Mircea Eliade YOGA IMMORTALITY AND ... - Brihaspati.net

* According reinheid Miiller and von Lippmann (Enstehung und Ausbreitung der
Alchemei, II, p. 179), the word rasa, in the Bower Manuscript would have no relation to
mercury, but the problem is not even tolucionado. Concerning the mer-Fliri and alchemy
in Arthasastra. R. V. Patvardhan, Proceedings of 1 Oriental Congress, Poona, 1919, vol.
I, p. CLVj Winternitz, Some Problems of Indian Literature (Calcutta, 1925), p. 101.
duced into Chinese in the 695-699 afio for Siksananda), said: "There is a juice called
Hatake. A Hang this solution can transform Hang Mar thousand bronze into pure gold.
Mahaprajnaparamitopadesa (trans. Kumarajiya at 402-405) is still more precise: Tor
using drugs and charms can turn bronze into gold. Through a skilful use of drugs, Marse
can turn silver into gold, silver and gold. Using spiritual force a man can change stone
into gold or clay. "These are not the only texts (see Note VII, 3), but just to quote a
passage from Mahaprajnaparamitasastra, the important treatise of Nagarjuna translated
into Chinese by Kumarajiva (344-413 of the Christian era, therefore it met three centuries
before the in-crease of Arabic alchemy begins with Jabir ibn Hayyan, to 760 after Jesus
Christ). Among the "Metamorphosis" (mrma-na), Nagarjuna quotes a long list of siddhi
(reducing the size of an atom, enlarge to fill the space, etc..; through stone walls, walking
through the air with his hand touching the sun and the moon) and finally, the
transformation "of the stone into gold and gold in stone." then adds: There are four
classes of Nirmana (metamorphosis): ¥ *) in the world of desire (kamadhatu) the
substantia (dravya) can be transformed, thanks to the hier - bas (osadhi), valuables and
magic tricks, 2?) do-ing beings of supernatural science (abhijna) can transform the
substantia by the force of his magical power (rddhibala) 3P) the Deva, Naga, Asura, etc.
., by force of retribution (vipakabala) of its stock (above), can transform substances; 49)
beings returned to a world of material existence (rupa-dhatu) can transform the
substances through the power of concentration ( samadhibala, trans. E. Lamotte, Le traite
de la Grande Vertude Sagesse, I, ps. 382-383). From which we lle-gar to the conclusion
that the transmutation of metals could be both or mineral alchemy plant and magic, and
by force of samadhi, ie in Yoga. We shall see that this same tradition is registered by
other texts.
Notice now that nothing proves the existence of a dependence on Indian alchemy on Arab
culture. On the contrary, we find the alchemical ideology and practices in the ascetical, or
alii where later, when the invasion d "In India by Muslims, Islamic influence hardly vera.
The alchemy is in relation with Yoga and Tantrism, pan-Hindu traditions and archaic. We
found the Tantric alchemical cos mainly in regions where Islam penetrated low-mind in
Nepal and the Tamil region (where the alchemists called sitter, ie siddha).
It is mainly in literature and tantric traditions that are more accurate references to
alchemy and the highest number of names sidhhd alchemists. Subhasitasamgraha (ed.
Bendall, p. 40, stanza beginning: rasaghrstam yatha ...) gives an important role to
mercury; Sadhanamala (I, p. 350; the Introduction ps. 85-86) mentions the rasarasayana
called the FIFTH Siddhi. A Siddha Carpati text speaks of tar-economic processes (the
fragment in Devamanusyastotra Tucci, indicae Animadver-sions, p. 137). The
Sivasamhita (III, 54) says that the yogi is able to make gold with any metal, rubbing it
with his own excrement and urine data in analog Yogatattva-Upa-nishad (74) where
alchemy is however considered (30 ) as an obstacle in the path of perfection yogi. The
Treaty gratn tantric, translated from Tibetan by A. Griinwedel under the name 84 Die
Geschichte der Zauberer (BaesslerArchiv, V. Leipzig, 1916, ps. 137-220) gives