The Conception of Ultimate Reality

8/12/2019 The Conception of Ultimate Reality

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The conception of Ultimate Reality

In Kashmir Shaivism

Dr. Surinder Pal, Associate Prof.

Govt. Ripudaman college, Nabha

The Advaita aivites of Kashmir are staunch advocates of the integral kind ofnon-dualism, hence they believe in the existence of one reality which they call bydifferent names, such as Parasamvit (the supreme experiencing principle),Anuttara (the absolute), Atman (the universal self), Parmesvara (the Supremelord), Caitanya (awareness which has absolute freedom of knowledge andactivity), Param iva, Mahe vara (the great lord) and so on . The ultimate realityin the system is, Param iva, in mesculine gender. He is essence and identity ofeverything which is existing in any form everywhere in this whole world. Hematerializes Hismself in the concrete form of the universe by his inherent power. i He is consciousness resting in Himself and is all-pervasive. He is unrestrictedstream of desire, i.e the free will. He is triple power : the power of will, cognitionand action. ii

The ultimte reality, Param iva, has two aspects, o e ei is t a s e de ea das o ivotti a a d the othe is his i a e e a a da o

vi va aya . e is said to e i the state of t a s e de e whe he exists i thele titude of his o s ious eatitude, i.e. whe he is a so ed i the fulleasu e of his liss a d se tie e, to the ex lusio of all else. The the th eeowe s will, owled e a d a tio , ei i the ost su tle fo , e ai i a

state of e fe t u io withi hi . a , is the efo e is his state of his o-differenciation, i.e. his pre-cosmic state, which is the state of rest of all the


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owe s. This state does ot exist i the t a s e de tal state of iva, ut a alsobe experienced by an individual between all the successive cognitions, viz. at themoment of the beginning and the end of any act of knowing , that is to say, whenthe initial tension has not yet been determined in discursive knowledge andwhen knowledge resolves itself and is integrated into consciousness. iii a a a ivanever lacks his triple power in the state of non-differenciation.

In the state of imm a e e a a a da a , a a a ivas owe of willknowledge and action stream forth from his state of transcendence and fromemanate thirty six tattvas (the principles of creation) which transforms intodiverse limited subjects and objects of the universe. Thus He assumes two states,one of which he remains self-contained without any manifestation and the other

in which he makes creattion through the play of his powers. iv In Histranscendental state, He is purely subjective and in His immanent state He turnsi to o je tivity. I is su je tive state e is ow as iva a d is o je tive state

e is a ti. Thus e is Siva y vi tue of his t a s e de tal as e t e is Sa ti yvirtue of His immanent aspect. All this is mere dialectical usage, because sakti isnowhere different from Siva. Only one absolute God is contemplated as Siva andSakti on account of His being, on the one hand, the transcendental pureconsciousness alone, and , on the other hand, the whole phenomenal existence as

well. a ti is Sivas owe a d iva is its ossesso . Both a e i ti ately ou d witheach other as heat with fire and coolness with ice v.This ola isatio of iva a da ti is o li e ta y to ea h othe .

In this system, the term Prakaa is also used fo iva a dVimara fo a tiwhich symbolise respectively universal consciousness and physical activity in

atu e. a a a is the ete al li ht without whi h othi a a ea .It is iva.i a a is a ti. It is, so to s ea , the i o i whi h iva ealizes its a deu ,

power and beauty.It is karttva akti the owe of doe shi of iva. Me ea a a a ot e atu e of Reality.Eve dia o d is a a a, ut the dia o d


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does ot ow itself as a a a. i a a is that as e t of a a a y whi h itknows itself. That self- owled e is a a tivity. i a a eto e s that a tivity.

i a a is also e ese ted y the te v ta tr avi

which means thesove ei ty of the lo ds will, viz., a solute auto o y a d li e ty of

o s ious ess. By vi tue of whi h iva is ote t to a ifest exte ally theuniverse comprising of mass of objects, which ever exists within him. The objects,therefore, named in the system as a (manifestations). The Lord has notonly the potency of externalizing infinite number of diverse manifestationsforming various objects of the world by their association or combination with andseparation from one another, but also the absolute liberty to make use of His

powers of remembrance, knowledge and differentiation vii with respect of theseas. The theory of creation of the system affirms that the world was willed

into existence by the sovereign force of iva. Thus the world has no outsideexiste e a d auses without ivas v ta tr a

The a ove said su e e eality, a a a iva, is said to have five i i alkind of functions, viii forming a cycle, as it were, through which he is said tomanifest his svatantrya (absolute freedom) eternally. They are technically

desi ated as the i aha o eal e t , sti a ifestatio , sthitiai te a e , sa h a dissolutio a d a u aha divi e a e . It should noted, here, that these functions are enumerated accordingly descent of

a a a iva, ut these should ot ta e as a i id su essio o o de . TheSupreme Lord, being absolutely free in all respects, is not, really speaking, boundin principle by a logical succession of these said functions tyas .

