Meditation as an Instrument of Consciousness: Reflections on Vijnana Bhairava

The inspiration behind this comes from my own explorations into meditation. Sometimes, I do a breathing exercise called gap meditation wherein I breathe, focusing on the pause between the in-breath and the out-breath. This focus provides immediate relaxation and induces me into becoming silent. Let me say from my first-hand experience that this is quite enchanting — a level of thoughtlessness. In Ken Wilber’s A Brief History of Everything I read about a study in which experienced meditators were asked about their experiences while meditating, and almost everyone felt an ‘expansion’ in their heart — a general love for humanity. I believe regular practice makes it almost impossible to dwell on negative thoughts consciously whenever one is in a meditative state. In what may be called the alpha-theta level of brain waves, there is a natural positive feeling in the individual. In deep sleep (sushupta/delta level of brain waves) all thoughts are lost and so is all identification.

The text Vijnana Bhairava belongs to the spiritual practice of the non-dualistic Saivism of Kashmir. The text is believed to have passed down through generations via the sruti (oral) tradition and has been considered an authoritative text by most masters of Kashmir Saivism. Vijnana here implies experiential knowledge, consciousness, awareness rather than analytical knowledge. It is a book on yoga, not philosophy. Conceptualizations and constructions restrict the true experience of Self and absolute reality is beyond constructions. Bhairava is the name given to the Absolute Reality. Abhinavagupta shows his respect for the Vijnana Bhairava by calling it Sivavijnanopanisad — ‘the secret teaching of the mystical knowledge of Siva’ and he frequently refers to it in his works. It is called the essence of the Rudrayamala Tantra which is now lost in its entirety. The goal of this form of Saivism is the final identification of one’s true nature with the Highest (Siva) — the goal of the spiritual ways, upaya.

Vijnana Bhairava demystifies the ways to reach God. It does not ask anyone to renounce. Instead it asks people to look for divinity even in mundane occurrence. The tantra premise is based on this thinking: that the body is not to be aesthetically subjugated. By means of the one-pointed awareness of the power of the senses, an individual can become one with that whose nature is bliss. Through the thought-free awareness of beautiful music, the beauty of a landscape, a person or any other thing one can reach the inner core of beauty — ‘pure beauty itself’, which is pure joy. What one has to constantly recognize is that the source of joy is within oneself; it is not outside.

There are 112 techniques or dharanas in the text and these are aimed at the metaphorical union of Sakti, the divine energy, with Siva. The dharanas are the process of realization, of the recognition of Sakti’s own nature (pratyabhijna).

Verse 140: If one is established (yuktah) in any one (of these 112 ways), one becomes Bhairava himself.

What is fascinating about this text is that there is an incredible variety of ways of discovering pure consciousness. No realm of experience is left out — whether it be physical mudras,  imaginative meditation (bhavana) or listening to the sounds of musical instruments in uninterrupted succession. The upayas are: (a) anavopaya, where the empirical individual uses one’s own means and instruments, i.e., senses, etc., for self realization; (b) sambhavopaya, the direct approach to Siva and sudden emergence of Siva-consciousness without any thought constructs by mere hint that one’s essential self is Siva; (c) saktopaya, the means to approach the Divine through Sakti, through the ever-recurring thought of oneself as essentially being Siva or the Supreme I-Consciousness.

What follows are some dharanas that are, in my experience, useful. I often find myself entering a calm and relaxed state while practising these.

Verse 25: Dharana 2

By focusing one’s awareness on the two voids (at the end) of the internal and external breath, thereby the glorious form of Bhairava is revealed through Bhairavi. This is the gap meditation.

Verse 41: Dharana 18

If one listens with undivided attention to sounds of stringed and other musical instruments which on account their (uninterrupted) succession are prolonged, he will, at the end be absorbed in the supreme ether of consciousness. It is fascinating that in Indian Classical music, the vocalists, instrumentalists introduce the raga with an alap, a prolonged presentation of the notes of the melody. To me, these gradually still the mind. The tamboura in the background with a singular drone adds to that effect. The aim of this meditation is the realization that even when there are multitudinous sounds through notes presented, ones who maintain a one-pointed awareness will find that there is a collective sound. That is the focus.

Verse 59 and 60: Dharana 36 and 37

One should cast one’s eyes in the empty space of a jar or any other vessel, leaving aside the enclosing walls (containing the space). Then one merges instantaneously in that (empty space), and by virtue of this merging one becomes united with that (great Void); One should cast one’s gaze on an open (stretch of) land devoid of trees, mountains, walls, etc. When the state of the mind is fixed there, then the fluctuating thoughts dissolve (by themselves).

Perhaps the reason the text mentions the focus on vacuum is because when the mind is focused on such an activity, it has nothing to hold on to. No concept, no constructions. It becomes empty. The void therefore leads towards nirvikalpaka awareness.

Verse 72: Dharana 49

When one experiences the expansion of joy of savour arising from the pleasure of eating and drinking, one should meditate on the perfect condition of this joy, then there will be supreme delight. This verse urges the seeker to focus on the fact that the source of that joy arises from within.

Verse 74: Dharana 51

Wherever the mind of the individual finds satisfaction (without agitation), let it be concentrated on that. In every such case the true nature of the highest bliss will manifest itself. This dharana also recommends retracing oneself to the source of the joy experienced, a place where one forgets everything external, and where there is no agitation.

Verse 101: Dharana 78

If one makes one’s mind stable in the various states of desire, anger, greed, delusion, intoxication or envy, then the Reality alone will remain which is underlying them. In my experience, I’ve found that the way to do this is to just become a witness or an observer to the thoughts in those states. The point of focus is in being undisturbed in these moments. By focusing on the moment of its arising one actually remains undisturbed. It is therefore a practice to achieve stability. The text does not ask one to abandon or suppress those states but in fact to be ‘aware’ of them.

Verse 122: Dharana 97

When one perceives a particular object, other objects gradually appear as if void. Meditating on this void in the mind, one attains peace, even when the object is still perceived.

These are some of the meditations mentioned in the text and I have tried and tested them with relative success, as much as an ordinary urban mortal like me could. I hope this will encourage you to leaf through Vijnana Bhairava.

References

1.     Jaideva Singh, Vijnanabhairava, or, Divine Consciousness (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1981).

2.     Lakshman Joo, Vijnana Bhairava: The Practice of Centring Awareness (Varanasi: Indica Books, 2002).

3.     Ernst Furlinger, The Touch of Sakti: A Study in Non-Dualistic Trika Saivism of Kashmir (New Delhi: D.K. Printworld, 2009).

This paper was presented at the national conference on 'Individual and Collective Transformation: Insights from Indian Psychology', Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, 5 February 2011.

Pranav Chadha completed his Master’s in Philosophy from the Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi (2011) subsequent to a Bachelor’s degree in History at St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi (2009). His interests include Vedanta, depth psychology, cricket and all forms of music except metal. He also plays the flute.