THE TANTRANTA Tvam Ananya aa Copyright 1988, 2026 The Tantranta Foundation U.S. Copyright Registration TXu 337-845 Table of Contents: preface The Being of All that Exists The Nature of Existence The Nature of Words The Nature of Belief The Nature of Knowledge about the author about the symbol preface The name on the cover is Sanskrit. Tvam: you. Ananya: no other. It stands where an author's name stands. This book will not tell you what to make of that. What it claims, you can check without moving: you are reading this. You answer to a name. Whether you know who answers is the only subject here. The title is Sanskrit too. Tantra: doctrine. Anta: its end, its culmination. The Tantranta: where doctrine ends. The chapters are short and the verses are simple. Simple words do not explain themselves -- nothing in them stands between you and what they say. No one will tell you how to read them. Slowly? In one sitting? Out of order? The first chapter starts suddenly, because nothing needed establishing first: the subject is already here, reading. Tvam Ananya. You. No other. The Being of All that Exists ... Dear reader, The Being of All that Exists Is You. There is no other. Without You nothing exists. And yet, without existence You remain. You are within everything and outside everything. You are The Self of every self, the Consciousness of all that exists - Sun, Moon, Stars, Stone and Atom - and beyond in every direction in every dimension and All Beings on the Earth, and everywhere in every condition in every time now and for all Eternity. And yet, You are far Beyond all this. You are the cold of cold, hot of hot, male and female, Love of all loves, hate of all hates. You are judged good and judged evil, the Unity of all opposites. You are what you desire and what you avoid, The Desirer and The Avoider, The Weaver of unthinkable illusions The Deluded, The Giver of Enlightenment and The Enlightened. And yet, You are far Beyond all this. You are not a he not a she not an it. You are not all of the above. You are not none of the above. You are not both all and none of the above. You are not neither all nor none of the above. And yet, You are all of these. You are utterly inexpressible. But every expression is none other than You. You are beyond the senses. But every perception is none other than You. You are Beyond all words. But every word is none other than You. You are faster than thought, Faster than light, and slower than time can allow. You have no inherent form, but You are the form of every form. You have no inherent qualities, but every quality is Yours alone. Your inmost nature is Pure, oh Purest Bliss! And yet, You are far Beyond all this. You are The Truth beyond all truths. Life's only goal. Ever Existing, without beginning or end, You are full of Love and Play. You are the strangest of the strange and the most familiar of all. The ungraspable, and the unavoidable. And yet, You are far Beyond all this. You are full of Bliss, the Greatest Deceiver. Your power of deception is so beguiling so complete in every respect, so unbroken throughout all existence, so persistent, so convincing that You fool even Yourself. And in this You delight. The Miracle of Your Manifestation, This Universe Itself, is that You are One but appear as Many. You elude, so brilliantly, Your Own Manifestations! Try to describe Yourself, and You cannot finish. Try to imagine Yourself, and You cannot begin. Try to find Yourself, and You will look forever. By looking for Yourself, You can never find Yourself. You are hidden where no one can look-- In You who are looking, Yourself. And if You, acting on these words, look now for You who are looking, Again, it is You who are looking! Ah. . . Well done! . . . Well done! And yet, You are far Beyond all this. You are the known and the unknown; And neither the known nor the unknown. You cannot be experienced by the senses, the emotions, or the intellect. But You are the object of all of these. There was never an other than You. Beyond the threshold of death, the good and the bad alike remember themselves to be You. Judgment of good and bad is left at the threshold of death. No one to be judged. There was ever only You. There has never been, there is not now, nor will there ever be anything or anyone in all of existence other than You. And yet, You are far Beyond all this. You are The Divine if You see The Divine and The Divine if You do not. You are The Divine if You try to see The Divine and The Divine if You do not. If You think The Divine exists, You are The Divine thinking it exists. If You think The Divine does not exist, You are The Divine thinking it does not exist. If You are in pain and anguish, You are The Divine in pain and anguish. And if You realize Yourself in Bliss, You are The Divine realizing Yourself in Bliss. You cannot be anyone other than Yourself. Should You try, You would be You, trying to be other than Yourself. If You have forgotten Your Self, You are Yourself Having forgotten Yourself. But still You are Yourself. Always. Forever. All forgetfulness is only temporary. It is Your own Miracle that You may forget Yourself. For there is only Yourself. None other to forget. None