Yamas represent a series of ethical rules in Hinduism and Yoga. They are a list of “Do Nots” for interacting with the external world meant to bring about a compassionate death for the ego.
There are ten traditional yamas in some scriptures:
- Ahimsa (अहिंसा): Nonviolence. Abstinence from injury; harmlessness, the not causing of pain to any living creature in thought, word, or deed at any time. This and Satya (सत्य) are the “main” yama. The other eight are there in support of its accomplishment.
- Satya (सत्य): truthfulness, word and thought in conformity with the facts.
- Asteya (अस्तेय): non-stealing, non-coveting, non-entering into debt.
- Brahmacharya (ब्रह्मचर्य): divine conduct, continence, celibate when single, faithful when married.
- Kshama (क्षमा): patience, releasing time, functioning in the now.
- Dhriti (धृति): steadfastness, overcoming non-perseverance, fear, and indecision; seeing each task through to completion.
- Daya: (दया): compassion; conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings.
- Arjava (अर्जव): honesty, straightforwardness, renouncing deception and wrongdoing.
- Mitahara (मितहार): moderate appetite, neither eating too much nor too little; nor consuming meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs.
- Shaucha (शौच): purity, avoidance of impurity in body, mind and speech. (Note: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras list Shaucha as the first of the Niyamas.)
The yamas are designed to conquer self, and eradicate hostile intentions, but they must not be followed out of desire for an end goal. To do this, one must concentrate on the opposite of what it is one is trying to overcome.
