Pratyabhijna and Shankara鈥檚 Advaita (comparative study)
by Ranjni M. | 2013 | 54,094 words
This page relates 鈥楴on-dualism in Agamic Tradition鈥� of study dealing with Pratyabhijna and Shankara鈥檚 Advaita. This thesis presents a comparative analysis of two non-dualistic philosophies, Pratyabhijna from Kashmir and Shankara鈥檚 Advaita Vedanta from Kerala, highlighting their socio-cultural backgrounds and philosophical similarities..
Go directly to: Footnotes.
5. Non-dualism in 膧gamic Tradition
The notion of non-duality is prevalent in non-Vedic or 膧gamic tradition also. This tradition, which is also considered as very old and different from that of Vedic, has a base on the scriptures like 膧驳补尘补蝉, Tantras, and 厂补峁僪颈迟腻蝉. There are various sects in this tradition like 艢补颈惫补, 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫补 and 艢腻办迟补.[1] Monistic or non-dualistic elements are found in almost all Tantras and 膧驳补尘补蝉. Each text upholds one deity or other as the Supreme Being and recommends worship with ardent devotion. 笔腻帽肠补谤腻-迟谤腻驳补尘补, a Vai峁ａ箛avist text, admits 艢补办迟颈, in the names 艢r墨, 尝补办峁墨 and 笔补诲尘腻, as the female sentient principle associated with the Brahman. Both are treated as one single reality. The 艢腻办迟补tantras like 惭腻濒颈苍墨惫颈箩补测补 are mainly non-dualistic in spiritual practice and outlook. Generally 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, which has several sub sects, is a school of T膩ntric monism. Treatises like Svacchanda and Bhairava contain non-dualistic ideas.
1. South Indian 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘
South India has also been the background of 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. An important school of South Indian 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 is 艢补颈惫补 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补. It considers 艢颈惫补 as the highest God. H.W. Schomerus observed that 艢补颈惫补 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 is not a single system of thought, but it is a tendency with a lot of sub-systems.[2] Twenty-eight 艢补颈惫腻驳补尘补蝉 are considered as the chief authority for these systems. In Tamil Nadu 艢补颈惫补 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 was expounded by Tirumular in his work Tirumandiram. He describes ethical, metaphysical and mythological aspects of the system in it. He had given stress for 艢颈惫补bhakti and make use of the term 尝颈峁単补 in the sense of sign. His main contribution is the synthesis of 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 and 痴别诲腻苍迟补.[3]
Like Tirumular, other preceptors Appar, Sambandhar etc. are some 艢补颈惫补 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 followers accepted the authority of both 膧驳补尘补 and Veda. They equate both highest realities 艢颈惫补 and Brahman. Meykandadeva was another well-known teacher systematized the system by writing 艢颈惫补j帽膩nabodha峁�. It is a small treatise of twelve 厂奴迟谤补蝉 which states that 艢颈惫补峁� is one; 闯帽腻苍补峁� is the mystic realization of 艢颈惫补. Even though some scholars have the opinion that the 艢补颈惫补 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 is dualistic in character,[4] it is clear that it bears some non-dualistic elements also. 艢颈惫补 is treated as 厂补肠肠颈诲腻苍补苍诲补, 狈颈谤驳耻峁嘺 and his relation with the world and individual soul is defined as Advaita.[5] 艢补颈惫补 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 is more related to Veda and 痴别诲腻苍迟补 as compared with other 艢补颈惫补 sects of North India.
2. 艢补颈惫补vi艣i峁ａ弓膩dvaita of 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补
艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补, a contemporary of 搁腻尘腻苍耻箩补 the teacher of 痴颈艣颈峁ａ弓腻诲惫补颈迟补 痴别诲腻苍迟补, was the propounder of 痴颈艣颈峁ａ弓腻诲惫补颈迟补 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. His monumental work is the commentary on 叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 叠谤补丑尘补尘墨尘腻峁僺腻产丑腻峁补 by name. The system has put forward a sound metaphysical theory by accepting the attribute 艢补办迟颈. She is an invariable power of 艢颈惫补 to produce multiplicity. According to 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补, 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 is the non-dual ultimate reality that consists of both sentient (Cit) and non-sentient (Acit).
He is both the cause and the effect according to the special state or condition:
迟补迟补岣� samucita峁� cidacidvi艣i峁ａ弓a岣� 辫补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补岣� 办腻谤补峁嘺峁� 办腻谤测补峁� ca tattadavasthavi艣e峁Ｄ乼 |[6]
In cause 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 is subtle sentient and non-sentient, and in the effect He is gross sentient and non-sentient.
