Pratibhā - the pre-thought experience of reality

Pratibhā

pratibhā is every individual’s pre-thought experience of reality as it is. This level of speech is called paśyanti. It is undifferentiated in any way and word and meaning remain without sequence or form. This is the unmanifested Śabdabrahman. The essential prompt of this inner self stimulates a wordless intuition of the complete and indivisible reality.  However as soon as words arise, division ensues. Words may attempt to describe it but they can do no more than offer an unreal representation of it.

Bhartrhari writes:
śabdeśvevāśritā śaktir viśvasyāsya nibandhani / 
yannetrah pratibhātmāyam bhedarupah pratiyate //
(VP, 1. 118)

“The power which resides in words is the sole cause of this universe. Led by that
intuitive self, this appearance of division is recognised.”

Pratibhā is innate in all living beings. It is the reason that the natural behaviour of birds and animals takes place without instruction or any other prompting. It is the reason the Indian cuckoo sings in spring, for example. In human beings, it is evidenced in the newborn child.

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