Yoga and Its Roots in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain Traditions

Hindu traditions

• Texts. Yoga appears in the Upanishads, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita. [1]
• Patanjali. Traditional Vedic schools accept the Yoga Sutras as authoritative, and Hindu circles still do. [1] Yoga came to be counted among the six schools of classical Indian philosophy. [1] See the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
• Devotion. Medieval devotional (bhakti) movements integrated parts of the Yoga Sutras with devotion. [2]
• Hatha yoga. Hindu hatha yoga texts appear from the eleventh century onward, many belonging to the Nath tradition. [3]

Buddhist traditions

Early Buddhist texts describe meditative practices, some of which the Buddha is said to have borrowed from the earlier shramana tradition. [2] Practices listed for early Buddhism include the four dhyanas, the foundations of mindfulness and mindfulness of breathing. [2] Two qualities, calm (samatha) and insight (vipassana), are described as indispensable. [2] Later Buddhist traditions developed further yoga methods, including Yogachara in Mahayana. [2] The same source says the oldest dated hatha yoga text comes from a tantric Buddhist setting. [3] For meditation in its own right, see types of meditation.

Jain traditions

The source describes yoga as a central practice in Jainism, with a strict code of non-violence among its foundations. [2] A second-to-fifth-century Jain text, the Tattvarthasutra, defines yoga as the sum of all activities of mind, speech and body. [2] The five yamas of the Yoga Sutras are similar to the five major vows of Jain ascetics, which the source reads as cross-fertilization. [2] The source also notes Jain sources are later than Buddhist ones, so it is hard to separate early Jain practice from elements derived from other schools. [2]

Other Indian traditions

Yogic groups became prominent in Punjab in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, rejected the austerities and rituals associated with hatha yoga. [2]

Is modern yoga a religion?

• NCCIH says yoga began as a spiritual practice but has become popular for physical and mental well-being. [4]
• An encyclopedia article says the relationship of yoga as exercise to Hinduism is complex and contested, and that practices vary from wholly secular to undoubtedly spiritual. [5]
• A US yoga membership organization says classes differ, with some emphasizing philosophy, singing or spiritual growth. [6]
• A 2010 campaign by Hindu groups asked practitioners to recognize yoga's Hindu roots, while critics argued that yoga's roots go back further than Hinduism or that the campaign mixed faulty history with nationalism. [7] See cultural respect and yoga appropriation debates.

If your beliefs are a concern

Ask a teacher before you join what a class includes, such as chanting, readings or altars. You can often find the information in the class description. See mantra, Om and chanting in yoga and yoga styles. Choosing a physical-only class, or declining a part you do not want to take part in, is a reasonable choice.

Health and tradition

Tradition and health evidence are separate questions. Research tests specific practices, such as posture-based yoga for back pain, where a Cochrane review found small benefits that were not clinically important. [8] See yoga evidence by outcome.