Principle of Shakti in Kashmir Shaivism (Study)
by Nirmala V. | 2016 | 65,229 words
This page relates 鈥楽hakti in Classical Systems of Indian Philosophy鈥� of the thesis dealing with the evolution and role of Shakti鈥攖he feminine principle鈥攚ithin the religious and philosophical framework of Kashmir Shaivism. Tantrism represents an ancient Indian spiritual system with Shakti traditionally holding a prominent role. This study examines four major sub-streams: Kula, Krama, Spanda, and Pratyabhijn膩.
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Part 1.3 - 艢补办迟颈 in Classical Systems of Indian Philosophy
[Note: Here the term 鈥榗lassical systems鈥� is taken from the classification of Indian philosophical systems into classical and post-classical by Navjivan Rastogi in his article The Notion of 艢补办迟颈 in Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. By classical, he indicates the six systems of mainstream philosophies and the contemporary heterodox systems and so on.]
Classical streams of Indain philosophy treat 艢补办迟颈 in two ways according to Navjivan Rastogi; First, the consideration of 艢补办迟颈 as a distinct category,[1] and the acceptance as the part of a recognised category or casting off in total. The second are the systems which do not address the issue directly but keep on it instinctively.
The creative power attributed to the feminine could still be found in the classical systems such as 厂腻峁卥丑测补, 狈测腻测补 and 惭墨尘腻峁僺腻. Vedas are the sources for these adoptions of 艢补办迟颈, while the Sanskrit grammarians鈥� school shows deviation in this nature through the exposition of the supreme word (Par膩 v膩c) as the 艢补办迟颈.[2]
In 厂腻峁卥丑测补 philosophy, 笔谤补办峁泃颈 and 笔耻谤耻峁 are the two poles. 厂腻峁卥丑测补 does not provide a personified concept of female but it is referred to as the entire activities taking place in 笔谤补办峁泃颈 just as in 艢补办迟颈.[3]
The conception of power as expressed by 狈补颈测腻测颈办补蝉 is precisely described by K. C. Pandey;
According to them, it is a quality which cannot exist without a substratum, and therefore presupposes a possessor. The knower therefore according to them is different from the power of knowledge.[4]
础辫奴谤惫补 is the concept in 惭墨尘腻峁僺腻 which shows similarities with 艢补办迟颈.[5] As regards to 痴别诲腻苍迟补 the Advaita concept of 惭腻测腻 acts as the female pole of the supreme reality which is the real cause of the illusionary experience of the universe.
By 碍耻尘腻谤颈濒补's view, ap奴rva is a potential in the principal action which did not exist prior to the performance of the action. The existence of ap奴rva is proved by the authority of the scriptures. Before the performance of sacrifices, which are thought to be leading directly the performer to the heaven, there are two incapabilities in them. One is the incapability to lead to the heaven and the second is for the attainment of the heaven. Both these incapacities are set aside by the performance of the sacrifice; and this performance creates also a positive force or capacity, by the virtue of which heaven is attained. This latter force or capability has been given the name ap奴rva by 惭墨尘腻峁僺补办补蝉.[6]
In a real sense, 艢补办迟颈 is a principle that owns distinct identity in different philosophical disciplines. The characteristic of 艢补办迟颈 is somewhat complex in Tantric streams, especially in Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. As the Vedas, orthodox philosophical systems also seem to act as the suitable conditions and made impacts on the Kashmir 艢aivite formulation of the concept of 艢补办迟颈. But for want of substantive evidences it cannot be said that the whole characters are necessarily mere imitations or reconstructions of the concepts of earlier schools.[7]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
笔谤腻产丑腻办补谤补 school of 惭墨尘腻峁僺腻 is the only system that accepts 艢补办迟颈 as a distinct category.
[2]:
[3]:
See Knut. A Jackobsen, 鈥淭he Female Pole of Godhead in Tantra and 厂腻峁卥丑测补鈥�, Numen, Vol.3, No.1, 1996, passim for a detailed discussion which entirely disagrees with the usual identification of 笔谤补办峁泃颈 in 厂腻峁卥丑测补 with 艢补办迟颈 in Tantra. He argues that, Tantrism has accepted 厂腻峁卥丑测补, especially the concept of male鈥揻emale polarity, for the interpretation of the structures of cosmos, the ultimate reality and the means to its attainment. This method of appropriation also illustrates the way through which Tantrism borrowed and synthesized the elements of earlier religious thoughts.
[4]:
K. C. Pandey, Abhinavagupta: An Historical and Philosophical Study, p.343.
[5]:
Rajamani Tigunaite, 艢补办迟颈: The Power in Tantra-a Scholarly Approach, The Himalayan Institute Press, USA, 1998, p.8 ff.
[6]:
Idem.
[7]:
Navjivan Rastogi, Op.cit., p. 4, in this regard, posits three proclamations about the signature role of 艢补办迟颈 in Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 as specified by Abhinavagupta (in three distinct occations): one is the elaboration of Utpala鈥檚 idea of Vi艣e峁dar艣ana by identifying it to the 艢腻办迟补 non-dualistic traditions (莫艣惫补谤补辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻惫颈惫峁泃颈惫颈尘补谤艣颈苍墨, Vol.3, p.331); secondly he rejects all the 厂腻峁卥丑测补 or Ved膩ntic connection and singles out 艢补办迟颈 as an exclusive 艢aivite phenomenon (in 笔补谤腻迟谤颈峁兣沬办腻惫颈惫补谤补峁嘺 (笔补谤腻迟谤颈峁兣沬办腻惫颈惫补谤补峁嘺), p.181); and finally exhibits willingness to exchange the idea of 艢补办迟颈 with the Ved膩ntic 惭腻测腻 (莫艣惫补谤补辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻惫颈惫峁泃颈惫颈尘补谤艣颈苍墨, Vol.3, p.405). In fact, the reference as 鈥�unequivocal statements鈥�, by Navjivan Rastogi is highly disagreeable, because, the contradictions between the statements are very clear. However, Abhinavagupta himself appears to have had such ambiguity in the deliberation of influence of other systems on the Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, especially on the concept of 艢补办迟颈. For details see, Chapter 4 in this study.