Vaj wrote: > Perhaps being lied to and told they are > "meaningless" blocks this awakening? > Bija mantras used in TM are not "meaningless" - everything on the planet has meaning. But TM bija mantras have no semantic meaning - none can be found in a standard Sanskrit lexicon.
Bija mantras aren't words with any semantic meaning - they are natural sounds found in nature that were adopted by the Siddhas as thought tools for yoga. In Sanskrit, the word mantra comes from 'man' - to think, and 'tra' a tool. Thus, bija mantras are 'tools for thinking'. TM Meditation is based on thinking, it is not based on concepts or metaphysical speculation. There are no deities to be imagined or secret nicknames to be spouted out. It's just simple thinking and the awareness of being aware. 42. Visualize a letter, let yourself be filled by its radiance. With open awareness, enter first the sonority of the letter, then a subtler and subtler sensation. When the letter dissolves into space, be free. Source: Vijñânabhairava Tantra: http://www.danielodier.com/ENGLISH/Texts/vijnana_e.html Other titles of interest: 'Zen Flesh, Zen Bones' By Paul Reps Tuttle, 1957 'Vijnana Bhairava' The Manual for Self Realization By Swami Lakshmanjoo 2007
