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Principle of Shakti in Kashmir Shaivism (Study)

by Nirmala V. | 2016 | 65,229 words

This page relates ‘Sahasa Sub-variant of Krama� of the thesis dealing with the evolution and role of Shakti—the feminine principle—within 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 Pratyabhijnā.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 2.7(a) - The 󲹲 Sub-variant of Krama

[Full title: (2) De-Shaktisation trough the formulations of new concepts, treatises and sub-schools (7) Krama Sub-variants of Later Times (1) 󲹲]  

󲹲 and ܳ are the later sub-schools which show the unique features of Tantrism, yet had been subjects to timely alterations.[1] Both of these traditions bear the Krama elements as their undercurrents. At the same time they articulate a highly synthesized non-dual philosophy.

As the name indicates 󲹲 postulates spontaneity-recognition of the real nature, in an immediate moment regardless of efforts of any sort-as its central philosophy. In the first sight it announces the relation with the doctrine of ʰٲⲹñ than the Krama. 

The goal of 󲹲 performance is the realisation of the self:

महासाहसवृत्त्य� स्वरूपलाभः �

mahāsāhasavṛttyā svarūpalābha� �(ūٳ󲹲ūٰ, v. 1.) 

Note:

The concept of immediacy is closely related with the key concepts like Գܱⲹ that which is nothing but the lack of means:

यद� खल� दृढशक्तिपाताविद्धः स्वयमेवेत्थं विवेचयति सकृदेव गुरुवचनमवधार्य तद� पुनरुपायविरहित� नित्योदितः अस्य समावेश�,

khalu dṛḍhaśaktipātāviddha� svayamevettha� vivecayati sakṛdeva guruvacanamavadhārya ٲ ܲԲܱⲹ󾱳ٲ� Ծٲǻ徱ٲ� asya 屹ś�,�(ղԳٰ); 

It is also expressed as: 

महासाहससंयोगविलीनाखिलवृत्तिक� (...)

󲹲ṃyDzī󾱱ṛtپ첹� (...)

Similarly, in his Parātrīśikāvivaraṇa, Abhinavagupta explains the term ⲹ� in a detailed manner:

सद्य इत� शब्द� समान� अहनि इत्यर्थवृत्तिः उक्तनयेन अह्नोनवस्थितत्वात् समान� क्षण� इत्यत्� अर्थ� वर्तते � समानत्वं � क्षणस्� � सादृशयम्, अप� तु तत्वप्रत्यवसाय्येव, एवमे� सद्य� शब्दतत्वप्रतीति� �

sadya iti śabdo samāne ahani ityarthavṛtti� uktanayena ahnonavasthitatvāt samāne kṣaṇe ityatra arthe vartate | samānatva� ca kṣaṇasya na sādṛśayam, api tu tatvapratyavasāyyeva, evameva ⲹ� śabdatatvapratīti� |�(The ʲٰṃśi屹ṇa, p.35.)

Actually, what Abhinavagupta aims through this instantaneous concept, is the exhibition of excellence of his non-dual theory over other traditions. 

The traditions under consideration, expose their doctrines in the very similar way well synthesized non dual Ś, with the equivalent techniques and ideas such as Śپٲ and 屹ś

अतितीव्रतीव्रतरविशृन्घलशक्तिपाताघ्रातस्य स्वस्वरूपसमाविष्टस्य कस्यचित्क्वचित्कदाचिद्कस्मादेव महासाहसवृत्त्याघस्मरमहाघनतरपरनादोल्लासस्फारेणसविकल्पनिर्विकल्पात्मकसमस्तसम्विन्निवहघटटनान्निरा वरणमहाशून्यतासमावेशनिष्ठया स्वरूपलाभः �

atitīvratīvrataraviśṛnghalaśaktipātāghrātasya svasvarūpasamāviṣṭasya kasyacitkvacitkadācidkasmādeva mahāsāhasavṛttyāghasmaramahāghanataraparanādollāsasphāreṇasavikalpanirvikalpātmakasamastasamvinnivahaghaṭaṭanānnirā varaṇamahāśūnyatāsamāveśaniṣṭhayā svarūpalābha� �(ūٳ󲹲ūٰvṛtti, p.2.)

According to this school, when the real nature is acquired by the practitioner through the method called Ѳ󲹲, it suddenly restarts the continuing sequence, through ṛtپ and praṛtپ.

The notions, ѱ貹, ñܰ첹, ٱī, and 󾱲ī are not treated in the 󲹲 tradition, which might mistakenly be correlated with Śپ and hence with Krama.[2] But here ѱ貹 is the assembly of the Siddhas and ۴Dzī instead of group of ۴Dzī alone. 

ñܰ첹s are differentiated as 屹첹 (ղԳٰ), Bhautika (ūٲ) and ŚūԲⲹ ( named ī):

अथवा भाविकं घटाकार� बाह्यं ग्राह्यविषयरूप�, भौतिकं पुनरान्तरमिन्द्रियात्मकं ग्रहणरूपम् � शून्यं तदुभयमध्यमाकाशम् �

ٳ󲹱 屹첹� ṭāk� ⲹ� ⲹṣaⲹū貹�, 󲹳ܳپ첹� punarāntaramindriyātmaka� grahaṇarūpam | śūԲⲹ� ٲܲ󲹲ⲹⲹś |

The objective acquired by exceeding these veils is the Turyapāda (fourth stage). The conception of four stages of the existence is familiar with the main stream philosophical systems; alike is the division of Catuṣṭayadevī. Dvādaśavāha is also connected with the non-dual ideas the categories of non-dual principle.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

ūٳ󲹲ūٰ, published with ṛtپ by Anantaśaktipāda, (KSTS, Vol.39) and ܳsampradāya (ms added as appendix in Navjivan Rastogi, Kashmir Ki Saivsamskriti mem Kul aur Kram Mat, pp.111-133) are the available sources of the 󲹲 and ܳ repectively.

[2]:

It is easy to suppose the identity between ۴Dzī and ѱ貹, or obscuring power and kañcukas and the twelve ī in twelve 󾱲īs. Nevertheless these should not be attributed to the early form of Krama, the commentator does not choose these to express the Krama relation. But he conjoins some principles with the time sequence of birth, life and death-with slight popularized appeal as ṛṣṭi, sthiti and laya.

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