non-cognition of Fullness

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


There is this observation that the key constraint of not really knowing Reality is akhyāeti pūrṇāhaṁtā¹. Said simply, it is the non-cognition of one's own Fullness of Being. Just this one thing brings the human condition to limits.

Because of this one blemish, we see diversity, many-fold-ness in creation. Every thing is other then our Selves. This blemish is considered āṅava (exceeding smallness) mala ( blemish) i.e. we become this smallness this constraint, this limit.

This blemish is so close to us, it is like an alloy one may find in gold. So perfectly co-mingled that it seems part of one's very nature. It is from here that this separtation of the divine (seemingly) takes place.

From this, we are informed within the kaśmiri śaivism view of Reality ( which I subscribe to) that ~ in general~ ignorance or āvidya¹ comes in two forms: pauruṣa ajñāna and bauddha ajñāna i.e. spiritual and intellectual ignorance.

Yet from where do these come from ? We will take a look at this in the next post.

praṇām

words

akhyāeti pūrṇāhaṁtā = a+khyāti+eti pūrṇā+ahaṁ+tā

a = not
khyāti = perception , knowledge
eti = arrival, approach
pūrṇā - fullness, wholeness
ahaṁ = 'I'
tā = for this definition I will use the 3rd derivitive, where ta = virtue
Some put this together , āhaṁtā, and consider it 'I' virtue or 'I' nature.

āvidya = ignorance , spiritual ; in vedānta it is considered illusion , part and parcel the tool of māyā. Yet in kaśmiri śaivism this māyā is viewed slightly differently.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté




From this, we are informed within the kaśmiri śaivism view of Reality ( which I susbscribe to) that there is ~ in general~ ignorance or āvidya¹ comes in two forms: pauruṣa ajñāna and bauddha ajñāna.

So here is the pickle - if we look to some of the highest knowledge that the kaśmiri śaivism view of Reality has to offer ( the śiva sūtra-s), within the 1st sūtra, it says just this:
caitanyamātmā

Without getting long-winded and taking word apart, just this one compound word says that the reality of everything is Supreme consciousness ( or caitanyam).
Now the implication of this is straight forward. The Supreme consciousness is that which make all others conscious. If we take this to be absolutely true, where then does this pauruṣa ajñāna and bauddha ajñāna come from ?

praṇām

[wundermonk]

If we take this to be absolutely true, where then does this pauruṣa ajñāna and bauddha ajñāna come from ?

Hello yajvan,

My thoughts...ajnana never began. It always was. It is simply the nature of the universe and our dualistic experience with no further cause.

In my very limited knowledge on KS, yet another POV of KS seems to be that the universe is simply a process where Siva himself rediscovers himself afresh. Prior to this process of rediscovery there is ajnana, but jnana dawns on his (our) rediscovery of himself (ourselves).

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


Hello yajvan,
Siva himself rediscovers himself afresh. Prior to this process of rediscovery there is ajnana, but jnana dawns on his (our) rediscovery of himself (ourselves).
What you say is quite correct... śiva discovers himself again and again. As it us the human that is śiva in condensed form. They say it is his play. A hide-and-seek within his Self, to ~hide~ in condenced form as the human condition, then to re-discover himSelf when the human awakens. The human then is non-different then śiva. How could we ( the human) be non-different if all is śiva? This is the beauty of kaśmiri śaivism's view of Reality.

To come to this conclusion of I am That is = to the Self realizing itSelf to itSelf, is = to śiva's grace.

praṇām

[Mana]

हरिः ओम्


Namaste Yajvan,




Like the opening and closing of lotus flowers afloat on the lake of conciousness;
or quite simply the beating of Siva's heart ...

Thank you kindly for your thought provoking posting, it serves me so very well to remember such delightful imagery.


praṇāma

mana


ॐ नमः शिवाय

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

Where can I read about this, this fullness of śiva ? A good place to begin is Paramārthasāra¹ , offered by abhinavagupta-ji, with commentary by yogarāja.

praṇām

1. paramārthasāra means the significance (ārtha) regarding the essence (sāra) of the Supreme (parama) ; some just say the essence of the Supreme Truth

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



~ in general~ ignorance or āvidya comes in two forms: pauruṣa ajñāna and bauddha ajñāna i.e. spiritual and intellectual ignorance.

If one wishes to read more about these, this HDF post may be of some value: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=51291&postcount=7


praṇām

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté



From this, we are informed within the kaśmiri śaivism view of Reality ( which I susbscribe to)that there is ~ in general~ ignorance or āvidya¹ comes in two forms: pauruṣa ajñāna and bauddha ajñāna.

As asked where then can this pauruṣa ajñāna arise ? (see point 2 above). The short answer is the Supreme throttles Itself from infinite to finite... we are that finite. Here is the longer answer...

Brahman ब्रह्मन् - is rooted in bRh ( some write bRMh)- to grow great or strong , increase to expand, greater then the greatest. This is the classical definition of brahman, yet brahman is considered beyond all conceptualization.

Brahman is the totality of everything. There is no-thing in time, space or cause that IT is not - IT is ubiquitous. Within kaśmir śaivism it is looked at in a slightly different light. Not opposing just a different angle.

