One of the hallmarks of the Tantric philosophy I study and adhere to is that everything is a manifestation of the one Divine Consciousness, including each of us as individuals. The obvious question that usually arises is something like: If everything is made of a completely free and whole consciousness, including me, then why don’t I feel free? Why do I feel bound or disconnected, or why do I experience suffering? The fifth sūtra of the Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam (PH) begins to answer this question.

PH 5 citir eva cetana-padād avarūḍhā cetya-saṃkocinī cittam

Citi: absolute Consciousness
eva: itself
cetana: uncontracted or expanded Consciousness
padād: state, stage
avarūḍhā: descend
cetya: object of perception
saṃkocinī: contracted, limited
citta: mind, individual awareness

It says: Consciousness (Citi) contracts from its expanded state (cetana) and becomes our individual awareness (citta), conforming to objects of perception (cetya). In parentheses, I indicated four words in this sūtra that come from the verbal root cit, which means “to know.” Each of these words has a teaching for us. This sūtra begins with citi, which in this text designates absolute Consciousness. PH 1 says that the highest Citi, out of her freedom/svātantrya, contracts from its expanded state (cetana) to manifest everything. Here in PH 5, a specific result of that manifestation is given. The Highest contracts to produce the individual consciousness, citta. We as individuals are each a manifestation of the Highest, yet are limited, due to that contraction. Even so, we are at essence divine, having come from that great ocean of Consciousness.

This teaching is reflected in the teaching of the pañca-kṛtyas, which delineate the fundamental acts of the Highest. The five acts describe how the world is unfolded from the Absolute to the relative—how the manifest world is created or emitted, then maintained, until again it is enfolded back into the Absolute. As well, in this process, one of the five acts/pañca-kṛtyas of the Absolute is concealment (nigraha). The Absolute in its expanded state (cetana) contracts from its fullness, squeezing itself into a human form. For us as individuals, this concealment is akin to forgetting who we are. It is a kind of cosmic amnesia, and the results can be devastating in this earthly realm because we have forgotten our heart essence.

This forgetting of our Heartself and our connectedness to everything, can produce horrific consequences. When the primary experience is one of disconnection, it can yield results like social injustice, degradation of the environment, and so on. One of the greatest promises of yoga is the ability to recognize the divine source both within ourselves and as everything, allowing the highest qualities of awareness to pulse out through each of our thoughts and actions.

REFLECT AND EXPLORE

Contemplate this teaching from PH 5: Consciousness (Citi) contracts to become our individual awareness (citta).

Consider how it relates to any other teaching, as well as your experience of it.

How do you think this is manifested in the world at large?