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As I went to sleep that night, I asked for guidance in the form of a dream. Still too chicken to approach her and completely confused by the myriad emotions rising in me, I needed some heavenly confirmation.
I dream that there is a Buddha sitting in front of me. He is luminous and a cloth is draped over his left shoulder which is silver and gold. It’s shining even more than he is. As his image zooms out, I realize that he is sitting in a very strange posture, unlike any image of Buddhas that I had ever seen. His left leg bent under him and the other leg across it. The image became so bright at this point that I began to squint. I woke up with a start.
About 30 km from Islamabad (where I lived), there was the ancient Buddhist civilization of Taxila or Taksashila as it was originally called. Created by Ashoka it had once been a major center of Buddhism. I used to visit the ruins often, just for some peace and silence. My favourite site being Mohra Moradu where there had once been a Buddhist monastery. I would often drive out there alone and sit quietly amongst the ruins, thinking of what Mohra Moradu would have been like as a functioning monastery. I would imagine the monks in their robes assembled in the prayer hall, in their quarters and worshipping the huge Buddhas which still adorned the corridors. I would close my eyes and try and imagine the sounds of chanting and prayers and what it must have felt like to meditate in those dark, narrow cells. I liked to think that it was the silence and the wonderful sense of calm that pulled me to Taxila repeatedly. Now I wondered whether it was in fact something else.
I got out of bed, grabbed a cup of tea and headed out to the balcony. What was happening to me? And then it came to me in a flash. I remembered how I had asked for guidance through a dream and realized that I had been given an opening to approach her with. The eternal skeptic, I laughed out loud, perhaps my mind was just creating all of this madness. I decided I would play along anyway.
I tried to approach her several times during the day but something or someone would constantly come in the way. Finally towards the evening I decided it was now or never. Either I would manage to talk to her or this nonsense had to stop. I walked briskly up to her and managed to catch her attention. I had rehearsed our conversation all day but with her first few words everything flew out of my head. “Took you a long time”, she said.
I felt a shudder go up my spine and again the desire to run. I managed to blurt out, “For what?” and she just smiled at me as if she knew that I knew. After that I mumbled something like “I need to ask you about a dream I had.” And told her about the Buddha and his strange posture. She listened carefully and said “Buddha is the body of consciousness, the shining cloth on his left shoulder glistening is the guiding feminine principle which shines forth her wisdom and Buddha is in a Tantric posture, thus Shiva is the path you must take.” And having said this she turned and walked away leaving me standing there like a gaping idiot. What the hell was Tantric and who on earth was Shiva?………………To Be Contd.
Posted By Anusheh Hussain - 1:40 PM Tuesday 17 October 2006
Wow Taksashila! What a place to contemplate in silence! Silence helping silence.
Syaan key saath mein fully agree karti hun. Bariya suspense hain. Par har part mein kuch naya janey ko mil raha hain besides the experience of coming in the presence of Aghora.
Thanks Anusheh!
Posted by
Woa I read that scary note which is talking about malicious comments. What's been happening here folks??? O.K I just read the spamming note from Admin. Does that mean our comments will not appear soon?
O.K anusheh you too are turning into a great mystery writer like Aach. So where's the next post? great story though you haven't told us where exactly you met this woman and is she like a real live tantric? Waiting..
:)
Posted by
Dear Ananya,
Due to the spamming we are having to moderate the comments. Your comment won't come up immediately but it will take some time. We are trying our best to put up the comments in short and regular intervals so don't stop commenting.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Posted by
I admit your articles make Tantra sound very fascinating and superior. But that is not all truth. Tantriics are negative people more often and known to practice black magic and terrible deeds. Maybe woman tantrics are different but it is objectionble that such a school of practice has so many bad people in it. What do you think?
