Tantra: The Supreme Understanding is the first book on Tantra that I have read. And I am not sure if I could have had a better author to read than Osho. In his ever-simple way, he explains the path of Tantra. Tantra like all other ways that seekers adopt is a path of knowing oneself. He explains that yoga is a way of warriors and tantra is the path of royalty. This is the reason you have to fight all the time on the path of yoga.
The yogic path divides everything into two: good and bad, heaven and hell. And you are always fighting one to achieve the other. On the other hand path of Tantra does not require you to do anything.
Tantra: The Supreme Understanding by Osho
It just requires you not to see duality, and accept everything equally. It is known that both divisions are a part of one whole, and the existence of one means the existence of the other. It says to focus on nothing and you have everything.
He so simply tells you to just live, live in the moment. Be at peace with yourself, and everything else will follow. He talks about Tilopa and his disciple Naropa, who are not known to many people. But according to Osho that is because there was no need for them to tell people what they have experienced. And a teacher like Tilopa will not give knowledge to anyone till he is very sure that the student is ready. In all his life he could find only one student Naropa, and he was happy with one student. There was no need to enlighten everyone on the face of the earth.
Mahamudra
He talks about Mahamudra and the two stages that happened before that. All this must be not so easy to achieve as there are not many people who have been able to. But Osho makes it sound so simple that you feel that you are almost there and about to achieve it, it is within your arm’s reach.
Updates
A commentary on the Song of Tilopa, a 10th-century tantric text. Explores the essential principles of tantra, such as the unity of body and mind, and the importance of love and surrender. Use of techniques such as meditation and yoga to achieve enlightenment.
Divided into three parts “The Song of Tilopa,” about the text and its teachings, “The Commentary,” his interpretation of the Song, and “Questions and Answers,” which Osho gave on the topic of tantra.
Osho’s approach to tantra is unique and refreshing. He does not shy away from the controversial aspects of tantra, such as its use of sexuality, but he also emphasizes the importance of love, compassion, and non-violence. He sees tantra as a path to wholeness and enlightenment, not just a way to achieve physical pleasure.
Key concepts
- The unity of body and mind: Tantra teaches that the body is not separate from the mind, but is an expression of the divine. This means that we can use the body as a vehicle for spiritual growth.
- The importance of love and surrender: Tantra teaches that love is the highest form of energy. When we surrender to love, we open ourselves to the divine.
- The use of techniques: Tantra teaches that there are many techniques that can be used to achieve enlightenment. These techniques include meditation, yoga, and the use of mantras and mudras.
Read Tantra: The Supreme Understanding if you are curious about Tantra and of course if you enjoy reading Osho.
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Dear Anu,
I was planning to come to India this winter (around Feb.) but since I used my free ticket for NY, I postponed it to next year. I hope to meet you and visit those places to taste the things you mention.
Hi Anuradha, nice comment. i shd read Osho on tantra. though i hav read many of his other books. tantra is the supreme understanding, it’s india’s supreme contribution to the world. if you are interested in tantra, i would recommend you to read books by swami agehananda bharati, an austrian sannyasin who taught philisophy at BHU and dr. prem saran, an IAS officer in assam. they have written extensively on the subject.
Hi Anuradha, nice comment. i shd read Osho on tantra. though i hav read many of his other books. tantra is the supreme understanding, it’s india’s supreme contribution to the world. if you are interested in tantra, i would recommend you to read books by swami agehananda bharati, an austrian sannyasin who taught philisophy at BHU and dr. prem saran, an IAS officer in assam. they have written extensively on the subject.
Do read “Book of Secrets” by Osho. It talks of 112 techniques of meditations which have been used by all the enlightened people on this earth. It’s also called “vigyan bhairav tantra”.