Vigyan Bhairav Tantra
Encyclopedia
The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra (Sanskrit
: विज्ञान भैरव तन्त्र, Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra) is a key text of the Trika
school of Kashmir Shaivism
. Cast as a discourse between the god Siva
and his consort, it briefly presents 112 methods of meditation
. These include several variants of breath awareness
, non-dual mottos, chanting
, exercises of visualisation and imagination and contemplation through each of the senses. A prerequisite to success in any of the 112 practices is a clear understanding of which method is most suitable to the practitioner.
Agama
. Devi
, the goddess, asks Siva to reveal the essence of the way to realization of the highest reality. In his answer Siva describes 112 ways to enter into the universal and transcendental state of consciousness. References to it appear throughout the literature of Kashmir Shaivism, indicating that it was considered to be an important text in the monistic school of Kashmir Shaiva philosophy.
The text appeared in 1918 in the Kashmir Series of Text and Studies (‘’KSTS’’). The Kashmir Series published two volumes, one with a commentary by Kshemaraja and Shivopadhyaya and the other with a commentary, called Kaumadi, by Ananda Bhatta.
It was introduced to the west by Swami Lakshman Joo
, whose western associates included Miguel Serrano
and Paul Reps
. The latter brought the text to wider attention by including an English translation in his popular book Zen Flesh, Zen Bones. Reps' translation was the subject of a voluminous commentary by Osho
. Several other translations and commentaries have since become available.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: विज्ञान भैरव तन्त्र, Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra) is a key text of the Trika
Trika
Trika, a concept of Kashmir Shaivism, refers to the 3 goddesses Parā, Parāparā and Aparā which are named in the Mālinivijayottata-tantra, a Bhairava Tantra.This gives Kashmir Saivism its other name, Trika.-Śiva, Śakti and :...
school of Kashmir Shaivism
Kashmir Shaivism
Among the various Hindu philosophies, Kashmir Shaivism is a school of Śaivism consisting of Trika and its philosophical articulation Pratyabhijña...
. Cast as a discourse between the god Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and his consort, it briefly presents 112 methods of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
. These include several variants of breath awareness
Vipassana
Vipassanā or vipaśyanā in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality. A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi . Vipassana is one of the world's most ancient techniques of meditation, the inception of which is attributed to Gautama Buddha...
, non-dual mottos, chanting
Japa
Japa is a spiritual discipline involving the meditative repetition of a mantra or name of a divine power. The mantra or name may be spoken softly, enough for the practitioner to hear it, or it may be spoken purely within the recitor's mind...
, exercises of visualisation and imagination and contemplation through each of the senses. A prerequisite to success in any of the 112 practices is a clear understanding of which method is most suitable to the practitioner.
The text
The text is a chapter from the Rudrayamala Tantra, a BhairavaBhairava
Bhairava , sometimes known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji , Kaala Bhairavar or Vairavar , is the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with annihilation...
Agama
Agama
Agama is a term for scriptures in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism:* Āgama * Āgama * Āgama The corresponding adjective is Agamic.Agama can also refer to:...
. Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
, the goddess, asks Siva to reveal the essence of the way to realization of the highest reality. In his answer Siva describes 112 ways to enter into the universal and transcendental state of consciousness. References to it appear throughout the literature of Kashmir Shaivism, indicating that it was considered to be an important text in the monistic school of Kashmir Shaiva philosophy.
The text appeared in 1918 in the Kashmir Series of Text and Studies (‘’KSTS’’). The Kashmir Series published two volumes, one with a commentary by Kshemaraja and Shivopadhyaya and the other with a commentary, called Kaumadi, by Ananda Bhatta.
It was introduced to the west by Swami Lakshman Joo
Swami Lakshman Joo
Swami Lakshman Joo Raina was a famed mystic and scholar of Kashmir Shaivism. He was known as Lal Sahib by followers and considered by them to be a fully realized saint.- Family :...
, whose western associates included Miguel Serrano
Miguel Serrano
Miguel Serrano was a Chilean diplomat, explorer and author of poetry, books on spiritual questing and Esoteric Nazism...
and Paul Reps
Paul Reps
Paul Reps was an American artist, poet, and author. He is best known for his unorthodox haiku-inspired poetry that was published from 1939 onwards. He is considered one of America's first haiku poets....
. The latter brought the text to wider attention by including an English translation in his popular book Zen Flesh, Zen Bones. Reps' translation was the subject of a voluminous commentary by Osho
Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh)
Osho , born Chandra Mohan Jain , and also known as Acharya Rajneesh from the 1960s onwards, as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during the 1970s and 1980s and as Osho from 1989, was an Indian mystic, guru, and spiritual teacher who garnered an international following.A professor of philosophy, he travelled...
. Several other translations and commentaries have since become available.
Translations
- 1957 Paul Reps – Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.
- 1961 Lilian Silburn – Le Vijnana Bhairava.
- 1972 Osho – The Book of Secrets.
- 1979 Jaidev Singh – Vijnana Bhairava or Divine Consciousness.
- 2002 Bettina Baumer – Vijnana Bhairava, The Practice of Centering Awareness.
- 2003 Swami Saraswati Satyasangananda – Sri Vijnana Bhairava Tantra: The Ascent.
- 2007 Swami Lakshmanjoo – Vijnana Bhairava, The Manual for Self Realization.
- 2010 Dmitri Semenov -- Vijnaanabhairava or Techniques for Entering Liminal Consciousness.
External links
- Muktabodha Online Library - containing many Text of the Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies.
- Swami Lakshmanjoo, USA