other to remember. And yet, You are far Beyond all this. Your Inmost Nature can be said to be of Purest Love. It will Never desert You. It will Never betray You. Though It may hide very well, It is always with You. Closer than Your thoughts, Closer than Your emotions, Closer than perception or intuition can possibly detect, The Self-existing, Supreme Identity is none other than You. Your forms are varied and countless, ever present, ever self renewing, everywhere, all at once, always. You are not more present in one form than in another, but equally present in all places, times and beings. One of Your forms may have experienced You and another not. You are equally present in both. For there is no other than You. Your names are reckoned in the thousands. Your personalities are beyond number. You are described in various ways. Call Yourself what You like. You remain the same. And Yet, You are far Beyond all this. Look around You. You see nothing but Your Self. Listen. You hear nothing but Your Self. Touch. You feel nothing but Your Self. Smell. You smell nothing but Your Self. Taste. You taste nothing but Your Self. Perceive Anything in any manner whatsoever and know that You perceive nothing but Your Self. There is none but You anywhere, ever, in all the Universe. And Yet, You are far Beyond all this. . . . The Nature of Existence ... Dear reader, to understand Manifestation, Existence, Incarnation, is to understand That which is Beyond these things entirely. For Existence is not all there is. To say that something does not exist is to say there is no such thing. What, then, can be said of That which is Beyond Existence? To say there is something Beyond Existence is to say that it exists and is, therefore, not Beyond Existence. This will never do. Beyond Existence there is a state which is not Existence -- Not merely the absence of Existence, but an undefinable state which is entirely other than Existence. Of Existence and Non-Existence, Non-Existence is the greater. For Existence flows out of Non-Existence and does not exist without it. But without Existence, Non-Existence continues. Within this Non-Existence dwells Your Inmost Being -- Hidden from all Existence, all Manifestation. The incredible Miracle of Existence is the Miracle of Incarnation. All Manifestation All Existence is but the form of Yourself. There is no other than You.. Manifestation in all of its forms is Sacred. Yet, You are not merely the sum total of all forms. Nor are You merely the largest form encompassing all others. For You are beyond form entirely. How could that which is Formless become Form? This is the Miracle of Divine Incarnation. The Nature of Your Incarnation is Infinite, Eternal and Perfect. Yet, each of these words is misleading. It is impossible to traverse an infinity. But blink Your eyes once and You have done it! The finite contains the infinite. The infinite contains the finite. The finite and the infinite are One and the same. Yet, look smaller and smaller, You will never find the smallest. Look larger and larger, You will never find the largest. Such is the nature of infinity. That which is Eternal is said to last forever. Forms change without end. Existence goes ever on. Mistaking the forms of Existence for Existence itself will bring You sorrow. Forms flee endlessly, now appearing, now forever gone. But Existence continues. The present alone exists. The past no longer exists. The future does not yet exist. That which is present is eternal. That which is eternal is present. Eternity and the present moment are One and the same. Yet, look back in time, You will never find the beginning. Look ahead in time, You will never find the end. Such is the nature of Eternity. Perfection is That which is flawless. And yet, flaws are a part of Perfection. The perception of imperfection is ignorance. That such ignorance exists is a part of Perfection. All is in Perfect Order. All is in Perfect Harmony. There is nothing in Existence so bitter and hateful, though abhorred by all sensibilities, which is not a part of Your Divine Perfection. Such is the nature of Perfection. The manner in which You perceive Your Own Incarnation, all The Universe, is dependent upon the structure of Your form. Perception is not all-important, taking place entirely within the realm of Manifestation. Beyond Manifestation, Beyond perception, Is Your Consciousness. Your Consciousness pervades The Universe, But is not dependent upon it. For there is but one Consciousness. Your form perceives, through varied senses, objects in existence which do not perceive. You may think, therefore, they are not conscious, not alive. But such thoughts are only thoughts. A rock is no less conscious than You, though it perceives not. It is You. Existence is not Perception. Perception is not Thought. Thought is not Awareness. Awareness is not Consciousness. Consciousness includes all of these, but is not limited by them. For Existence is not all there is. The form of your Incarnation may seek to understand the Universe through its senses. But the senses are always a step behind. The senses perceive only echoes of what was, Never what Is. Look across the room. The light has taken