The Sutra
"Abide in some place infinitely spacious, clear of trees, hills, habitations. Thence comes the end of mind pressures."
Paul Reps translation, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (1957)
Understanding
Find a place of vast emptiness - a desert, a large open field, a mountain plateau, the seashore. No trees, no buildings, no landmarks. Just infinite space. In such a place, the mind naturally becomes spacious because there is nothing to grasp, nothing to name, nothing to relate to. The usual mind pressures - of labeling, categorizing, reacting - simply end because there is nothing for them to work on.
Original Sanskrit
निजदेहे सर्वदिक्कं युगपद्भावयेद्व्यापम् ।
nijadehe sarvadikkam yugapadbhaavayedvyaapam |
Vijnanabhairava Verse 133 (Technique 110 of 112)
How to Practice
Travel to the most spacious, empty place you can find - a field, a beach, a plateau, a desert.
Stand or sit where you can see vast open space in all directions. Minimal objects, minimal landmarks.
Let your gaze be soft and unfocused. Take in the entire space without fixing on anything.
Notice how the mind gradually quiets. Without objects to label and categorize, the mind has nothing to do.
The usual mental pressures dissolve naturally. You do not need to fight the mind - just remove its objects.
Abide in this spaciousness. Let it seep into you. Even when you leave this place, carry the spaciousness within.
Duration
30-60 minutes
Best Time
Any time in open spaces
Related Techniques
Begin Your Meditation Journey
Receive a 7-day dharana practice guide and weekly meditation teachings
Free 7-day practice guide delivered to your inbox
Discover Which Bhairava Guides Your Path
Take the free 2-minute Ashta Bhairava Quiz to find your guiding form
Take the Quiz