Vigyan Bhairava Tantra
Sutra – 32
Friends, let us embark on our journey with Sutra 32 from the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra.
You might wonder—why begin with Sutra 32?
Friends, our intention is not to teach, analyze, or provide an exhaustive commentary on the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra. Such resources are easily accessible online. Our goal is to explore the unique meditation techniques hidden within this ancient text and present them in a practical, relatable manner. This way, meditation—dhyana—can become an effortless part of your everyday life.
Practice the techniques shared here. Identify the method that resonates with you and adopt it. If you possess self-awareness, the ability to assess your capabilities and limitations, you will naturally discover the technique most suitable for you. This eliminates the need to try every method. To make your journey easier, we will simplify these methods and present them in a practical and approachable language.
You know well that no single medicine can cure every ailment, nor can the same treatment work for everyone. Each person’s body is unique, and illnesses manifest differently in each individual. Similarly, medicines affect people in diverse ways. The same principle applies to meditation techniques. This insight was discovered centuries ago, but time, circumstances, and certain other reasons kept these revelations from gaining widespread practical application. Though many have written about this subject, much of it remains confined to books, possibly because a few decades ago, the necessary resources and tools were not readily available.
With this understanding, let us now delve into the meaning of Sutra 32.
The Sutra reveals that the peacock’s tail features circular patterns of five colors. Our meditation is to focus on these circles, which symbolize emptiness. As we meditate on these circles, they dissolve into the void, and this emptiness enters the heart.
In this meditation method, the guidance is to observe the five-colored circles until they merge into one. Once the unified circle disappears, the realization dawns that the mind itself is no longer active—for it is the mind that perceives shapes and colors. When the mind ceases in this way, it comes under your control. You can choose to engage it or let it dissolve into stillness.
Let us now understand this from a practical perspective. The five-colored circles on the peacock’s tail symbolize our five senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.
Friends, we chose this Sutra as a starting point because these five senses are familiar to everyone. Through this method, individuals whose senses are heightened—more active than those of the average person—can effortlessly delve deeper into meditation.
You may have encountered—or even be—someone whose senses, or one specific sense, function at a heightened level compared to the average individual. For example, I know many individuals with an exceptionally sharp sense of sight. Such a person may pass through a place only once, yet their mind automatically stores a vivid, detailed memory of everything seen—far beyond the average person’s ability. This is not due to deliberate effort; it is simply part of their nature. Even if such a person has met you briefly, they will recognize you upon meeting you again and may recall where you met, what you were wearing, and other details.
Similarly, someone with an acute sense of smell can detect scents from as far as 400–500 meters, identifying their nature. They may even recognize what dish is being cooked and the specific spices used. Likewise, someone with exceptional hearing can discern sounds from 100–500 meters away, identifying the source of the sound and its distance.
These abilities, whether slight or pronounced, allow individuals to use this method to easily access deeper states of meditation.
In the next part, we will delve into how individuals with such heightened sensory awareness can apply this technique in detail. Thank you.
