Cidgaganacandrika (study)
by S. Mahalakshmi | 2017 | 83,507 words
This page relates 鈥楶hilosophical aspects of Kashmir Shaivism鈥� of the English study of the Cidgaganacandrika: an important Tantric work belonging to the Krama system of Kashmir Shaivism. Written by Kalidasa (Shrivatsa) in 312 Sanskrit verses, the Cidgagana-Candrika deals with the knowledge regarding both the Macrocosmic and Microcosmic phenomena. This study includes renditions from the two available commentaries鈥攖he Divyacakorika and the Kramaprakashika
This book contains Sanskrit text which you should never take for granted as transcription mistakes are always possible. Always confer with the final source and/or manuscript.
Part 3 - Philosophical aspects of Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘
Salient points of Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 can be summarised by [the following concepts of]:
1. Citi:
Universal Consciousness (Citi) is the fundamental stuff of the universe. This Consciousness is one and includes the whole. It could also be called 艢颈惫补.
2. Mala:
Limitations imposed by Maya on Consciousness contracts 艢颈惫补. One becomes many. 艢颈惫补 becomes the individual (闯墨惫补). Contraction of this nature is called mala (impurity).
There are three malas,
- the mala of individualisation (膧峁嘺va mala),
- the mala of the limited mind (M膩y墨ya mala), and
- the mala of the body (碍腻谤尘补峁嘺 mala).
3. 鲍辫腻测补:
An individual caught in the suffering of embodied existence, afflicted by the three malas, desires to return finally to his or her primordial state of Universal Consciousness. 厂腻诲丑补苍补 or spiritual practice is undertaken by him to attain this ultimatum. While most other paths observe offering incense and external objects to the deity, this path takes on to offering breaths. The individual controls his heart and pulse by reducing it significantly. The final stage is renouncing consumption of food and water. As a result, he/she connects with the state of the supreme in the form of 艢颈惫补 which results in purification of the body and generation of ojas.
Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 prescribes four methods (耻辫腻测补蝉):
- 膧峁嘺惫辞辫腻测补, the method of the body,
- 艢补办迟辞辫腻测补, method of the mind,
- 艢腻尘产丑补惫辞辫腻测补, method of Consciousness, and
- 础苍耻辫腻测补 the 鈥榤ethodless鈥� method.
4. 惭辞办峁:
The fruit of the individual鈥檚 蝉腻诲丑补苍补 is the attainment of Self-realisation (尘辞办峁). In Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, the state of liberation (mukti) is called sahaja 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈 and is characterised by the attainment of unwavering bliss-consciousness while living one鈥檚 ordinary life.