Presenting verses 32 and 33 of that astonishing scripture, the Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra. The practice of verse 32 is one of my personal favorites.
The first 32 sūtras of the Shiva-sūtras, compiled by Vasugupta in 850 CE, in a new translation.
8 English translations ~ 2 French ~ 1 German ~ 1 Spanish ~ 2 English renderings, compared verse by verse
8 English translations ~ 2 French ~ 1 German ~ 1 Spanish ~ 2 English renderings, compared verse by verse
In this section of his most accessible work, The Essence of the Tantras, Abhinavagupta makes a compelling — and controversial — argument that none of the practices of Yoga contribute to the possibility of abiding awakeness or final liberation except insofar as they contribute to discernment and insight, for only accurate insight into the nature of reality liberates. This nuanced and careful argument is a must-read for all Tantrik Yogis!
In this section of the text, Abhinava discusses the nature of Awareness as the ground of all being. He breaks down sentience & insentience, gradations of awareness, individuated awareness vs. overarching Awareness, what full realization entails, and refutes objective materialism, all in the course of just five Sanskrit verses!
