600 BCE:
|
Beginning of the oral tradition of Siddha Meditation Masters
|
|
|
|
400-800 CE:
|
First textual fixation of the
Siddha movement
|
|
|
|
1918:
|
Sanskrit text published for the first time
|
|
|
|
1897-1961:
|
Life of Bhagawan Nityananda
|
|
|
|
1961:
|
First French translation
|
|
|
|
1908-1982:
|
Life of Swami Muktananda
|
|
|
|
1978:
|
Michael Shingleton receives the Now Sound from Swami Muktananda
|
|
|
|
1979:
|
First English translation
|
|
|
|
1980:
|
Swami Nityananda is initiated by Muktananda to be his successor
|
|
The Now Sound is taken from an ancient text called the Vijnana Bhairava (meaning "One with the ultimate reality"). The Vijnana Bhairava belongs to the most important of Hindu tantras. The text is unique among tantric literature because it
concentrates on meditative practice and the resulting spiritual experience. It is in many ways a “how to” book to find bliss. The genesis of the oral tradition is of course difficult to determine. However, it is believed that perfect, realized masters called Siddhas began to teach the 112 methods in 600 BCE.
The text makes it clear that everything can become a means to attain Being or the supreme reality. Everything includes music, laughter, sex, sports, great fear, bitter sorrow or intense pain. In every moment there can occur this sudden “shift” of the world as we normally see it and the subtle, seemingly hidden bliss of another reality is revealed.
|
|
