Mircea Eliade YOGA IMMORTALITY AND ... - Brihaspati.net

condition for further experiments.
Excursus: the dhikr
It had long noted the similarities between the tec-nica tantric yogi and dhikr Muslim,
incessant repetition dH
8 Ed Wogihara, P. 272 et seq. reprinted in S. B. Dasgupta, An Introduction to Tantric
Buddhism, p. 66.
name of God. In a recent study, L. Gaxdet Largam-te explained the different varieties of
dhikr, while also considering its relations with the yogay nembutsu eljapa-zen (see Note
VI, 6). It is important to emphasize the mystical physiology assumed by the practice of
dhikr: there is reference to "centers" and subtle organ, at some vision inside the human
body, cro-demonstrations and acoustic nuances acompafian the various stages of
experience, and so on. The discipline of breathing and pronunciation ritual play a vital
role and the process of concentration has features similar to the method yogi. The
problem of contacts historic areas and reciprocal influences between India and Islam is
not resolved yet. Although the constant mention of God's name is entered in the Qur'an,
and dhikr while enjoying great prestige among the Sufis, it is likely that the regulation of
body positions and breathing techniques, re-regulation that mainly veld from the twelfth
century, is due to Indian influence, at least in part, it is known that these were exercised
clearly des-for the twelfth century (recipes in relation to the physics of ecstasy, etc.).
"The texts that follow are not intended to provide an exposition of theology and
technique of dhikr, but simply to highlight some similarities with the morphology of
tantric yoga. According to Ibn Iyad "begins the recitation from the left side (breast) which
is like the niche that holds the lamp of the heart, the focus of spiritual clarity. Continue
doing the recitation of the lower chest, the right side and climbing to the top of this. It
goes back to the start position (trans. L. Gardet, p. 654). According to Muhammad al-
Sanusi, "to take positions consist (...) curl up on the floor, with her legs crossed, arms
around the legs, head down between his knees and eyes closed. He raises his head saying
la ilaha during the period between the arrival of the head at the level of the heart and its
position on the right shoulder. We must take care of the spirit himself away from
everything that is alien to God. When the mouth is at the heart level, strongly articulated
ilia (...) invocation and Allah is pronounced against the heart in a more energy-ca. ..
"(Trans. Gardet, 654-655). Chosen formula is repeated as many times as possible in order
to" reach enumeraci6n end all, once assured of continuity of prayer "(Gardet, 656 ). There
is agreement between respiration rate and the pace of verbal repetition. A twelfth-century
text (referring to the oldest known collective dhikr) prescribed: the respiration is "emitted
above the right breast (to empty the heart) , then the word is exhaled from the navel
(against Demor>, or sexual), then ilaha is pronounced on the right shoulder, and ilia in
the navel, and finally Allah is pronounced strongly in the empty heart "(Massignon,
quoted by Gardet, p. 658).
A modern author, Shaykh Muhammad Amin al-Kurdi (d. 1914), in his treatise al-Quloob
Tanwir gives us even more precise details, concerning the relation between the
respiration, the "centers" of the subtle body and the mystical syllable during the dhikr
(texts translated in Jean Gouillard, the Philocalie Petite Prière du Coeur, Paris, 1953, p.
317 et seq. The passage is inserted on pages 332-333): "The dhaka stick your tongue to
the palate of the throat, after vacuuming, will retain his breathing. Tonces begin inpronunciation
of the word imagine it placed below the navel, from there take that word