This notion is clear in the commentary of the second 厂奴迟谤补 of 叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补:
蝉奴办峁补肠颈诲补肠颈诲惫颈艣颈峁ａ弓补峁� brahma 办腻谤补峁嘺峁�, sth奴lacidacidvi艣i峁ａ弓a峁� tat 办腻谤测补峁� bhavati | ato janm膩dilak峁峁嘺峁� brahmeti siddh膩nt膩t |[7]
The three main categories accepted by 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补 are Pati, 笔补艣耻 and 笔腻艣补. Pati is called in various names. They are -Bhava, Sarva, 艢颈惫补, 笔补艣耻pati, 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补, 惭补丑腻诲别惫补, Rudra and 艢补峁僢丑耻. Like other 艢补颈惫补 philosophies this system also accepts 艢补办迟颈, the essential nature of 艢颈惫补 in which the whole multiplicity exists. 笔补艣耻 or 闯墨惫补 is the 础峁兣沘 (part) of Pati and has co-status with 艢颈惫补. He has three impurities 膧峁嘺惫补, 碍腻谤尘补 and M膩yiya. These Malas are causing bondage. 笔补艣耻 is the experiencer of the bondage.
艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补 accepts the authority of both Vedas and 膧驳补尘补蝉. According to him 艢颈惫补 is the creator of both 艢谤耻迟颈 and 膧驳补尘补. He had viewed the difference of both in the acceptability by the castes.
He says thus:
惫补测补峁� tu veda艣颈惫腻驳补尘补yorbheda峁� na pa艣y膩ma岣� | vedo'pi 艣颈惫腻驳补尘补 iti vyavah膩ro 测耻办迟补岣�, tasya tatkart峁沰atv膩t | ata岣� 艣iv膩gamo 诲惫颈惫颈诲丑补岣� - traivar峁噄kavi峁ya岣� sarvavi峁ya艣ceti | 惫别诲补岣� traivar峁噄kavi峁ya岣� | sarvavi峁ya艣c膩nya岣� | ubhayoreka eva 艣颈惫补岣� 办补谤迟腻 |[8]
Appayya Diksita followed this philosophy and wrote commentaries for 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补鈥檚 texts and one
independent work called 艢iv膩dvaitanir峁嘺ya. The non-dualistic nature of the philosophy is very clear from the name of the treatise itself.
3. Vi艣e峁Ｄ乨vaita of 艢谤墨辫补迟颈
Vi艣e峁Ｄ乨vaita was another 艢aivistic branch expounded by 艢谤墨辫补迟颈 笔补峁囜笉颈迟补 (1200A.D). This system is also known as V墨ra艣aivism, 艢补办迟颈-vi艣i峁ａ弓膩dvaita or Pure Dvait膩dvaita. 艢谤墨辫补迟颈 had composed a commentary on 叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补 known as 艢谤墨办补谤补产丑腻峁补 in the light of 艢补颈惫补 philosophy. Historians had the opinion that Basava, the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 minister of Bijjala was the founder of the system.[9] Like 艢谤墨办补峁囜弓丑补, 艢谤墨辫补迟颈 also admits the equal authority of both Veda and 艢补颈惫腻驳补尘补蝉. 艢谤墨辫补迟颈 states the etymological meaning of the word 痴颈艣别峁 thus: vi艣ca 艣别峁艣ca tayo岣� advaitam | (vi = the 闯墨惫补 (Individual self) and 艣别峁 = omnipresent 艢颈惫补, the non-duality between the individual self and 艢颈惫补 is denoted by 痴颈艣别峁.)[10] Individual souls experience duality in the waking state and dreaming state, while non-duality in the deep sleep state. Likewise the integral association of 艢颈惫补 with 艢补办迟颈 makes the system more non-dual.
It is notable that all sects of south Indian 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 are accepting the authority of Veda along with the 膧驳补尘补蝉. And the influence of 痴别诲腻苍迟补 is explicitly seen in these systems.
4. Non-dualism in Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘
Kashmir was a region of multiple religious philosophies. Along with 痴补颈峁ａ箛补惫颈蝉尘, 艢膩ktism, Buddhism and 狈腻驳补 cult, 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 also has an important place in this land. In 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, both dualistic and monistic systems seen flourished here. It is believed that the 艢补颈惫补siddh膩nta, developed in south India in later period, was originated in Kashmir. The monistic Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 has originated from the 罢谤测补峁僢补办补 school belonged to some trans-Himalayan area near Kailasa.[11] There are several sub-systems of Kashmir Monistic 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. Trika, Krama and Kula are some of them. Krama and Kula systems show 艢腻办迟补 tendency in 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘.[12]
Trika is seen used as a synonym of Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘. This school is roughly divided into three: 膧驳补尘补, Spanda and 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻. The 膧驳补尘补 includes 64 monistic 膧驳补尘补蝉, come out from the mouth of 艢颈惫补. Spanda is the vibrant aspect of 艢颈惫补. It is also considered as separate system based on the authority of 厂辫补苍诲补办腻谤颈办腻 of 叠丑补峁弓补 碍补濒濒补峁璦. 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻, the apex level of the non-dual 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, is considered as Manana艣膩stra or Vic膩ra艣膩stra on the basis of interpreting the non-dual 艢补颈惫补 doctrines logically.[13]
K.C.Pandey observes that there was another school known as 狈补苍诲颈办别艣惫补谤补 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, which has some similarities with the Monistic 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 of Kashmir.[14] Basic treatise of this system is 狈补苍诲颈办别艣惫补谤补k膩艣ik膩. Upamanyu composed a commentary on it in the name 罢补迟迟惫补惫颈尘补谤艣颈苍墨.
