Yoga says that yama and niyama are the good and bad ways to behave, respectively. Traditional texts talk about ten yamas and ten niyamas, but Patanjali's Yogasutra, which is thought to be the first book written about yoga, only talks about five yamas and five niyamas. In Manusmirti, it is said that following yamas is more important than following niyamas. Here is a short explanation of the yamas and niyamas that you should follow:
Ahimsa, or nonviolence, is one of the most important yamas. It means that you don't want to hurt other people. This cruelty doesn't have to be physical; it can also be mental or emotional. Here, how the killing is done is more important than the killing itself. You shouldn't even want to make other people upset.
Satya, which means "truthfulness," means being honest and sincere in your thoughts, words, and actions. The only way to do this is to get rid of greed and ambition, which are the two main things that keep you from seeing the truth.
- Brahmacharya (Celibacy): Sex has been called one of the most important things people need to live. It's only second to food. Few people have been able to control their sexual urges since ancient times. If these needs aren't met, they can lead to bad behaviour and psychotic tendencies. Yoga puts a lot of weight on being single. It thinks that not only doing sex is sexual, but also thinking, talking, and looking at opposite sex is sexual and should be avoided because of this. Patanjali said that brahmacharya builds a person's veerya, which is another word for mental strength.
- Asteya (Non-theft): In Sanskrit, "steya" means to enjoy or keep things that don't belong to you. This is pretty much the same thing as stealing. A person is more likely to steal when he doesn't love anyone and wants something for himself. A yogi or a student of yoga doesn't need much to live. He has learned how to love both himself and other people. So, he doesn't feel like he needs to take advantage of or steal from other people.
Aparigraha (Non-gathering): This yama means that you shouldn't keep getting money and things just for fun. Yoga teaches people to only get enough money and things to meet their basic needs. This is important because his greed keeps him from focusing, which puts more stress on his mind and body.
All of the above points are about vairagya, or the bad parts of a person's behaviour. Now, let's look at some of the niyamas, or the good parts of behaviour that yoga describes:
- Shoucha (Cleanliness): This includes both mental and physical cleanliness. Yoga says that a mind that is free of prejudices, false beliefs, ignorance, and ego is a clean mind. In general, all of the yamas fall under this niyama because they all have to do with getting rid of some kind of impurity.
Santosha (Contentment): A yogi learns to be happy and content with what he has. He doesn't have to reach any goals.
- Tapas (Religious austerities): This niyama talks about the practises, like fasting, that are needed to make the mind stronger. Yoga says that this makes your body and mind stronger and makes you more resistant to illness. This makes you better able to deal with bad situations.
Swadhyaya (Religious Literature Reading): This practise is a great way to get rid of ignorance and deal with life's problems in a calm way. It helps bring peace to your mind.
Ishwarpranidhana (Devotion): This teaches you to trust in the will of God and to believe that God is in charge of the results of your actions. This is a good habit to get into because it helps you see everything as God's will and gives you peace of mind. This eliminates the fear and worry.
