21 - Discourses on Tantra Volume Two

Chapter 3

Tantra and Sádhaná (7)

The Lessons of Tantra (1)

The lessons of Tantra are physico-psycho-spiritual – from the physical to the psychic, and from the psychic to the spiritual. Tantra says that one can attain spiritual elevation through physical and psychic purification. This is a very logical proposition. Hence absolute purity in food and conduct is essential for a Tantric sádhaka. Without attaining all-round purification it is impossible for a sádhaka to experience real spiritual ideation. On the path of spirituality, bháva [ideation] is the main factor.

Regarding the interpretation of the word bháva, the devotional scriptures observe,

Shuddhasattva visheśádvá premasúryáḿshusámyabhák; Rucibhishcittamásrńya krdasao bháva ucyate.

[Bháva (often translated “psycho-spiritual idea” or “psycho-spiritual parallelism”) means that type of special ideation which makes the entitative rhythm very pure and holy, which arouses the latent love for Parama Puruśa, and which makes the mind smooth-surfaced and soft owing to the spiritual effulgence.]

But Tantra explains bháva as follows: Bhávo hi mánaso dharma manasaeva sadábhyáset – “Bháva is a mental tendency. The flow of bháva can be brought about through repetition.” This repetition of ideation is called japakriyá – outer-suggestion or auto-suggestion. If human beings repeatedly ideate on Paramátmá, their psychic waves gradually straighten, because they come in contact with the perfectly straight spiritual waves of that Entity. Japakriyá is the practical way to realize Iishvara. In the Vedas, Ahaḿ Brahma, Tattvamasi and many other mantras have been mentioned. But what does a person gain by knowing the theory behind these words without experiencing any practical realization from them? The Vedas do not state clearly how to ideate, nor how to realize the inner import of mantra, nor even how to use mantras in practical life.

Anubhútiḿ biná múd́ha vrthá Brahmańi modate; Pratibimbitashákhágraphalásvádanamodavat.

–Maetreyii Shruti

[Without God-realization, a person will try in vain to get spiritual bliss. Seeing the reflection in water of a sweet fruit hanging from the branch of a tree does not give one the taste of the fruit.]

“The sight of the reflection in water of a sweet fruit hanging from the branch of a tree does not give one the taste of the fruit.” Similarly, what is the value of book knowledge of Brahma if a person has no actual spiritual realization? In this regard Tantra says,

Ahaḿ Brahmásmi, vijiṋánáda jiṋánávilayo bhavet; So’mityeva saḿcintya viharet sarvadá devi.

–Gandharva Tantra

“The realization Ahaḿ Brahmásmi [”I am Brahma“] is the only way to dispel the darkness of ignorance. But if this knowledge of Brahmásmi remains confined to mere words, it will not serve any practical purpose.” To gain knowledge of Brahma, one’s ideation – ideation on the So’ham mantra – will have to be continuous. Continuous ideation is not possible through mere parrot-like repetition of a mantra. This subtle science of psycho-spiritual practice is the discovery of Tantra.

Japakriyá and dhyánakriyá [auto- or outer-suggestion, and meditation with unbroken concentration] are the subtle techniques prescribed by Mahákaolas.(10) Tantrics also say that mere repetition of mantra will not serve any purpose unless there is a rhythmic parallelism between the incantative flow (the flow of the mantra) and the mental flow (the flow of the unit mind). To perform japakriyá while harbouring harmful thoughts is futile. One can only attain success in japakriyá if all the psychic propensities are diverted towards the deeper spirit of the mantra. (This will simultaneously bring about stillness of the váyus [energy flows in the body]).

Mano’nyatra shivo’nyatra shaktiranyatra márutah; Na sidhyati varánane kalpakotishataerapi.

–Kulárńava Tantra

“The mind runs in one direction towards its object of fascination; its object of ideation lies in another direction; the vital energy moves in yet another direction; and the váyus run in all directions uncontrollably. In the midst of such chaos ideation on Parama Puruśa is impossible, even in billions of kalpas [ages].”

Indriyáńám manonáthah manonatho’stu márutah. “The controller of the indriyas is the mind, and the controllers of the mind are the váyus.” In spiritual practice the indriyas, the mind and the váyus cannot be ignored. They must be consolidated and directed towards Parama Puruśa.