The Yoga of Delight, Wonder, and Astonishment: A Translation of the Vijnana-Bhairava

The Vijnana-bhairava, an ancient teaching of India written between 750–1014 CE, is fascinating, captivating and, at the same time, practical. It is one of the bliss-saturated texts of tantric Shaivism and is a profound esoteric text for the direct knowledge of Siva (divinity). Its essential teaching is centered on the omnipresence and all pervasiveness of […]

The post The Yoga of Delight, Wonder, and Astonishment: A Translation of the Vijnana-Bhairava appeared first on Yoga Chicago.

The Vijnana-bhairava, an ancient teaching of India written between 750–1014 CE, is fascinating, captivating and, at the same time, practical. It is one of the bliss-saturated texts of tantric Shaivism and is a profound esoteric text for the direct knowledge of Siva (divinity). Its essential teaching is centered on the omnipresence and all pervasiveness of the universal consciousness called Bhairava-Siva and how one may attain liberation using a series (or system) of mystical practices and meditations as forms of internal alchemy and inner transformation.

The text, translated by Jaideva Singh, contains 163 teachings and practices in the form of verses that give instruction, known as dharanas, for transcending mundane awareness of the world as a place of objects of duality in order to experience the ultimate bliss-consciousness reality beyond objects. When this experience happens, physical cells, the nervous system, and nadis (energy channels) become flooded with the light of the divine. The energy moves through the chakra system as the kundalini-sakti, a coiled or retracted energy that normally lies dormant at the base of the spine until awakened.

The experience of Bhairava-Siva, the nectar of bliss, is found most readily in the space between the thoughts and in the interval between the suspended breaths. It is in the interval between the breaths that thoughts cease, allowing access for the cherished nectar to occur.

Here is a summation of seven comprehensive and easy-to-follow verses with added commentary:

Summation of Verse 25:

In this dharana, prana (exhalation) arises and is released from the interior center of the body, followed by a brief pause. In this pause one may realize the bliss of Bhairava. Of the breath of apana (inhalation), arising from the space of the surrounding environment, there is a short pause from the center of the body. In this pause one may realize the bliss of Bhairava.

If one focuses the mind on these two pauses between thoughts and between breaths, one will gradually realize the highest bliss as Bhairava, thus transcending ordinary concerns, habitual mind wandering, and emotional fixations on troublesome worldly affairs. It has been said by advanced yogis that this practice alone can take one to the highest levels of spiritual autonomy.

Summation of Verse 29:

Meditate on the fire-like sakti as kundalini moving upwards through the chakras successively from one center of energy to another. In this practice, one may experience the dramatic rise of Bhairava within. This fire is easily ignited and spread through the nadis using rapid breathing with forceful exhalations. After doing this for several minutes, stop and focus on the sensations within and realize internal bliss in expanded awareness.

As the kundalini-sakti (internal fire) rises, it penetrates the chakra centers and frees energy for spiritual attainment, leading to the state of supreme blissful awareness.

Summation of Verse 38:

Brahma in the form of nada (sound), which is involuntarily vibrating within, can be heard only by the ear of one who is under the guidance of yoga. By becoming intimate in meditation with this current of sound, one attains the Bhairava of Siva.

As the kundalini rises, one is able to hear the anahata nada (unstruck or self-generating sound).

Through this dharana, the inner sound will become more and more refined until it is absorbed into the highest form of bliss consciousness, bringing with it liberation from all forms of duality and obstruction by ego attachments.

This sound is the source of all manifestation.

The knower of the mystery of the sound current

is the knower of the mystery of the universe.

—Sufi Hazrat Imyat Khan

Summation of Verse 43:

If one contemplates the vastness of space in all directions simultaneously at once without any thoughts in the mind, one will experience spatial freedom all around and become identified with the unlimited expanse of universal consciousness.

By identifying one’s own mind as identical with the vastness of space, a form of expanded awareness arises that grants ultimate bliss and freedom from suffering as all dark and obtrusive elements in one’s mind and memory vanish. In this sublime state, one’s true nature shines forth, becoming a beacon of light for the welfare of others.

Summation of Verse 71:

On the occasion of great delight like seeing an old friend, finding a precious object that was lost, or in tasting a ripe and delicious peach, one should meditate on the delight itself, putting aside the object and becoming absorbed completely in the feeling. Then one’s mind will become identified with delight and supreme bliss is attained.

By focusing on the intensity and wonder of delight (without any object), one gains freedom from ego obstructions and becomes the embodiment of pure joy. 

Summation of Verse 107:

One should leave aside thinking of the needs of one’s own body and contemplate that the same consciousness and life force is present in all bodies everywhere like one’s own. In this way, one transcends the separative ideas of you, me, mine, and yours and attains the highest form of spiritual bliss.

Because the same consciousness is present in all beings all the time everywhere, the realization of this reality brings with it the exquisite nectar of interior bliss and unlimited joy.

Summation of Verses 125 and 126:

Because everything is full of Brahman (the highest reality as universal bliss within), one has the same attitude towards friend and foe and remains unattached to both honor and dishonor, gains and losses. The aspirant does not hold onto attitudes of aversion or attachment to anything in any form.

The yogi is not moved to avoid or to attach to any phenomena, occurrence, event, person, or thing; neither to honor or dishonor, gaining or losing; but to see all things as equally abiding and arising in Brahman. In this equality of being, great joy is attained, and one is freed of the stresses brought on by discrimination based in attachment to differences.

Conclusive remarks: Yoga as a multifaceted system or “‘living network”’ of spiritual practices is vast in its many and varied applications and forms, whose aim is the transformation of ordinary awareness into divine consciousness. The practices outlined above can be seen as forms of internal alchemy that work by using a disciplined and conscious approach to transformation without thoughts of expectation or the desire for reward or gain, making unfettered pure enjoyment as divine bliss the highest and best reward attainable.

…………………..

Jia Senghe has practiced some form of yoga since the early 70’s and has maintained a meditation practice for more than 50 years. At a very early age, he became entranced by exquisite ink drawings of Japanese flower arrangements and by meditating Buddha figures brought back to the U.S. by his parents from postwar Japan. He currently resides in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood where he teaches internal alchemy and meditation along with Taoist yoga and Qigong. He works out of his studio on Oak Street and can often be found practicing his arts in nearby parks in the warmer months. Instagram: amanitasomahum. Check out Jia’s other articles and reviews in the Yoga Chicago archives.

The post The Yoga of Delight, Wonder, and Astonishment: A Translation of the Vijnana-Bhairava appeared first on Yoga Chicago.