In its chapter concerning Vihāra, the Bodhisattvabhūmi deals with the 12 conditions of existence （vihāra） of bodhisattvas. It states that the bodhisattva in the first condition of existence engages in the virtues not in a forced manner （na haṭhayogena）, but by careful consideration （pratisaṃkhyānataḥ）. However, two Chinese translations （one of the 5th century, the other of the 7th） convey that such a bodhisattva engages in the virtues in a forced manner （逼遣方便, *haṭhayogena）, but not by careful consideration （由非思択, *no tu pratisaṃkhyānataḥ）.
In general, Haṭhayoga is known as a technical term referencing a particular practice of yoga, “forceful yoga,” but in the above statement the expression haṭhayogena is used as an adverb that means “forcibly.” The earliest testimony of the negation before haṭhayogena can be found in a commentary on the Bodhisattvabhūmi, translated into Tibetan in the 11th century. Most scholars believe that Haṭhayoga or forceful yoga began to have an influence on Indian thought around the 10th century. In this tendency, Buddhist philosophers who feared the influence of this forceful yoga arguably changed the statement, even though it did not refer to haṭhayogic practice but was used merely as an adverb. As a result, they denied haṭhayoga or the forced manner, and emphasized pratisaṃkhyānataḥ or careful consideration.