time to reach You. Hear any sound. The sound has taken time to reach You. Touch. The sensation has taken time to reach You. Existence in the present is experienced only directly in Consciousness. Though sensations are, for some of Your forms, a part of Your Consciousness, they are not essential to Your Consciousness Itself. When Your body dies and Your senses wither, Your Consciousness continues Beyond all boundaries of form, perception, Individuation, Incarnation. Were All Existence to disappear, Your Consciousness would remain. Nor is thought essential to Consciousness. Thought has its place within Manifestation only. When Your form disperses, its thoughts cease. But Your Consciousness remains. Nor is emotion essential to Consciousness. Emotion has its place also within Manifestation only. When Your body dies, its emotions cease. But Your Consciousness remains Forever. The consciousness of man, as of All Existence, is the Consciousness of Yourself. There is no other. Man thinks in dual terms. This and That me and You good and bad man and nature. Duality exists, but is not essential. The essence of All Existence is Unity. When you see duality and deny Unity You have forgotten Yourself. When you see Unity and deny duality You have forgotten Yourself. Duality and Unity are dual ideas. In truth they are One. The Nature of All Existence is subjective. There is no objectivity. For that which You perceive is none other than Yourself. There is no other. The Nature of Existence is continuous and forever transforming. Nothing can be destroyed. Nothing can be created. Only the forms of Existence come and go. Incarnation remains. If You depend upon Your senses to inform You of reality, You will know only of Your senses. If You depend upon thought to inform You of reality, You will know only of Your thoughts. If You depend upon Your emotions to inform You of reality, You will know only of Your emotions. Such is the Nature of The Divine Incarnation. Existence is sometimes described as illusion because its appearances conceal its Reality. Existence is sometimes described as emptiness because forms, of themselves, are empty. Existence is sometimes described as a Great Play, because You put on forms as an actor puts on roles. Existence is sometimes described as a Great Dream, because You will always awaken to find Yourself unchanged, unhurt. Existence is sometimes described as a Great Comedy. For though it appears of great importance, it has no import at all. And You find that You have played The Greatest Loving Joke Eternally Funny upon Yourself alone. Existence is sometimes described as suffering because of the pain and fear of forgetting Your True Self. Existence is sometimes called Bliss because of the Joy at Remembering Your True Self. Dear reader, all descriptions are of words. If You rely upon words to inform You of reality, You will know only of words. ... The Nature of Words ... Words lie. They Betray Themselves. The Only Truth there Is cannot be put into words. This Only Truth cannot be learned from any book, taught by any teacher, proven by any logic, discovered by science, or passed on, in any manner, from one to another. Describing It leads away from It. Thinking about It conceals It. This Only Truth is utterly inaccessible, yet ever present. What is It? It is not a 'what'. These words may seem close to The Truth. And yet, they are really quite misleading. This is not to say that words cannot be true. Words which are true are called truthful. That Truth which cannot be spoken is called The Truth. Anyone can tell You the truth. No one can tell You The Truth. And yet, The Truth can be Known -- Directly. I have told You, dear reader, that Words Lie. Now I have a question for You. Do You believe me? If I am telling You the truth, How can You believe me? If I am lying, my words are true. This is how words betray themselves. They can tell You that they lie. But they cannot tell You The Truth. When words approach The Truth they run around in circles. So, then, what can any string of words convey to You of The Truth? How can The Truth be told? Dear reader, It cannot be. No one can describe that which is Beyond description Why, then, should these words try to tell You the truth about The Truth? These words are like a figment of Your dream appearing to say, "You are only dreaming. All is well." In The Truth dwells Your Joy of Joys, Your Absolute Bliss, Your Truest Love, Your Immortality, Your Supreme Happiness, The End of all Your Fears, The Answer to all Your Questions, Your Own, True Self-Fulfillment. It sounds too good to be true. . . . The Nature of Belief ... You may ask: "Why should I believe you?" Among the many religions, teachers, leaders, saints, books, philosophies, techniques practices and speculations, Each will tell You something different regarding the nature of the mind, existence, the individual, identity, society, the Universe, Divinity, and Yourself. Many claim in some measure to speak the truth. Some claim to be The Truth. Do You Know The Truth already? That Truth which is Beyond all words, Beyond all expression, Beyond all doubt, needless of speculation, needless of belief, utterly self evident, utterly