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Vinana Bhairava Tantra
Vijnana Bhairava Tantra (or Vijnanabhairava) is composed of teachings of 112 dharanas or meditations or techniques – for experiencing the extraordinary and paradoxical reality of unbounded consciousness called Bhairava  (Shiva). These 112 techniques were given by Shiva to Shakti, taking the aspirant towards spiritual enlightenment. Vijnanabhairava is composed of 138 Sanskrit verses.

Vijnanabhairava is a conversation between the Goddess, who is the Creative Power of the Universe, and the One, Who is The Consciousness that permeates Everywhere. They call each other Devi and Bhairava, or Shakti and Shiva. They are lovers and inseperable partners.

Osho Says "Buddhists learned from Vigyan Bhairav. Sufis also have such exercises; they are also borrowed from Vigyan Bhairav. Basically, this is the source book of all techniques which are known all over the world."

Bhairava
Here, Supreme Reality (or Parama Shiva) is termed as Bhairava, which also means the 'Ego Destroyer'. The Word Bhairava is made of three letters bha, ra, and va. According to the hermeneutic etmyology, 'Bha' indicates bharana - maintenance of universe; 'ra' indicates ravana - withdrawal of the universe; 'va' indicates vamana - manifestation of the universe. Thus Bhairava brings together all the three aspects of GOD, shrsti (manifestation), sthiti (maintenance), and laya (withdrawal).

Vijnana
Vijnana - a state of consciousness (supreme consciousness )which is nirvikalpa, free of all thought-constructs. This vijnanabhairava is the goal of man.

Tantra is distinct from Philosophy
While philosophy deals with the mind, Tantra deals with technique and thus experience becomes supreme. In the Book of Secrets, Osho says ''“…TANTRA means technique. So this treatise is a scientific one. Science is not concerned with why, science is concerned with how. That is the basic difference between philosophy and science. Philosophy asks, "Why this existence?" Science asks, "How this existence?" The moment you ask the question, how?, method, technique, become important. Theories become meaningless; experience becomes the center…”''

Since Tantra is Science, and Tantra deals with the ‘how’ of the existence, to practice Tantra, one must go beyond mind. Osho says ''“…Tantra is science, tantra is not philosophy. To understand philosophy is easy because only your intellect is required. If you can understand language, if you can understand concept, you can understand philosophy. You need not change; you require no transformation. As you are, you can understand philosophy -- but not tantra.''

''You will need a change... rather, a mutation. Unless YOU are different tantra cannot be understood, because tantra is not an intellectual proposition, it is an experience. Unless you are receptive, ready, vulnerable to the experience, it is not going to come to you.''

''Philosophy is concerned with the mind. Your head is enough; your totality is not required. Tantra needs you in your totality. It is a deeper challenge. You will have to be in it wholly. It is not fragmentary. A different approach, a different attitude, a different mind to receive it is required.…”''

Dharana
The yogic term for concentration is dharana, which means 'to hold the mind at one point'. This holding or binding of the mind to one point is the concept of dharana. In Sanskrit, the word dharana is derived from the root dhri, which means 'foundation' or 'base'. So, that object or concpet upon which the mind is firmly based is the actual definition of dharana.

The Date of Vijnanabhairava
Vijnanabhairava also called as 'Shiva Vijnana Upanishad', is considered as a part of Ancient Tantra, and is held in high esteem in Shaivagama. The text of Vijnanabhairava claims to be the quintessence of Rudrayamala Tantra. With the present knowledge we have, though it is not possible to give exact date of Vijnanabhairava, the earliest reference to it is found in Vamananatha's Advayasampatti-vaarttika, and Vamananatha may be same as Vamana, the poet who flourished during the reign of "Jayapeeda" of Kashmir (779-813 A.D.).

Vijnanabhairava - Conversations between Bhairava and Shakti
The conversations between Bhairava and Shakti begins - by Goddess Shakti asking Bhairava to reveal his own essential nature to her. Bhairava replies by praising her question as pertaining to the very essence of tantra, and he praises the Transcendence aspect of the Supreme.

Shakti proceeds to ask Bhairava, “Beloved, Tell me, how do I enter more deeply into the blissful and non-dual reality of the Universe and understand it?” In response to this question, Bhairava teaches one hundred and twelve dharanas/techniques for Spiritual Awakening into reality though everyday human experience, the secret being - only a subtle shift in attention required to bring the reality into view.

