hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
I have mentioned that within non dual or advitīya kaśmiri śaivism the Supreme, called paramaśiva, throttles itself down into creation. It is never opposed to creation nor is it different from it. This school says it (creation) appears within the Supreme, it is not outside of it. This clearly infers I am in this creation, you are in this creation, so is that tree, scrub, mountain, galaxy, etc. and therefore we too must , by common sense applied, be an expression of śiva.
On a very high and lofty view of this , we are informed that this notion is correct: yatsattatparamārthohi paramārthastataḥ śivaḥ |
this says ( in general) ,
that which is Existence (sattā) is the highest (param) Reality; the Universe is of the nature of that Reality, therefore everything is śivaḥ
This is from abhinavagupta's work parā-trīśikā vivaraṇa. It is a śloka where he gives praise to anuttara ( the Supreme, unsurpassable).
This is expressed again in another place and informs us where this Supreme can be met within ourselves. This is from abhinavagupta-ji’s tantrāloka 10.283. It says,
turyātīte bheda ekaḥ satatodita ityam ||
This says ( in general)
Thus ( iti) the condition of turyātīta is without break or pause (division or bheda) , everywhere; it is single and solitary because there is nothing other than itself extended , uninterrupted everywhere.
- turyātīta – beyond (atīta) or past + turya (turīya) the 4th
- bheda – distinction, division
- satatodita - without break or pause, uninterrupted ; satata = perpetual, continual + udita = elevated, high, tall, lofty; indicated , signified
- ekaḥ - alone , solitary , single; that one only
- ityam - to be gone to or towards; some can also this it is íti referring to something that has been said, in this case the verse being offered.
This infers when one experiences this it is completely uninterrupted – it is there when the eyes are open or closed, in activity or without activity. Some have said this is the final āśrama¹ ( halting place).
Thus ( iti) the condition of turyātīta is without break or pause,
Yet for us in the human condition these notions are not ones direct personal experiences… for some a glimpse may arrive now and then, for others these words do not resonate at all. But as one studies , pending their school of choice we are informed of those that came before us had these experiences and the truth of the matter is we too are of this metal.
What then is the markers of the throttled-down condition within us that we recognize ? Let me offer the following for one’s kind consideration and deliberation.
When Being chooses to express itself as individual ( as you) you experience it in the following ways... that is, the human traits listed below are none other than an expression of the Supreme in a limited manner. Just as gold takes the form of an ear-ring or bracelet or bangle, it is still gold.
1. the Supreme’s power of being completely full or pūrṇatvam is experienced by humans as being limited or individual. It leads to the 'feeling' of being incomplete, in need of something to feel compete again.
2. the Supreme’s power of being eternal or nityatvam is experienced by the individual as time. We know that time is nothing more than the eternal metered out; the measurement of eternity in seconds, minutes, hours, days, years, decades, yet never being used up, never coming to an end. For us we experience it as aging. Because of this aging our frame of reference takes on the notion of past, present, and future that occurs upon the eternal ~now~ .
3. the Supreme’s power of being infinite or vyāpakatvam, all pervading, is experienced within the individual as being in one place at a time ( being localized) ; multiple places are possible but not at the same time. That is, the body is required to move from here-to-there to experience multiple places. So, one 'feels' limited to a certain space.
4. the Supreme’s power to do everything or sarva kartṛtvam, is throttled down to do some things. The human experiences doing things sequentially within the space and time limitation mentioned above. Choices become , ' I can do this , I do not want to do that, I cannot do that, I am not capable of doing this or that '.
5. the Supreme’s power of full knowledge called sarva-jñātvam is throttled down to the power to know some things. To have the knowledge of finite things.
I know how to ride a bike, I do not know how to swim; I know how to sew, I do not know how to paint. I know how to ( fill in the blank) , I do not know how to (fill in the blank). Because of this limited knowledge I am capable of some particular action or skill and not others, as mentioned in point 4 above.
So, this human condition is the divine experiencing the universe within the limits of a certain space within a certain time with limited knowledge and actions and gains limited fullness or joy from these experiences. Yet all these experiences take place on the canvas of the infinite, unbounded , fullness of Being.
This in and of itself is the motivating factor (as I see it) for one to look for more ; there is an innate core feeling that there is something greater then this individuality and there is a fullness (pūrṇatvam) that is available.
This (IMHO) is the motivating force for one to look for happiness and joy. It comes to a person on a limited basis for a metered period of time. Sometimes it is only for a moment, hours, days, etc. but because it cannot be sustained without another dose of stimulation from the environment (things, people, places, items of collection, family, friends, clothing, degrees, positions of power, etc.) it fades and once again the person is in pursuit of the feeling of joy, happiness and fullness of Being.
But where does it all start , this throttling down ? What is the first initial step ? Let’s me offer some ideas in the next post.
iti śivaṁ
words
In each of these conditions it is a place where one halts and takes refuge; āśrama is sometimes referred to as a halting place
- āśrama – we know as a a hermitage; it is also a stage in life that is:
- brahmacārin - student
- gṛhastha - householder
- vānaprastha - recluse
- saṁnyāsin - abandoning all worldly concerns
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