Chitta-Bhumi means the different stages of Chitta (mind).
Although the theory of chitta bhumi originates from Patanjali's Yoga Sutra but Sage Vyasa has elaborated the Chitta Bhumi in his commentary on the Yoga Sutras. Sage Vyasa categorises these bhumis into 5 categories, depending upon the domination of the Chitta by Sattva, Rajas and Tamas gunas. These are
1. Kshipta - Disturbed state of mind where there is a dominance of fluctuating thoughts in the student's mind. Actually it is state of mind which is always involved in things that cause agitation and anxiety and is provoked by Rajas quality and is dominant with Rajoguna. This mind is involved in worldly affairs and sensuous enjoyment due to dominance of activity and inertia properties. Its movement towards the objects is very sharp and man is mainly inspired by outward objects on account of imaginary pleasures, and experiences mixture of pain and pleasure. The chitta is always in pursuit of happiness and even though it dwells in five vishayas - shabda, sparsha, roopa, rasa and gandha, its desire is still insatiable.
2. Mudha - Stupefied state of mind where the student is predominantly in a dull state of mind, due to dominance of inertia. This state of mind is always involved in those things that are caused to dull and dense the mind, by the provocation of tamas quality. In this bhumi, anger, lust, etc. and other vices arise in the chitta due to which it is unable to decide what is right and wrong and what are appropriate choices and decisions. The chitta is filled with vrittis like nidra, tandra, alasya, pramad, etc. and indulges in actions which are prohibitive in scriptures. A mudha chitta is considered better than kshipta chitta because mudha chitta is less disturbed than kshipta. Tamoguna is dominant in this state.
3. Vikshipta - Distracted state of mind, where the student's mind is filled with fickleness caused by Rajas and stability caused by sattva simultaneously in the student's mind. In this state, mind is occasionally steady. So, the mind can be focused for quite sometime, but because of predominance of rajoguna, the mind gets distracted and drifts in pursuit of things. It can be said that due to sattvaguna, the chitta sometimes becomes stable. Troubled by sorrows of life, the chitta is sometimes attracted towards ishwarbhakti but when the sensual pleasures manifest, then it loses its stability again. Vikshipta is better than earlier two chitta bhumis. This chittabhumi is usually present in those who are virtuous and the first time Yoga Sadhakas.
The first three bhumis are non-yogic states of mind and are not suitable for yoga. These are called Vyuthith bhumi.
4. Ekagra - One pointed State when the student is ready to enter into a yogic state of mind or yoga bhumi. Yog is able to recognize distinction between soul and matter. Here, it is because sattvika vritti is predominant and the sadhaka's mind remains engaged and focussed on one thing. Rajoguna and Tamoguna are in suppressed state. And so, the mind is concentrated on one subject, because then all kinds of external vrittis stop. Kleshas of the yogic student are diminished and so, he is therefore able to attain samprajnata samadhi. The Yogi only has smiriti of samprajnata samadhi as a remnant in this bhumi.
When the student progresses from the kshipta, mudha and vikshipta state of mind to reach ekagra state, it is called as samprajnat.
5. Niruddha - Restrained state of mind that is free from any sort of thoughts good or bad (No-Mind Stage). In this state, all the modifications of mind and all types of knowledge achieved till the state of cognitive trance are restrained. Here, due to continuous and intense practice of tapa, swadhaya and dhyana (Kriya Yoga), the vrittis of the yogic student are ceased and only the yathartha jnana from samprajnata samadhi remains as samskaras. This is the state of asamprajnata samadhi where there is a complete cessation of vrittis and even the smriti of samprajnata samadhi dissolves and the yogi attains the highest state of Niruddhavastha.
These last two states of mind is yoga bhumi as these are yogic states of mind when the student aims to reach the state of Niruddha progressively from one state to the other.
When the student reaches the Niruddha state of mind, it is called asamprajnat.
