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waveYamawave

Definition: Ethical restraints; foundational moral principles in yoga.

Insights: Yama includes non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-possessiveness. These principles form the ethical base for all yogic practice.

Related Sutras

2.29

yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayo'ṣṭāvaṅgāni

Importance: 10/10

Yama (abstinences), niyama (observances), āsana (posture), prāṇāyāma (breath control), pratyāhāra (sense withdrawal), dhāraṇā (concentration), dhyāna (meditation), and samādhi (absorption) are the eight limbs of Yoga.

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2.30

ahiṁsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryāparigrahā yamāḥ

Importance: 9/10

Non-violence (ahiṁsā), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), continence (brahmacarya), and non-possessiveness (aparigraha) are the yamas.

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2.31

jātideśakālasamayānavacchinnāḥ sārvabhaumā mahāvratam

Importance: 8/10

When these (yamas) are unqualified by class, place, time, or circumstance and are universal, they are called the great vow.

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2.32

śaucasantoṣatapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥ

Importance: 9/10

Cleanliness (śauca), contentment (santoṣa), austerity (tapas), self-study (svādhyāya), and devotion to Īśvara (Īśvara praṇidhāna) are the niyamas.

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