than contradicting it. Therefore, any claim of inspiration that is irrational should be rejected.
A final argument is that experience is the only true teacher. Books and reasoning can only go so far; they cannot convey the reality of spiritual truth. The superconscious state must be experienced directly. This experience is available to everyone, not just to a select few prophets. One man reaching that state proves that every man can, and every man must eventually get there. This, Vivekananda states, is religion.
Key Concepts
Samadhi: The superconscious state, in which the mind goes beyond self-consciousness and egoism. It is characterized by the attainment of transcendental knowledge and the transformation of the individual’s character. Samadhi is the goal of Raja-Yoga.
Superconsciousness: The plane of the mind above consciousness, where work is unaccompanied by egoism. It is distinguished from the unconscious plane by its effects: a person returns from Samadhi enlightened, whereas a person returns from deep sleep unchanged.
Consciousness: The middle plane of the mind, characterized by reason and the feeling of egoism. It is the normal state of human waking awareness.
Unconsciousness: The plane of the mind beneath consciousness, characterized by instinct and the absence of egoism. It governs bodily functions such as digestion and heartbeat, which can be brought under conscious control with practice.
Egoism: The feeling of “I” that accompanies conscious mental work. It is absent in both the unconscious and superconscious states.
Instinct: Unconscious work as it appears in lower animals. It is the precursor to reason in higher animals and humans.
Reason: Conscious mental work, the domain of logic and rational thought. It is limited in its ability to answer metaphysical and ethical questions.
Dhyana: Meditation, the state in which the mind, trained to remain fixed, flows in an unbroken current toward a single point. It follows Pratyahara and Dharana.
Dharana: Concentration, the fixing of the mind on a single point. It is the preliminary stage to Dhyana.
Pratyahara: The withdrawal of the senses from external objects, a preparatory stage in Raja-Yoga.
Samyama: The combination of Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. When these three are practiced together, they give the mind control over everything.
Unselfishness: The central principle of all ethics and human life. Vivekananda argues that the basis for unselfishness cannot be found in reason or utility but must come from the superconscious state.
Utilitarianism: The ethical theory that the right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Vivekananda critiques this theory for its inability to justify unselfishness.
Inspiration: Knowledge received from the superconscious state. It is the common source of all religious truths, though it is often misinterpreted as coming from external sources such as angels or gods.
Book-worship: The excessive reliance on scriptures and written texts. Vivekananda argues that this degenerates the mind and prevents direct spiritual experience.
Contemplative state: The state of witness-like observation of objects, free from desire. It is the highest source of happiness and the ultimate goal of human life.
Themes
The Science of Spirituality: A dominant theme of the chapter is that spiritual experience can and should be studied scientifically. Vivekananda repeatedly emphasizes that the superconscious state must be approached systematically, through regular practice, and that it can be verified by its effects. He compares the study of the mind to the study of any other science, insisting that the superconscious state is as accessible to rigorous investigation as the physical world.
The Limits of Reason: The chapter presents a nuanced view of reason. Reason is not to be discarded but is to be followed as far as it leads. However, reason has inherent limits; it cannot answer the deepest questions of human existence. The chapter argues that these questions are nonetheless crucial and that the answers must come from a higher state of consciousness.
The Crisis of Morality: Vivekananda addresses the moral crisis of his time, in which the foundations of ethics were being challenged by materialism and utilitarianism. He argues that without a basis for unselfishness, morality collapses. The only adequate foundation for ethics is the superconscious state, which reveals the unity of all existence and the necessity of selfless action.
The Dangers of Unregulated Spirituality: The chapter warns of the dangers of spiritual experience without proper training. Using Mohammed as an example, Vivekananda shows that stumbling into the superconscious state can lead to fanaticism, superstition, and violence. The solution is not to reject spiritual experience but to approach it scientifically and systematically.
The Universality of Religious Experience: Vivekananda argues that all great religious teachers, regardless of their tradition, drew on the same superconscious state. The differences in their interpretations are due to their cultural and educational backgrounds. This theme supports the idea that there is a universal spiritual reality underlying all religions.