Regards
Posted by
Dear prabhat,
Tantra is not at all evil by any yardstick,Its only because of some tantriks who practised bamacharya tantra had such type of reputation, like evil bigot etc.Infact tantra is one of the most potent forms of worship in todays times which can lead to higher salvation. Tantra not only purifies but also cleanses the impurities of yur mind.as it takes you as a whole with yur desirs intact.Anyway happy diwali to all and dear anusheh expecting the next post.
Posted by
Sayan
My point is that what you and Anusheh says maybe true but it not a common belief. How can we know that tantra leads to 'higher salvtion' when so many stories are there of misuse. Perhaps many real Tantriks do not exist in the public eye, that is why. Anyhow I am interested in knowing why and how it is such a great path so I am waiting for the next article.
Regards
Posted by
Hi Guys
While I agree with Prabhat that tantriks are largely seen as scary people with black magic practices but is it not true that shiva is considered the God of Tantra. And is it true that the 102 sutras that he revealed to Parvati at Amarnath were Tantric mysteries? And if that's true then how come tantra has been so maligned?
Posted by
This is interesting. I think it is the notion that Tantra will give one some sort of a magical power that attracts many people to it who want to attain that power for taking advantage of other people. I mean there is some sort of a power that a person who practices Tantra achieves. I don't mean some mumbo-jumbo as they show in these stupid films but you know some sort of a power to influence thought.
It's all about kiske ke hath mein yeh vidya jati hain. Koi bhi vidya agar galat hath mein jaye to woh uski galat istamal kar sakta hain. Isme uss Vidya ya gyan ka dosh nahin. It is not the fault of that knowledge but of who and how it is used.
Prabhat it is perhaps not a common belief because those who practice Tantrik not with the motive to do bad deeds but as the path to higher truth and awareness do not publicise it. Because they are doing it as a path of their progress and for raising their consciousness. It is a totally individualistic raising of consciousness for them which does not require others to know about it. If you can find it and follow it great. If you can't then your'e not ready for it.
Tantra is like the fission of Uranium. There is nothing wrong with the process or the energy that the fission creates. But it is to what use that energy is put to which is of concern. Aur jaise hum jante hain iss fission ka durupyog atom bomb ke roop mein kiya gaya tha. The atom Bomb was the worst misuse of this powerful energy.
Anusheh waiting patiently for the next revelation. Were the Aghori and you living in the same place for some time because you mention going back to her with your dream? Just curious.
Posted by
Hello everyone
Sayan I'll be posting the conclusion later today.
Ananya actually there are 112 sutras if Im not mistaken and you are absolutely right because they are perceived to be a central Tantric text and Shiva as the great Tantric Master from which all schools of Tantra flow.
However when people set out to malign Tantra they are quick to overlook this fact because they are focused more on firstly what they perceive to be the black magic that is practiced by Tantriks and his/her disdain towards the sacred.
What they dont understand is that whereas Tantra can help you understand the weave of the material world and therefore work it to your advantage it is also very alert to the fact that a lot of people will get waylaid by the attainment of various siddhis (powers) and is therefore quick to point out the karmic web of life so as to try and bring about responsibility in ones use of siddhis. Many of course do misuse their powers but then which path is free of opportunists?
As for the sacred. The Tantrik has little concern for it only because he desires to rise beyond duality and when notions of the sacred exist then so do notions of the profane. One cannot exist without the other.
But finally I think the most important thing to understand is that all distortions continue to survive in the world because they have an audience. Similarly Tantriks who are into misuse of power, quick fixes, etc. also survive because there are people who desire them.
Basically it is always better to form ones own opinion than take the way of the herd and in order to do that one must be well informed and not rely on heresay.
Posted by
Hi Simran and Ananya
Yes she is a real woman and yes we were living in the same vicinity for a while and attending the same forum so that's how we managed to keep meeting for a couple of days. She still exists but I am sworn to secrecy about her identity and her whereabouts as she has no desire to be known to the world.
love
Posted by
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Yu r creating good suspense.Keep it up.Seems like yur initiation in occult matters was quite dramatic.