Yoga, India, Indian, Hinduism?

Some good yogis think and feel that 'yoga' is being manipulated. They want to protect the lineage of ‘authentic yoga’. They insist that yoga belongs to India, or Indians, or Hinduism. I respect what they think and believe - according to history the practice of 'yoga' did start in India, and was rooted in Hinduism.

But even though the practice of yoga originated in India, it doesn’t mean that yoga belongs to India, or Indians, or Hindus. Yoga is for all humanity. It exists in the universe for all beings to transform the modification of the ignorant egoistic mind, to be liberated from ignorance and suffering.

Being in a place that is being possessed, claimed, and named as India, or being identified as an Indian, or being a Hindu, it doesn't guarantee peace and compassion or enlightenment in anyone. If it did, then every Indian, or Hindu, or anyone in India, would already know yoga and have attained self-realization, there wouldn’t be any ignorant beings, and suffering would not exist in India, or for all Indians, or for all Hindus.

If yoga belongs to 'India' and 'Hinduism', then no one else but only 'Indians' and 'Hindus' can be 'allowed' or 'qualified' or 'authorized' to realize yoga of selflessness, or compassion and unconditional peace, to be free from suffering, while all the others who are not Indian or Hindu will never realize yoga, or be compassionate and peaceful, or be free from suffering. But, yoga doesn't belong to anyone or anywhere with a particular quality of name and form. Just as Buddhism also started in a particular place on earth, but it doesn't belong to and isn't limited by that place or anyone. All and everyone are subject to the suffering of impermanence and selflessness, limitation and conditional, and non-self, and anyone also can realize the truth of selflessness, and be free from suffering upon liberation from ignorance. Just like, if 'God' exist, 'God' doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

Although we all live in different regions in the world, have different nationalities, or skin colour and features, or cultures, or languages, or beliefs, or spiritual and religious influences, all and everything exist being supported by the same source, as well as inter-supporting all and everything to be what they are.

How can we limit and condition yoga to a certain region, place, race, and religion when the basic teachings of yoga is oneness or non-separateness, as well as attributelessness, namelessness, and formlessness? What is the difference between this religion and that religion, or being religion-less? What is the difference between this nationality and that nationality on this tiny little earth compared to all the other planets in the universe? Even though we all have different beliefs, religions (or not), traits, characteristics, personalities, and appearances, we are all living beings sharing the same space in the universe that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, dependent on the elements of fire, wind, water, earth and space to exist. Beyond the different names and forms the nature of all and everything is the same. We are not different nor separated from one another. Discrimination of different qualities is non-existing in nature.

All and everyone and everything of all kinds of different qualities and names and forms, are subject to selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary existence, or ceaseless changes and maintenance, decay, disintegration, death, decomposition, or ceased existence.

Yoga exists in all beings regardless of where we are, who we are, what we are, or how we are. All are eligible for realizing yoga, depending on one's correct understanding, effort, perseverance and determination.

The teachings of yoga and Buddhism are all about selflessness, non-dualism, oneness, attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness. Even though the many practices might be different from one another, the end of the practice is not different from each other. If this is not what yoga is - oneness or non-separateness, then I don't want to practice 'this yoga' or share 'this yoga' with other beings. Those who think 'yoga' belongs to them can keep their 'yoga' for themselves.
 
When the Buddha attained enlightenment, he never claimed that he founded Buddhism, neither the teachings and practice of Buddhism belong to any particular race, sect or caste, gender, nationality, or religion, or being. It (the dhamma/the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self) always existed in all beings regardless of the differences of names and forms, regardless of whether all beings and objects are separated by and subjected to time, space and causation, and whether we realize Dhamma, or not. The Dhamma, or the teachings of Buddhism, or the truth of names and forms, existed before Buddha realized the truth and became enlightened. Buddha didn't own the teachings of Buddhism or Dhamma. Dhamma doesn't belong to anyone or any place. Anyone and everyone, even the most ignorant beings, or the most evil beings in the universe, can realize Dhamma and attain enlightenment. It is within every being and beyond time, space and causation. There have been other beings in other regions of the world attained enlightenment before and after Buddha.

Even though the Buddha came from the place or region of India, attained enlightenment in India, and taught Buddhism in India, Dhamma didn't originate from India and wasn't limited only within India. Dhamma does not come from a geographical region or era - it is beyond time and space. Dhamma does not belong to anyone or anywhere.

 

Those who claimed yoga belongs to them, or to a particular place, region, race, or religion, they have no idea towards what yoga is. 

Om shanti.