Types of Dharanas/Techniques
Each of the 112 dharanas (or techniques) is a way to be aware of the vibrations constituting the sounds, light, and divine energy by which we humans are constituents of. The basic dynamics of life – such as breathing, falling asleep, waking up, walking, loving – all of these are used as gateway to awakening and enlightenment.

All traditional techniques of yoga has been employed by Vijnanabhairava - Yoga postures, mudras or gestures, development of pranashakti, awakening of kundalini, mantra japa or recital of words of power or sacred formulae, bhakti or devotion, jnanaor realization through understanding, meditation, bhavana or creative contemplation. In addition, it employs certain techniques of very non-formal nature, such as - looking vacantly at dark night, high mountains, watching the condition of consciousness in a see-saw movement, wattching the condition of consciousness before falling asleep, and intently looking at something (e.g. a flower or a vase) completely without partition and other such techniques. Aspirant may choose and adopt any technique that suits him/her depending on the person's fitness and competence.

Each sutra can be experienced as an invitation to freshly appreciate what it feels like to be alive, to breathe, to love, to manifest, to be centered, and to live in the present moment.

The Order of the 138 sutras
The order of the 138 sutras


 * Verse 1 (beginning with ‘Shrutam Deva’) upto Verse 7 (ending with ‘Chindi Samshyam’) : Devi Enumerates her doubts


 * Verse 7 (beginning with ‘Sadhu,Sadhu’) upto Verse 21 (ending with ‘Shivah Priyo’) : Bhairava briefly answers Shakti’s questions.


 * Verse 22 (beginning with ‘Deva, Deva’) upto Verse 23 (ending with ‘Bruhi Bhairava’) : Devi requests Bhairava to expound to her the means by which one can realize the highest reality


 * Verse 24 upto Verse 138 : Bhairava expounds to Devi 112 dharanas or types of yoga by which one can realize highest reality.


 * After this, devi asks a few more questions, and Bhairava answers them. Finally, the Devi expresses her satisfaction over the answers and becomes united with Shiva.

Dharanas 001 to 004: Breathing

 * Dharana 001: Create a Steady Fixation of the mind at the centre of the body (in the case of Prana) and at the Dvadashanta (in the case of Apana). [Dvadashanta - distance of about nine inches outside the body, from the tip of the nose).


 * Dharana 002: Create a Fixation of the mind at the moment of pause of apana at the heart (Antah Kumbhaka or internal pause) and prana at the dvadashanta (Bahih Kumbhaka or external pause). As a result of single pointed awareness of the two pauses, the madhya nadi or sushumna opens, termed as madhya dasha.


 * Dharana 003: Madhya Dasha (The Middle state) can be developed by dissolving all thoughts, by means of nirvikalpa bhava.


 * Dharana 004: Practice by Retention of Prana Shakti at the heart (Antah Kumbhaka) and at the dvadashanta (Bahih Kumbhaka).

Dharanas 005 to 010: Chakras

 * Dharana 005: Meditate on Shakti (Kundalini) which arises from Muladhara Chakra and getting subtler and subtler going up, at last dissovling in Brahmarandhra.


 * Dharana 006: Meditate on Shakti (Kundalini) which rises upwards from one chakra to another, at last dissovling in Brahmarandhra.


 * Dharana 007: Meditate on the 12 successfully higher centers of energy, and the associated alphabets (given below) in the gross phase, subtle phase, and in supreme phase.


 * Dharana 008: After filling the Brahmarandhra with Pranic Energy (Technique of Brukshepa ), free the mind of all thought constructs, to attain a sense of omnipresence.

Dharanas 009 to 014: Formless and Form

 * Dharana 009: Meditate in the heart on the five voids (Shunyapanchakam) of the five senses, to be absorbed in the Absolute Void, who is Bhairava.


 * Dharana 010: Similar to the meditation of the successive steps of body's 12 inner centres, now, meditate successively on things outside the body (can be void, a person, or a thing).


 * Dharana 011: With eyes closed, create a fixed attention on the inside of the skull (kapala). By steadiness of the mind, one becomes aware of the Supreme Reality - Bhairava.


