“When strong emotions appear, stop the mind, then only true Reality will unfold.”
The quote above is our paraphrase of verse 101. There is no public-domain English translation to show, so read the Sanskrit verse in the Sanskrit text, Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies (1918) (opens in a new tab).
About the text: Vigyan Bhairava Tantra
The Vigyan Bhairava Tantra (Vijnana Bhairava Tantra) is a Sanskrit text of Kashmir Shaivism, framed as the goddess asking Bhairava, a form of Shiva, about his nature. Its 163 short verses describe roughly 112 meditation methods using the breath, the senses and awareness itself. It is often dated to around the 7th or 8th century, though the date is uncertain.
More from the Vigyan Bhairava Tantra
- “Know this whole universe to be unreal, like a magic show, and peace follows.”
- “God is beyond all concepts of time or direction and cannot be confined to a particular place.”
- “Redirect your attention inward. This is the key teaching of yoga and meditation. Be aware of what you are being throughout the day.”
- “Meditate on the Shiva-nature at the farthest limits of the whole universe, and a great awakening follows.”
- “Emptiness is a feature of all objects. Meditate on that emptiness.”
- “The greatest secret of life is that you can exist any way you choose.”