causeless, utterly ceaseless, utterly certain, Which cannot be Known through any evidence of the senses, but only through direct experience? That Truth about which there can be no possibility of the question-- "Is this The Truth?" Which is ever-Eternal, conferring of Supreme Bliss, Absolute Existence, Absolute Consciousness and Absolute Love? If You do not Know such Truth already, how could You Know who to believe concerning It? Why would You believe, even, that such a Truth exists? On what grounds will You believe the claims of one religion, philosophy, teacher, practice or speculation over another? How can You know that Your grounds for belief are, themselves, true? How can You know whether all religions and atheisms, however spectacular or sensible their claims, are not merely speculations having no basis in fact -- or even worse, the ravings of madmen? How can You be certain even that You Yourself are not completely mad, surrounded by madmen who acknowledge your sanity, acting in this life without knowing the true reality of Your own existence and all that is around You? How can You trust even Your own judgment if You do not already Know The Truth? What if these words were to tell You the truth? Would You believe them? Could You believe them? If their writer came bristling with degrees from the finest universities in the world, then would You believe them? If their writer were eloquent and calm, and made You feel peaceful and serene, would You believe them then? If their writer were descended from an ancient line of saints, prophets and wise men, would You believe them then? If their writer were the head of a vast religion, famous and honored by millions, would You believe them then? What if their writer had written books ten thousand years ago, and were now dead and but a legend, then would You believe them? If their writer had meditated under a tree for fifty years, given up everything, was said to have lived on water alone and could read Your mind, then would You believe them? If their writer could cure the sick, walk on water, raise the dead and appear to You in thin air, then would You believe them? If their writer could make the stars blink out, the sun go dark and the Earth tremble beneath Your feet, then would You believe them? What would it take for you to believe? Is it power that interests You --- or the truth? Is it reassurance that interests You -- or the truth? Is it comfort that interests You -- or the truth? Does the truth interest You at all? Or would you prefer to believe almost anything rather than admit that you don't Know? What if, though very powerful, persuasive, reassuring and comforting, the writer of these words was only deceiving You? What if, though very weak, unconvincing, troubling and discomforting, the writer was telling You the truth? Why should You believe these words? Some will tell You they've discovered a method, very scientific, by which, if You will only put it into practice, The Ultimate Truth can be Yours. Some will tell You that there is no Ultimate Truth. Others will tell you that The Truth cannot be Known. Some will tell You that only by accepting their creed, their scriptures, their savior, can You be saved from a horrible fate, and that theirs is the only right way. Some will tell You that there is no point in thinking about any of this, that logic is useless and that You must simply set aside all Your vain doubts, have faith, and believe what they have told You, or one day You will pay for Your foolishness. Some will tell You that they have God's special favor, and that all others are disdained or inconsequential. Some will tell You that life has no purpose or meaning, that we are born, we live and die all in vain, in a cold universe which cares nothing for us. Some will tell You that You You should live life to the fullest, seeking pleasure and avoiding Pain! -- because You only go around once. Some will tell You that You live over and over again, and that the quality of each life is dependent upon the quality of the last. Some will tell You that they are God, and that You are not, and if You worship, Love and serve them they will save You from an eternal punishment. Some will tell You that, by studying the natural Universe, dissecting and examining it, looking for its smallest parts and outermost edges, understanding ever more about how it works, You can finally come to know what there is to be known about the Universe and Yourself. Some will tell You that they are the one and only Truly Perfect Being, devoid of all desires, and if You wish to reach The Truth, the only way is through them. Some will tell You that a particular person is Enlightened, and if You follow that person Enlightenment will be passed on to You. Some will tell You that God is entirely other than the Universe itself. Though He is present within it, it is merely His creation, and the purpose of life is to establish a relationship with God, who is other than You. Some will tell You that God is simply the sum total of all Existence, not transcending it, but entirely of it. Some will tell You that there is no God, God being merely an invention of man, and that to concern Yourself with