Center on AUM Without A or M
पिण्डमन्त्रस्य सर्वस्य स्थूलवर्णक्रमेण तु । अर्धेन्दुबिन्दुनादान्तः शून्योच्चाराद् भवेच् छिवः ॥
piṇḍamantrasya sarvasya sthūlavarṇakrameṇa tu | ardhendubindunādāntaḥ śūnyoccārād bhavec chivaḥ ||
VBT Verse 42
The Sutra
"Center on the sound AUM without any A or M."
Paul Reps translation, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (1957)
Understanding
AUM has three sounds: A, U, M. Remove the A and the M. What remains? Only the U - the humming vibration in the middle. But go deeper: remove even the U. What remains is the pure vibration before it becomes any letter at all. This is the Anahat - the soundless sound, the vibration of existence itself. This technique strips away the form of mantra to reveal its formless essence.
Original Sanskrit
पिण्डमन्त्रस्य सर्वस्य स्थूलवर्णक्रमेण तु । अर्धेन्दुबिन्दुनादान्तः शून्योच्चाराद् भवेच् छिवः ॥
piṇḍamantrasya sarvasya sthūlavarṇakrameṇa tu | ardhendubindunādāntaḥ śūnyoccārād bhavec chivaḥ ||
Vijnanabhairava Verse 42 (Technique 44 of 112)
How to Practice
Begin by chanting AUM normally a few times to establish the vibration.
Now drop the opening A sound. Begin directly with the U-M vibration.
Now drop the closing M sound. Only the middle vibration remains.
This is not any letter. It is pure hum, pure vibration.
Let even this vibration become subtler until it is felt rather than heard.
You are now centered on the essence of AUM - the vibration that exists before, between, and after all sounds.
Duration
15-25 minutes
Best Time
Pre-dawn silence
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