1. Absolutely Real (Sat) is only Anuttara or Paramashiva, God, pure Consciousness, Brahman. In this point Paradvaita agrees with Advaita-vedanta: brahma satyam.Originally Posted by TruthSeeker
The world is real, but relatively: its reality is totally dependent upon Consciousness. As Abhinavagupta puts it, “The absolute monism is that principle that neither refutes nor establishes diversity” (Malinivijaya-varttika, I.123). And, “Therefore, only the Atman shines [everywhere] taking as its form the whole objective existence known as the universe, and appearing as all this without any break” (Ishvarapratyabhijna-vimarshini with Bhaskari, I.51). This doctrine is called Abhasa-vada.
Paradvaita rejects doctrines of Vivarta and Parinama.
2. The perception of multiplicity is possible due to Self-concealing of God, which He performs in His total freedom, svatantrya. “But Almighty God, being able to do even the impossible, and possessing pure independence, is skilled in playfully concealing His real Self” (Tantraloka, IV.10).
3. As B.N. Pandit explains, “According to the absolute non-dulaism of Paradvaita, He (God) and He alone exists in all the various scenes of this play. All creation has its real and eternal existence within God in the form of the divine potency of His pure consciousness. Once creation becomes manifested as apparent phenomenal existence, it has a beginning and an end. Even so, perfect yogins see only the existence of one Absolute God in both the apparent phenomenal existence and the pure noumenal existence of absolute Consciousness. Siva yogins must not only know this truth, they have to actually feel it as well. Then and then alone do they attain perfect and complete Self-realization.
God is God in both His noumenal and phenomenal aspects” (Specific Principles of Kashmir Saivism. Delhi, 1997. P. 7)
To sum up, “Consciousness alone has an independent existence, and Consciousness alone shines as the whole phenomenal world” (ibid., p. 9).
Brahman is changeless.Originally Posted by TruthSeeker
“Saivas do not accept that there is any transformation of either Siva (the transcendent) or Sakti (the immanent). Rather, they explain that the immanent aspect of Consciousness is an outwardly reflectional manifestation of the inwardly existent divine powers of the transcendent (Siva)” (Specific Principles of Kashmir Saivism. Delhi, 1997. P. 18).
“God is like a mirror in that reflections shining in Him do not transform Him in any way. […] God, bearing the whole psycho-physical existence as reflections, is also not involved in any transformation of His essence. He remains pure Consciousness alone while appearing as infinite phenomena” (ibid., p. 19).
“If the absolute monistic existence of pure Consciousness is accepted, then its independent activity of bearing diverse forms can not be explained at all. But all this can be justified and explained if it be accepted as endowed with freedom in the form of Self-awareness” (Ishvarapratyabhijna-vimarshini with Bhaskari, II.203).Originally Posted by TruthSeeker
Abhinavagupta analyses views of Advaita-vedanta, saying:Originally Posted by TruthSeeker
“If it is argued that the unity of absolute Consciousness is a reality, and that [the appearance] of diversity is due to the disturbance caused by avidya, then it is not possible to resolve who is responsible for this defect of ignorance (avidya). For on the one hand, how could Brahman, who is pure knowledge, assume the form of ignorance? And on the other hand, in reality there is no other creature to whom ignorance could occur” (Ishvarapratyabhijna-vimarshini with Bhaskari, II.202).
And adds, “If a Vedantic aspirant identifies avidya with Maya and takes the latter as the divine potency of Brahman, he also can attain the highest perfection” (Ishvarapratyabhijnavivriti-vimarshini, III.405).
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