✦ Vijnana Bhairava Tantra
Technique 111 of 112 — The Portal Of The Senses
Sanskrit Verse
indriyadvārakā sarvā vetti jñānaghanaṃ param | draṣṭavyaṃ sarvato vyāptaṃ dhyāyanniti sukhī bhavet ||
All knowledge enters through the portals of the senses. One should contemplate the Supreme as the mass of consciousness pervading all. Thus meditating, one becomes blissful.
Commentary
Dharana 111 transforms the five senses from potential distractions into gateways for the Divine. Typically, the senses pull the attention outward, scattering the energy of the soul. However, this technique suggests that since all sensory input is ultimately processed by Consciousness, every sound, sight, and touch is actually a 'mass of consciousness' (jñānaghana). Instead of rejecting the senses, the practitioner views the incoming data as the vibrant presence of the Supreme pervading every direction. This is the tantric path of transformation: seeing the mundane as the sacred. By recognizing that the one who sees and the object seen are both made of the same light of awareness, the practitioner experiences an all-encompassing bliss (sukha). The metaphysics here is based on 'Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma' (All this is indeed Brahman), applied through the immediate and intimate experience of sensory perception.
Practice Instructions
- 01Keep your eyes open or slightly closed. Allow sounds to enter your ears without labeling them.
- 02Whether it is a bird singing or a car passing, realize that the 'hearing' is a movement of pure consciousness.
- 03Apply this to all senses: the feeling of air on your skin, the colors in your vision, the taste in your mouth.
- 04Contemplate that the light of awareness is flowing through these sense-gates. Do not focus on the objects themselves, but on the 'knowingness' that perceives them.
- 05Visualize this knowingness as a thick, dense mass of light (jñānaghana) that fills the space between you and the object.
- 06By seeing the Divine in the act of sensing, the boundary between the inner and outer worlds dissolves, leading to a state of pervasive joy.
Recommended Duration
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I handle unpleasant sensory inputs?
The technique asks you to look past the quality (pleasant/unpleasant) to the 'mass of consciousness' that allows the perception to exist. A loud noise and a soft melody are both made of the same auditory energy. Focus on the raw energy of the sensation rather than the ego's judgment.
Is this different from simple mindfulness?
Mindfulness often stops at observing the sensation. This dharana goes further by actively contemplating the sensation as the 'Supreme Pervasive Consciousness.' It is a devotional and metaphysical recognition that the sense-objects are actually the Goddess/God manifesting as light and vibration.
Should I focus on one sense at a time?
You can start with one sense, like hearing, to build concentration. As you become more adept, try to hold a global awareness where all five sense-gates are perceived simultaneously as one unified field of divine intelligence radiating from every direction.
What if I get distracted by the beauty of an object?
If an object captures your attention, use that beauty as a springboard. Remind yourself: 'This beauty is a reflection of the Infinite.' The goal is to move from the 'seen' to the 'Seer' who is manifesting as the act of seeing.
Why does this practice lead to bliss?
Bliss (Ananda) is the inherent nature of Consciousness. When we stop resisting sensory input and recognize it as our own Self, the friction of the ego disappears. In the absence of friction and separation, the natural state of bliss spontaneously arises.
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