It is part of the Sankhya Yoga which itself is a form of Jnana Yoga. Historically however the term ‘Jnana Yoga’ came later. The word that was well known was Sankhya which is perhaps the oldest school.
(2) What are the features of Buddhi Yoga?
In the actual practice the method is to detach the intelligence from outer things (senses and their objects) and fix it upon the One Self. It is to take a witness attitude towards Nature and all its activities with their ever changing appearances. By doing so and not consenting to every push and pull, our consciousness enters into a Witness State. It gets separated from appearances and gets fixed in the One. The discursive movement of the intellect must withdraw from running after sense stimulus or leap at every mental suggestion. It must be restrained by the mind and buddhi, the intelligent-will and fixed in the One, the supreme Divine Self. Action must not be performed for particular results but done in a state of inner stillness. This inner renunciation of the fruits and fixing the consciousness in the One Divine liberates us from the bondage that accrue due to the action as it generates various reactions of anger, grief, pleasure, disappointments, happiness etc.
There is here a subtle difference however as in the traditional Jnana Yoga the aspect of nishkama Karma, equanimity, fixing the intelligence in the Divine beyond the One Self are not there. Karma is regarded as a bondage, to be dropped off or reduced to a minimum after realising the Self.
(3) Can stoicism considered a stage as well as a part of Buddhi yoga?
Stoicism does have certain features that point towards the Jnana Yoga but its idea of the Divine Principle is limited to the Kshara Purusha, the Cosmic Intelligence involved in Nature. The stoic attitude can be one of practices that help us detach from the touches and reactions of Nature. At best it may deepen into equality. But it doesn’t lead to the state of Stithpragya of the Gita, that state of imperturbable calm but more a capacity to bear and endure without the usual reactions.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