The Primacy of Experience over Books: The chapter criticizes the worship of scriptures and the reliance on secondhand knowledge. True understanding comes only through direct personal experience. Books can point the way but cannot substitute for the experience itself.
The Transformative Power of Samadhi: The chapter emphasizes that Samadhi is not merely an intellectual state but a transformative experience that changes the entire character of the individual. A person who enters Samadhi as a fool emerges as a sage. This transformation is the ultimate proof of the validity of the superconscious state.
The Contemplative Ideal: The chapter concludes with a vision of the contemplative life as the highest ideal. The person who has transcended desire and attained the witness-like state finds the world truly beautiful and experiences real happiness. This ideal is contrasted with the pursuit of sensory pleasure and intellectual achievement.
The Author’s Conclusions
Vivekananda concludes that the human mind is capable of a state of consciousness beyond reason, which he calls Samadhi or superconsciousness. This state is the source of all metaphysical and ethical knowledge, and it is the only adequate answer to the deepest questions of human existence. Reason alone is insufficient; it must be transcended, but transcended scientifically, through the systematic practice of Raja-Yoga.
He concludes that all great religious teachers, including Mohammed, drew on this superconscious state, but that those who stumbled upon it without proper training mixed their insights with superstition and fanaticism. The solution is to study the superconscious state as a science, following reason as far as it leads and then going beyond it through regular practice.
Vivekananda concludes that inspiration never contradicts reason; the three states of mind, instinct, reason, and superconsciousness, are continuous and develop from one another. Real inspiration fulfils reason. Therefore, any claim of inspiration that is irrational should be rejected.
He concludes that experience is the only true teacher. Books and reasoning are insufficient; the superconscious state must be experienced directly. This experience is available to everyone, and one person’s attainment proves that all can attain it. This, he states, is religion.
Finally, Vivekananda concludes that the contemplative state, free from desire, is the highest source of happiness. The animal finds happiness in the senses, man in the intellect, and the god in spiritual contemplation. Only the soul that attains this state finds the world truly beautiful, and to one who desires nothing, nature’s changes are a panorama of beauty and sublimity.
Significance
The significance of “Dhyana and Samadhi” lies in its presentation of yoga as a scientific and universal path to spiritual realization. Vivekananda is not content to present yoga as a mystical or esoteric practice; he grounds it in a rigorous analysis of consciousness and addresses the philosophical challenges of his time. By arguing that the superconscious state is the source of all religious inspiration, he provides a framework for understanding the unity of world religions and the common ground of human spiritual experience.
The chapter is also significant for its engagement with the moral crisis of modernity. Vivekananda confronts the implications of materialism and utilitarianism, arguing that they cannot provide a foundation for ethics. His insistence that unselfishness is the central principle of human life and that its basis lies in a higher state of consciousness remains a powerful challenge to purely secular accounts of morality.
The chapter’s warning about the dangers of unregulated spiritual experience is also significant. By using Mohammed as an example, Vivekananda acknowledges the potential for fanaticism and violence in religious enthusiasm while insisting that the solution is not to reject spiritual experience but to approach it scientifically. This balanced view is relevant to contemporary discussions of religious extremism.
Finally, the chapter is significant for its emphasis on direct personal experience over book-worship. Vivekananda’s critique of the degeneration of the mind through reliance on scriptures and his insistence that true understanding comes only through experience anticipate later developments in religious studies and the psychology of religion. His call to study the superconscious state as a science has influenced the integration of meditative practices into modern psychology and the growing interest in contemplative traditions.
The chapter stands as a key text in the modern interpretation of yoga, presenting it as a practical, experiential, and universal path that is accessible to all humanity. Its arguments for the existence of a superconscious state, the limits of reason, and the primacy of experience continue to resonate with seekers and scholars alike, making it a lasting contribution to the literature of spiritual philosophy.