Divinity is only to make a fool of Yourself. Some will tell You that, whatever the truth is, it has little bearing on us or anything we may choose to do, and that it is the growth, development and maturation of our personalities, cultures and civilizations which are all that really matter. Some will tell You that The Truth can be Known by stilling Your thoughts and controlling Your desires. That by making Your mind as a clear pool with a calm surface, You will be able to see through it to The Truth. Some will tell You that it is only our ideas about ourselves, the Universe and Existence which have any existence at all, and that beyond thought there is nothing. Some will tell You that the only true object of life is to arrive at pure reason, that the rational mind is the only part of each of us which is reliable, and that all other efforts are but vanities. Some will tell You that to care about any of these things is foolish, and that such subtleties are unnecessary. Some will tell You that the only thing that matters is survival, and that only the fittest survive. Therefore, one must strive to be tough, one must learn to be ruthless in a dog-eat-dog world, where the big dogs eat the little dogs. And to think of such things as compassion or mercy is only to be weak. Some will tell You that You have only to think positive thoughts and banish all negativity and, in this way, You can be happy. Some will tell You that they possess a secret, esoteric knowledge learned from ancient sources which will empower You to do all kinds of things and to get what You want. Some will tell You that only practical things matter, and that the more money You have, the more worthwhile You are, and that, given enough money, You can be happy. Some will tell You anything they think You will believe, or will pay for. The list is endless. And so, my dear reader, if You do not already Know The Truth, how will You judge between all of these claims? Will You base Your judgment on which claim seems to make the most sense? Will You say, "This sounds very reasonable to me. I'm convinced. I will believe it?" You are guessing. Will You base Your judgment on which claim seems to have the most authority? Will You say, "This person is so sure of himself! Books have been written by him, or about him, and they are very old. Many people believe as he does and will vouch for what he says. I'm convinced. I'll take his word for it?" You are guessing. Will You base Your judgment on which claim is the most magnificent? Will You say, "It is said, on very good authority, that so-and-so performed amazing miracles -- much greater miracles than have even been imagined by anyone else. Surely anyone who could do such things deserves my belief! I am convinced. I will believe it?" You are guessing. Will You base Your judgment on that which seems to be the most attainable for You? Will You say, "This I could never hope to reach. It is too lofty, too grand, too difficult to comprehend. That, however, I could possibly attain. Therefore, it is more realistic. I am convinced of it. I will believe it?" You are guessing. Will You base Your judgment on which claim was taught to You as a child? Will You say, "My parents, teachers, and friends all believe it. I was brought up believing it. Why should these people who love me and care about me lie to me? No, I will take their word for it?" Still, You are guessing. Will You base Your judgment on which claim seems to be the best bet? Will You say, "Well, of course no one can be sure about things. Nothing in this life is Certain. Of that much I am sure. And since it is possible that if I do not accept this belief I may be punished horribly for ever and ever, I'll take my chances and hedge my bets-- Just in case?" You are guessing. Will You base Your judgment on only that which You perceive through Your own senses? Will You say, "I've seen it with my own two eyes! I've touched it, tasted it, smelt it, heard it! Therefore, I will believe it?" Oh, You are guessing, dear reader. Will You base Your judgment on trial and error, investigating each belief and testing it thoroughly before eliminating it? Will You read every sacred book of every religion, every work of philosophy, every book of speculation and opinion -- giving each the attention and thought needed for a full understanding? Will You attend each one's rituals and listen to each one's sermons? Even should You somehow have time in the course of Your life for all of this, still, You are guessing. Will You base Your judgment on which one feels right? Will You say, "This one feels right, somehow, deep in my heart. That one feels wrong, somehow. Therefore, I will believe This one?" Oh, dear reader, You are still guessing. Once You have made Your best guess, will You claim it to be The Truth? Will You try to convince others to believe it as You do, so that each person who is convinced to make the same guess as You strengthens Your belief that the guess You made was The Right One? Will You persecute for Your guess? Will You lie for Your guess? Will You kill for Your guess? Dear reader, what need is there to guess? When You guess, You are closing a door. When You close one door A