Tantra, Mantra, and Yantra: Three Great Ways of Transformation



There are three ways: Tantra, Mantra, and Yantra.

Tantra means transforming through the body. Mantra means transforming through the mind. And Yantra means transforming through the vehicle.

The first way is of the Tantra. Tantra means transforming through the body. That is, using all the energy centers of the body including the sex center. One energy center is a stepping-stone to the other energy center. It is an upward movement of the energy. The energy moves from Muladhara (Sex Center, Root Center) to Sahasrara (Crown Center). As the energy moves up, we experience a higher dimension of the consciousness. At the highest level, that is, at the crown center, the energy becomes the consciousness. Consciousness means a purest form of energy. Now there are no divisions and no identifications. An individual experiences the “Shuddha Chetana”. This is the ultimate state of a climax. After this there is nothing. This is the state of a Sachitananda.

The second way is of the Mantra. Mantra means transforming through the mind. The gateway is through Dhyana or Meditation or Mindfulness. Though this process also starts with the body but not necessarily in union with the other body. So, Yoga can be of a great help here. Yama is to start with the body and Samyama is to discover the union of the body with the divine body. My body is a subset of the divine body. My mind is a subset of the divine mind. And my soul is a subset of the divine soul. And everything is interconnected. It is only the identification of the mind that creates compartments. It is only the perception of the mind that creates duality. The mind is like a prism. When the ray of the Consciousness passes through the prism of the mind, the mind creates various perceptions of the Consciousness. The mind has to pass through all these perceptions to understand the reality as it is. This process of moving into all perceptions as an observer, watcher and a witness is called meditation or mindfulness. And in Samadhi all these divisions are dissolved. In Samadhi we experience a state of no-mind. In a state of no-mind we experience silence. And in a silent state of the mind we experience the divine.

The third way is through the Yantra. Yantra means transforming through the vehicle. This is a path to those who are part of an adventure sport. For example, you can not transform Arjuna without a bow and an arrow. You can not transform Bheema without a wrestling match. You can not transform Ekalavya without a bow, an arrow, and a statue of his Guru. And in a near death situation they may experience the glimpse of the divine. And this experience could be a turning point in their lives. And they may then walk on either of the above two paths.

Only in three situations an individual experiences a state of no-mind or thoughtlessness. And this experience is divine, and this experience is blissful. And these three situations are: (1) a state of no-mind through dhyana or meditation or mindfulness, (2) a state of ultimate climax or trance through sex, (3) a state of an almost death-like experience through a vehicle or an equipment or Yantra. In all these three states the thoughts cease and we experience the state of no-mind. And this experience is divine. And this experience is blissful.

All paths ultimately culminate towards the center of the divine. It is just like how a dewdrop slips from a lotus flower and merges into a pond and becomes one with the pond. There is now no difference between the dewdrop and the pond. It is just like how all the rivers fall into an ocean, meet and merge with the ocean and become one with the ocean. Now there is no division between the rivers and the ocean. It is just like how in a silent state of the ocean all the waves disappear in the ocean and become one with the ocean. Now there is no difference between the waves and the ocean. The existential experience of this union is called Enlightenment.

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