Our attention is given to śiva; śiva means and is defined from its root śī meaning " in whom all things lie " . If It is totality, then all-and- everything lies within Him. This must include the human and the human-condition of finiteness. Hence this Greatness has (chooses) to throttle down to become a puruṣa¹ a person, or people as we know it.
That is, anuttara becomes aṇu i.e. anuttara¹ or Reality, of which there is no higher, becomes aṇu - finite or a human being. Think how vast, how much intelligence, how infinite śiva is; it is as if one is taking the entire ocean and fitting it into a sesame seed.

So what then gets throttled-down ? From a trika point of view it is the notion of saṇkoca¹ or limitation. Some call this the kañcuka-s or the coverings. This is also discussed as kośa-s on another HDF post¹. Yet for me, these 5 kañcuka-s are very descriptive. Let me offer the 5 :

vyāpakatva or all pervasiveness, omni-presence is condensed to niyati or restraint , restriction. This niyati is the closest to aṇu - finite.
We as humans have the distinct experience of being a digit, a single being.
Most if not all of us have the experience of multiplicity. We look into creation and see diversity and multiplicity. We look to ourselves and see individuality. Many say is the first experience that melts away with the experience of higher states of being, when the mala of ignorance is removed.

sarvakartṛtva or omnipotence is condensed (āṇava) to kalā. This kalā is individual authorship, skill or creativity of the individual. There is creativity, yet limited.

sarvajñatva or omniscience is condensed to vidyā or knowledge. Knowledge of discrete things and subject matter vs. all things at all times.

pūrṇatva or all fulfillment , this notion of bhuma, fullness, completeness. This becomes condensed to rāga or desires. Why so? The fullness of śiva is contentment, yet as it throttles down, then the desire(rāga) for this fullness comes into play.

nityatva or timelessness ( eternity) becomes condensed into time or kāla. And what do we know time does? It measures eternity second-by-second, and we take this time to be real. Yet we experience minutes, days, years.

svantantrya is the notion of perfect freedom without bounds. Some call this icchā śakti or the will of the Almighty. With perfect freedom, there is no limitations. Yet this becomes condensed to cause-and-effect or karma. Actions and reactions. In perfect freedom there is no two, no duality. Where then can there be a reaction? In perfect freedom and pūrṇatva or completeness where is the need for acquiring. In perfect freedom and vyāpakatva or being all-pervasive, where is there '2' to have a reaction to if everything is your SELF?

praṇām

words

puruṣa पुरुष - a person; human being ; people , mankind
kośa-s is from the root kuś कुष् - to enfold, yet in the dictionary you will also see the following: to force or draw out , extract :to knead; to tear asunder
HDF Post : http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1768&page=4&highlight=pranamaya (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1768&page=4&highlight=pranamaya)
saṇkoca ( some prefer saMkoca) संकोच - contraction , shrinking together , compression ; limitation , restriction
aṇu अणु (aNu) - fine , minute , atomic; an atom of matter ; an atom of time; ~ human being
āṇava आणव - fine , minute ; exceedingly small
anuttara अनुत्तर - chief , principal ; the best, highest i.e. Reality
kalā कला - skill , ingenuity ; also a digit or one-sixteenth of the moon's diameter yet; a division of time
sarva सर्व is used above - it means whole , entire , all , every ; total
bhuma is from bhū भू - to be on every side of ; thrive or prosper ;saturate , soak ;place of being , space , world or universe
rāga राग - vehement desire; passion; also the act of coloring or dyeing - red is associated with rāga, passion.
kāla काल to calculate or enumerate ; a measure of time; it also is a black or dark-blue color associated with another name of śani ( Saturn) who is suppose to meter out the time and dark-blue color
niyati नियति - restraint , restriction

[Sanja]

Namasté,

I'm not an expert, but I'm a very intuitive Person and I had a few thoughts on this....


As asked where then can this pauruṣa ajñāna arise ? (see point 2 above). The short answer is the Supreme throttles Itself from infinite to finite... we are that finite.

I think that's right, "infinite" means whole to me and
"finite" is the quality of dualism and low frequency.

So ajñāna is caused by the absence of wholeness, and this is the way that matter appears. It is the outcome or the consequence of the forces between two dual parts. So we are incarnated into this world of matter and our basic characteristic is ajñāna, otherwise we wouldn't exist. If we manage to overcome this, however, we wouldn't only experience being part of the Supreme consciousness, we would merge into it and stop existing as an individual person on the material level.


svantantrya is the notion of perfect freedom without bounds. Some call this icchā śakti or the will of the Almighty. With perfect freedom, there is no limitations. Yet this becomes condensed to cause-and-effect or karma. Actions and reactions. In perfect freedom there is no two, no duality. Where then can there be a reaction? In perfect freedom and pūrṇatva or completeness where is the need for acquiring. In perfect freedom and vyāpakatva or being all-pervasive, where is there '2' to have a reaction to if everything is your SELF?

In my understanding karma dissolves when ajñāna gets transformed into the awareness of being one with all and becoming Supreme consciousness.
In perfect freedom there is no reaction.
So if svantantrya is the notion of perfect freedom without bounds, there is either svantantrya OR karma. :)

As I said, I'm an intuitive person and I apologize if my thoughts might be too basic for someone. :o

Love and blessings,

Sanja

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


In perfect freedom there is no reaction.
So if svantantrya is the notion of perfect freedom without bounds, there is either svantantrya OR karma. :)

Yes, this is how I have been taught... when there is wholeness (pūrṇa) and one lives this wholeness, from where can a re-action occur ? Where would there be another ?

iti śivaṁ