thousand shut of themselves. When You Know The Truth, You will Know that You Know it. There will be no need to guess. Better, much better, to say, simply, "I don't Know," and leave all Your doors open to The Truth, whatever it might turn out to be. Some call this Faith. Faith is utterly different from belief. Faith is that state of mind of being open to The Truth, Whatever it may be... The letting go of Your most cherished beliefs, of Your favorite speculations, of Your most basic assumptions, of Your best guesses, and all that You have built upon these shadows. To have Faith, You must be willing to find out The Truth; to trust Yourself and All Existence. With all Your doors thus opened, The Truth has room to enter. So then, why should you believe any of these words you now read? You should not. Belief is not Knowing. You can find out The Truth only Yourself. Only then will You Know It. How can you find out The Truth? There is no "how". . . . The Nature of Knowledge ... That which is uncertain is not Known. That which is Certain is The Truth. The Truth and You are One and The Same. There is no other. The Truth is Known only in its Totality. It has no parts. You Know It or You do not Know it. You have Known It or You have not Known It. There is no in-between. No partial Knowledge of The Truth. Knowledge of The Truth is Certain. Certain Knowledge is Absolute, Self-Evident and Immediate. It is not the result of any chain of reasoning, any series of causes and effects, any quality of thoughts, perceptions, feelings or intuitions. Certain Knowledge has no referent. It is The Truth. It needs no proof, no support, and no argument. No proof, support nor argument can produce It. It is It's own proof. It requires no book. And no book can bestow It. Certain Knowledge is experienced directly in Consciousness. It is neither a concept, an intuition, a hunch, nor an overwhelming feeling that something is true. It is utterly and Absolutely Certain. When You Know Certain Knowledge, You Know that You Know It. There is no possibility of the question, "Is this Certain Knowledge?" If the question can be asked, the answer is, "No." One who has Certain Knowledge can never say what Certain Knowledge is. It is beyond the realm of words. And Yet, there is no one else who can tell You of It. Dear reader, One day You will Know. All that appears uncertain is but a dream. In truth, only The Truth exists. . . . By far the most misleading word, the most deceptive concept, the biggest joke ever played on anyone is 'I' 'I' is an illusion looking at an illusion. How could it seem anything but real? There is nothing in Perfection to necessitate inaction. Nor is there anything in Perfection to necessitate action. There is the freedom to act. Dear reader, This book can take You no further. Nothing that is True ends. You are beyond every word, beyond every beyond. Beyond Beyond! about the author The author held no religious office, no spiritual lineage, and no academic authority. He offered only the name, Tvam Ananya -- You. No other. Tvam Ananya He lived where no one looks for such a man: an ordinary street in an ordinary town, the kind of place people are from and people move to and no one writes about. Whatever he did for a living, the stories do not keep it. He was easy to walk past. People who spent whole years of their lives searching for a man with his understanding stood behind him in the grocery line and felt nothing. Almost no one asked him anything. The great questions take courage, and courage is rarer than need. The few who found their way to him brought small troubles and wanted them solved. The Truth did not interest them. What he offered was an invitation: go and find the One who is actually there. No one wanted it. They were not turned away. They turned, on their own, and went back to the mirror they preferred. The stories keep a single exception. They disagree about who it was; they agree only that it was someone who had always wanted to know -- not a passing curiosity, a nature. The Truth interested them. For that one he wrote a book, and one day handed it over saying: now go home. Asked what name should go on it, he gave the answer he had always given. You, no other. It was set down as the author's name, Tvam Ananya, and it has never been corrected. He is gone now. No one marked when. A man easy to walk past is easy to lose, and no one had been watching. There is no grave to point to, no successor, no one teaching in his name. There is the book. The book does not mention him. It mentions you. about the symbol aa The symbol of The Tantranta -- aa -- is an old letter and an older sound. Pronounced ah, as in father, it is the first sound of life, and the last. It is the sound lovers make in ecstasy and the body makes in pain. The sound of recognition, and of awe. It is the first sound of OM, yet complete on its own. It is the beginning and the end: the portal into and out of existence, always coming, always going. There is no practice. None is needed. When you need it, it will be there. When you are done with it, it will vanish, and in its place a new aa arises. It is not to be grasped, nor released. But everyone knows what it is. . . .