The first, is also known as Tirodhna, literally means self limitation. Throughwhi h a a a iva i oses li itatio s o his li itless atu e a d a ea s as i i-

iva i dividual ei . Afte i osi li itatio s o his li itless atu e heappears as a limited being and faces all the difficulties of limited life. This all isdone by Him at his own will ix. Before this experience, he was experiencing hispure and full I-ness only but at this level He starts to experience his self imposedlimitations also. In the transcendental state, the subject holds within itself the


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unmanifest universe as His ideal experience. In the perfect apprehension ofSupreme egoity, all of want and the objects shine in identity with the Subject. x Atthis level, pure I-ness becomes impure and multiplicity takes place. This isnecessary pre-condition for the emergence of phenomenal universe.When thisact of concealment is recognised by the individual being he again becomes

a a a iva a d ets f ee f o wo ldly li itatio s. Thus, this function of self-concealment is known as nigraha in kashmir shaivism. The second great functionof a a a iva is te h i ally alled as sti a ifestatio i ash i shaivis .Afte o eali his eal atu e a a a iva ulti ate eality appears as theuniverse. In kashmir shaivism the world is describes as a drama or play in which

a a a iva is sole odu e , di e to a d ast of ha a te s. e lays all this laywith his power of self- de e de e sv ta t ya sha ti . This is his that apacitywith which he is capable to do the impossibles xi. This creation of animate andinanimate creatures is the self-extension of the absolute lord. xii The said allcreation is projection of the Ultimate Reality, that is, divine consciousness. Thisdivine consciousness unfolds the universe at his own screen likebackground,through its own free will and not by the will of something else xiii.Everything though animate or inanimate shines on the background of divineconsciousness, nothing can shine outside of it xiv. According to this system,

ultimate causality belongs to the ultimate reality alone. This system assumes theall dualities and differences are manifesting from the ultimate reality through hisself su e a y alo e. Thus eithe the S hya o the ed ta theory ofcretion is acceptable to kashmir shaiva philosophers. Here,it is also worth

e tio i that eatio is a ode of self ex e ie e of a a a iva ulti ateeality .The thi d eat fu tio of a a a iva ulti ate eality is sthiti aThis

function is performed by the supreme lord through his powers (shaktis) .Theeaso to ai tai the a ifested wo ld is o ly layful ess of the a a a iva. e

maintains the universe only for the purpose of play (lila).

The fourth function is re-absorption of the manifested universe. Here, re-absorption does not imply destruction. This dissolution is to give rest to thosewho are weary and tired of repeated births. The creation and dissolution of theworld are equated to the days and night. The dissolution of the world is linked to


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the eyelids of a yogi and denotes not only the deep introversion of consciousnessbut also withdrawal of that which is manifest. When consciousness sinks intoitself there eventuates the experience of pure unity. xv The te i esha is usedfor dissolution in the system. This term represents the interiorization ofconsciousness and so dissolution of the universe. The fifth and the last functionof the play of ultimate reality is divine grace (anugraha). In the kingdom ofspirituality, lord shiva creates masters and disciples through this act. The diagramgiven below e ese ts the a a tyas fivefold acts of the ultimate reality):-

ParamashivaAbsolute Reality

Shrishti emanation

Anugraha grace

(Liberation)

Samhara withdrawal

Sthiti maintenanceVilaya

concealment of the real

Concluding Remarks:-

F o the o ove study it e o es lea that a o di to Ka i aivis theUlti ate Reality, ahe va a, is diffe e t f o that of the eda ti s B ah a
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symbolising only pure Universal Consciousness. The Ultimate Reality in the systemPrakaa and Vimara as its two aspects which symbolise,e Universal respectively,the Universal Consciousness and physical or material activity in nature. Thevarious animate and inanimate being , subjects and objects, thought and physicalactivity, mind and body and the world around us all real in ultimate being. All thatexists is like waves in the occean of the Ultimate Reality.

Refereces:-

i Sivadrsti; 1, 1ii Ibid, 1, 2iii Ibid, 1,5-6iv va a atya hij vi a i i . v Sivadrsti; 3.7(a)vi va a atya hij vi a i i , vii Ibid., 317viii Pratyabhijnahrdyam; 1ix Ibid; 2x Sivadrshti; 1.10xi. Svatantryadarpana; 4.1

xiii . Pratyabhijnahrdyam; 2xiv Parmarthbhitoo yat na prakasahte tat bahyatayapi na prakashte.xv Ishwarapratyabhijna karika; 3.1.3

Abstract:-I Kash i aivis the Ulti ate Reality is a a iva a d is used, in the system,

in mesculine gender. He is essence and identity of everything which is existing inany form everywhere in this whole world. He materializes Hismself in theconcrete form of the universe by his inherent power. He has two as e ts, o e

ei is t a s e de e a das o ivotti a a d the othe is hiimmanence ( a a da o vi va aya . e is diffe e t f o that of the eda ti sBrahman symbolising only pure Universal Consciousness. The Ultimate Reality in


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the system Prakaa and Vimara as its two aspects which symbolise,e Universalrespectively, the Universal Consciousness and physical or material activity innature. The various animate and inanimate being , subjects and objects, thought

and physical activity, mind and body and the world around us all real in ultimatebeing. All that exists is like waves in the occean of the Ultimate Reality.

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The Conception of Ultimate Reality