YOGA Discipline

Order Description MIDTERM ESSAY ASSIGNMENT On the basis of the assigned course material, write an essay addressing one of the following topics: 1. Compare and contrast the relationship between ethics and spiritual practice in the Yogas?tra, Bhagavad G?t?, and/or early Buddhism. How do these Yoga/ meditation traditions vary in their approaches to ethics and social engagement? 2. Compare and contrast the concepts of trance (jh?na) in early Buddhist meditation, and trance/contemplation/contemplative poise (sam?dhi, sam?patti) in the Yoga Sutra. 3. Compare and contrast conceptions of the “powers” (?ddhi/iddhi) that arise through mastery of Yoga/meditation, according to early Buddhist texts and the Yoga S?tra. 4. What significance does the Bhagavad G?t? assign to religious devotion (bhakti)? How does this emphasis on devotion to God compare to other traditions of Yoga/meditation we have studied, especially the Yoga S?tra? 5. Compare and contrast attitudes towards suffering and happiness in the Yoga S?tra and early Buddhist meditation texts. GUIDELINES a. Papers should be approximately 1500–1750 words in length (approximately 6– 7 pages, if double-spaced). You may use any non-italic font, 10–12 points in size. Extra line spacing (such as 1.5 or double) is suggested to facilitate comments. Please indicate clearly which question your essay answers; titles and cover pages are optional. b. The midterm essay will be completed in phases. 1. A complete draft (hard copy) is due in class