Tantrism?
It would be rather a pity to see tantrism only as an approach linked to sexuality: that is very limited, and frankly reductive in relation to the real greatness of this path. Our world, thirsty for sensations, the sensational and consumption, often goes astray in the "visual" and "attractive" side, without understanding the substance or even trying to.
Perhaps our world suffers from a lack of understanding of India's symbols ....
What do the texts say?
The simplest thing is to turn to the traditional texts to try to see tantrism more clearly
One of the most important texts of Tantrism is the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra (source: Vijnana Bhairava Tantra translated by Lilian Silburn, research fellow at the CNRS, published by the Institut de civilisation indienne). This text gives us 112 meditation techniques that can lead to Bhairava, the absolute state of consciousness, SHIVA. Only 3 of the 112 techniques speak of reaching absolute consciousness through the awakening of Kundalini during the sexual act. Of these 3 techniques, one uses the remembrance of sexual intercourse and so does not use it directly. So reducing tantrism to a sexual act is very limited and, above all, leaves aside the 104 other techniques, all just as wonderful. Reductive, isn't it???
To continue with the idea of reaching awakening through the sexual act, here is a short passage from Lilian Silburn's book "LA KUNDALINI", a commentary on the Tantraloka: "Jayaratha quotes an unambiguous stanza on this subject: « wife, sister, mother and daughter, as well as close friend, are not permitted to take part in this ceremony »
If the wife is excluded, it is because of attachment to her, the union having no other aim than heroic conduct.
Another verse removes any remaining ambiguity: « for this sacrifice, let one choose a duti (an initiated woman), without being led astray by sexual desire ».
Here union serves only to bring to light the adept's latent possibilities. This sacrifice is not performed for an enjoyment born of desire (kama), but in order to search one's own heart and make sure of the firmness of one's thought."
Finally, here is a passage from Jean Papin, an eminent and recognised Tantric, from "La Voie du Yoga" (Dervy-livres): "The erotic act must never end with the emission of sperm, which must be held back", otherwise the Yogin falls into debauchery, which is a far more serious regression for him than for a layman"
The practitioner of Tantrism should be seen as a true monk, that is, someone who tries to reach an ever stronger and more lasting contact with the unspeakable.
Some, no longer wishing to have anything to do with manifestation, go off to monasteries, withdrawing from the world and becoming ascetics. This respectable and heroic path has allowed millions of beings to find awakening and will always remain one of the great paths. Others, with the same attraction as the ascetics towards knowledge of the spirit, start from the principle that nothing should be set aside to reach awakening, and that everything must be used to reach it. It is this determination that is respectable and that is called tantrism, not an orgy of sensuality and pleasure seeking.
Let us take an example:
I have slept badly and am a little tired. I am driving and come to a red light; I am in a hurry because I have an important appointment. The light turns green but the car in front of me does not move. In a split second, irritation shows itself in me and (and this is the only interesting thing...) instantly brings me a strong, luminous energy. With this new energy pulling me out of my tiredness, I will start gesticulating or shouting at that car or its driver, without realising that I am burning up this extraordinary energy in violent behaviour that will leave me in the end in the same state as at the start, and that I am missing something wonderful.
Somewhere in the body, something has generated this extraordinary energy (what, where, how, but above all not why); this place in the body has become luminous for a moment and has shown its qualities.
While accepting to live a normal life, the tantrika will try to stay one step ahead of the appearance of this kind of energy, and so uncover the secrets of the energetic architecture of the body and of the spirit.
To go a little further with the same example of the driver: if the driver flies into a real rage, he will lose awareness of the moment, which means that a surge of energy tends to make consciousness disappear (don't we call orgasm the little death?). This too will become a field of experimentation, of acquiring knowledge and abilities, for the true tantrika. Indeed, with each surge of energy the practitioner must set an ever greater vigilance on the other side, so that the couple of consciousness and energy is brought to its peak. In this true search, sensual and physical ecstasy is far away, and spiritual enstasy, on the contrary, is near. This path is as heroic as asceticism.
This view of things helps us understand that tantrism is an important path, found in all non ascetic paths; it is also said to be "the path" for our present violent world. That is why there is tantric Buddhism (vajrayana), dozens of tantric Hindu currents, etc., and why we often speak of tantrism in our world. But beware: the famous effects of the full moon are not linked to the moon but to the opposite star, the sun that lights it; the moon's qualities express themselves most strongly at the moment it is invisible.
Denis
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