This system seems to be closely related to the Grammarian Schools. From the following lines it is clear that the system is non-dualistic in nature:
yasyonme峁nime峁Ｄ乥hy膩峁� vyakt膩vyaktamida峁� jagat |
svecchay膩 svasya cicchaktau vi艣vamunm奴layatyasau |[15][By opening and closing of whose eyes this universe becomes manifested and unmanifested, He (艢颈惫补) manifests himself the universe by his own sentient power with his own will].
4.1. 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻 -艢iv膩dvaya Philosophy of Kashmir
笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻, the 艢iv膩dvaya Philosophy of Kashmir, is a universal spiritual philosophy based on the supreme unity of individual self and the Lord 艢颈惫补, the ultimate reality. It focuses on the relation between God, nature and man which overcomes all the barriers of diverse human cultures. It aims at the highest level of self-realization, revealing the inner most secrets of the nature of self. Here all the aspects of life are integrated and taken in totality. Rather than negation and denial, Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 celebrates life. There is no restriction based on color, caste, creed or gender as eligibility for initiation in this system. It stresses positive acceptance of material world rather than philosophy of escapism.[16]
The term 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻 stands for the recognition of individual self as 艢颈惫补 and the means for such recognition. In his commentary on 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻 philosophy in 厂补谤惫补诲补谤艣补苍补蝉补峁単谤补丑补 of M膩dhavac膩rya, 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 Abhyankar explains the notion of the word 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻 thus:
补丑补峁� 墨艣惫补谤补 eva n膩nya岣�, iti eva峁� ya岣� 蝉腻办峁Ｄ乼办腻谤补岣� sa pratyabhij帽eti ucyate |[17]
In 笔谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻 the non-dual 艢颈惫补 is the absolute reality and the multiplicity of the world is the manifestation or 膧产丑腻蝉补 of him. 厂辞尘腻苍补苍诲补, Utpala, Abhinavagupta are the important theoreticians and propounders of the system. The following lines of Utpala clearly show the non-duality of the system:
迟补迟谤补颈办补尘腻苍迟补谤补峁� 迟补迟惫补峁� tadevendriyavedyat膩m |
sampr膩py膩nekat膩峁� y膩ti de艣ak膩lasvabh膩vata岣� ||
sv膩tmaiva sarvajant奴n膩meka eva mahe艣vara岣� |
vi艣var奴po'hamidamityakha峁囜笉膩mar艣ab峁涐箖hita岣� || [18][In action there is one internal reality; this has become the object of sensory knowledge, becomes manifold depending on place time and specific shapes it assumes. The very self of all creatures is 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补, one, whose form is all, full of the undivided consciousness 鈥業-this鈥橾[19]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
For some more details on the 膧gamic tradition, vide infra, p. 31ff.
[2]:
Schomerus, H.W., 艢补颈惫补 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 -An Indian School of Mystical Thought, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 2000, p. 5.
[4]:
[5]:
Schomerus, H.W., op.cit., p. 70ff.
[6]:
叠谤补丑尘补尘墨尘腻峁僺腻产丑腻峁补 on 叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补, 1.4.27. Quoted by Tagare, G.V., 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, D.K.Printworld (P) Ltd., New Delhi, 2001, p. 87.
[7]:
叠谤补丑尘补尘墨尘腻峁僺腻产丑腻峁补 on 叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补, Vol. I, 135. Quoted by Tagare, G.V., 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, p. 88.
[8]:
Ibid., 叠谤补丑尘补尘墨尘腻峁僺腻产丑腻峁补 on 叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补 (2.2.38), Vol. II, p. 111. Quoted by Tagare, G.V., 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, p. 91.
[9]:
Vide Pandey, K.C., An Outline of History of 艢补颈惫补 Philosophy, p. 37.
[10]:
Vide Tagare, G.V., 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, p.103.
[12]:
Navjivan Rastogi, The Krama Tantricism of Kashmir, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 1979, p. x.
[13]:
Tagare G.V., 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘, p. 44.
[14]:
For details vide Pandey K.C., An Outline of History of 艢补颈惫补 Philosophy, pp. 49- 30 51 & pp. 180-185.
[15]:
狈补苍诲颈办别艣惫补谤补k膩艣ik膩, 1 & 12. Quoted by Pandey, K.C., An Outline of History of 艢补颈惫补 Philosophy, p. 180 & p. 51.
[17]:
[18]:
莫艣惫补谤补辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻-办腻谤颈办腻, 2.2.2 & 4.2.
[19]:
Translated by Torella, Raffaele, The 莫艣惫补谤补辫谤补迟测补产丑颈箩帽腻办腻谤颈办腻 of Utpaladeva with the Author鈥�s 痴峁泃迟颈, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, 2002, p. 158 & p. 210.