✦ Vijnana Bhairava Tantra
Technique 90 of 112 — The Void of the Three Perceptions
Sanskrit Verse
grāhyagrāhakasaṃvittiḥ sāmānyā sarvadehinām | yogināṃ tu viśeṣo'sti sambandhe sāvadhānatā ||
The consciousness of the perceiver and the perceived is common to all embodied beings. However, the distinction for yogis lies in their mindfulness of the relationship between the two.
Commentary
Dharana 90 addresses the fundamental structure of dualistic experience: the Triad of Knower (Pramatri), Knowing (Pramana), and Known (Prameya). For the average person, consciousness is always directed toward objects, and the process of knowing is taken for granted. In the Trika system of Kashmir Shaivism, liberation is found not by rejecting the world, but by turning the attention toward the very junction where the subject meets the object. This technique asks the practitioner to be 'savadhana'—intensely vigilant—regarding the 'sambandha' or the relationship/link between the self and the external world. By focusing on the bridge of perception rather than the objects themselves, the practitioner discovers the underlying 'Samvit' or pure consciousness that feeds both the subject and the object. Metaphysically, this is the recognition that the light of the subject and the reflection of the object are both composed of the same divine substance. By hovering in the 'gap' or the 'middle' between the observer and the observed, the practitioner transcends the limitations of individuality and enters the state of Bhairava, where the knower and the known are realized as one pulse (Spanda) of consciousness.
Practice Instructions
- 01Select an object in your field of vision, such as a flame, a flower, or a simple shape. Begin by observing the object (the perceived).
- 02Then, shift your awareness to yourself as the observer (the perceiver). Finally, draw your attention to the act of perception itself—the invisible link connecting your eyes to the object.
- 03Do not focus on your eyes or the object, but on the 'space' or 'energy' of knowing that exists between them.
- 04Maintain a state of high alertness. As you sustain focus on this relationship, the distinction between 'you here' and 'it there' will begin to blur.
- 05Feel the consciousness that flows out to meet the object and the object that arises within your consciousness.
- 06Rest in that middle ground, the junction point, where the duality of subject and object hasn't yet fully formed or has begun to merge into a single field of awareness.
Recommended Duration
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the relationship between subject and object so important?
The relationship is the 'active' part of consciousness. If you focus only on the object, you are lost in matter. If you focus only on the subject, you might fall into a void. Focusing on the link reveals the dynamic energy (Shakti) that creates the appearance of both, leading to the source.
Is this the same as 'mindfulness' of an object?
It goes beyond standard mindfulness. While mindfulness notes the object, this technique requires you to be aware of the 'knowingness' itself. It is a meta-awareness where you observe the process of observation, eventually causing the collapse of the distance between you and what you are looking at.
I find it hard to focus on a 'link'. Can you clarify?
Think of it like a bridge. Instead of looking at the two shores, look at the water flowing between them. The 'link' is the light of your awareness traveling outward. Try to feel the tension or the connection that exists in the very moment your senses contact the world.
Does this practice help with emotional reactivity?
Absolutely. By focusing on the 'relation' rather than the 'content', you detach from the emotional charge of objects. You begin to see people and events not as threats or rewards, but as movements of consciousness, allowing you to remain centered in the witnessing state regardless of external circumstances.
What is the 'Bhairava state' mentioned in this context?
In this context, the Bhairava state is the 'Turya' or the fourth state of consciousness. It is the realization that you are the screen upon which both the perceiver and the perceived are projected. It is a state of non-dual wholeness where nothing is external to your own self.
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