 * Dharana 012: Meditate on the inner emptiness of central/medial nadi (sushumna which carries the Pranashakti).


 * Dharana 013: Block the openings of the senses by hands (close ears with the thumbs, eyes with the index fingers, nostrils with middle fingers, mouth with ring fingers and little fingers), vital energy is trapped and breaks open the knot in the center of the eye brows, and a point (bindu) of brilliant light is perceived. When bindu is concentrated upon, the bindu vanishes in the universal consciousness.


 * Dharana 014: Meditate on the bindu (i.e., dhama i.e., light in the eye) either in the heart or in the Brahmarandhra. By pratice, mind's vikalpa disappears.

Dharanas 015 to 020: Soundless and Sound

 * Dharana 015: Listen to the Anahata nada (unstruck sound - the subtlest sound created by sponteneity, without any impact), which is the Pranashakti present in Sushumna nadi.


 * Dharana 016: Meditate on Pranava (Om, Hum, or Hrim) and the void at the end of the Protracted phase of the Pranava.


 * Dharana 017: Contemplate on the state of a letter before its utterance and after its utterance as void.


 * Dharana 018: Listen to the sound of a musical instrument, and continue to listen to the sound in mind's memory even after the music stops, concentrating on the echo of the music.


 * Dharana 019: Meditate on bija mantras (like pranava) from their gross recital (which is 'A' - navel,'U' - center,and 'M' - mouth - bound by time) up to their subtle stages (including contemplation on samana and unmana/shunya which is beyond time)

Dharanas 020 to 025: Void

 * Dharana 020: Contemplate/Meditate on the Void (Shunya) in one’s body extending in all directions simultaneously, with stillness in the mind.


 * Dharana 021: Contemplate/Meditate on the void above and the void below simultaneuosly, to become completely void-minded (nirvikalpa).


 * Dharana 022: Contemplate/Meditate on the void below, void in the heart, and the void above simultaneously, to become completely void-minded (nirvikalpa).


 * Dharana 023: Contemplate/Meditate on the body which as void (state without any thought constructs or nirvikalpa-bhava), and by practicing this, develop tendencies to be usually in the nirvikalpa state, and lastly, if this tendency is prolonged, enter the state of Bhairava who is above all vikalpas and whose nature is nirvikalpa.


 * Dharana 024: Contemplate/Meditate on the elements of the body (bone, flesh, blood) as filled with void.


 * Dharana 025: Contemplate/Meditate on the skin as though an outer wall with nothing contained within it.

Dharanas 026 to 028: Mind

 * Dharana 026: Merge the senses and the mind in the interior space in the heart (Hrdyakasha), and create a one-pointedness.


 * Dharana 027: Bring all parts of the body and mind to one-pointedness, and dissolve in the Brahmarandhra, to firm the intellect which will experience the Reality.


 * Dharana 028: Create fixing the mind repeatedly at the Dvadashanta (External, Internal or Brahmarandhra), to diminish mind fluctuations.

Dharanas 029 to 031: Self and Cosmos

 * Dharana 029: With mantra 'Om raksharayum tanum dahmami', comtemplate that the body has been burnt by Kalagni (Kalagni Rudra - The Universal Destroyer) moving up, starting from the toe of the right foot.


 * Dharana 030: Contemplate by imagineing that the entire world as being burnt by Kalagni Rudra(Kalagni Rudra - The Universal Destroyer).


 * Dharana 031: Contemplate/Meditate that the subtle constituents of the body or the world are being absorbed in their own respective causes (ex: gross reabsorbed by subtle, subtle reabsorbed by subtler, and so on)


 * Dharana 032:

External Links:
http://shivashakti.com/vijnan.htm

http://lorinroche.com/1.htm

http://www.meditationiseasy.com/mCorner/techniques/Vigyan_bhairav_tantra.htm

http://www.escapefromwatchtower.com/vigyan.html

http://www.otantra.net/oTantra/VBTv1/index.html

http://www.otantra.net/oTantra/VBTv2/index.html

http://www.totallyok.com/secret/

http://www.thetengu.com/abrahadabra/vigyanbhairavtantra.html

http://www.dhyansanjivani.org/tantra_mantra_yantra/what_does_sex_havedowith.asp

Escapi247 (talk) 15:23, 10 June 2008 (UTC)