Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste,

This post is inspired by a current HDF post called How do you realize the Absolute ? found in Sanatana Dharma Folder under the sub-folder of Advaita. Many good ideas are being discussed there. I thought to take just a different angle on this notion, and thought this folder would be the best fit.

This word, sound, mantra aham is of great interest. Some call this parā vāk the Supreme Word or Sound. This parā vāk is also identified as 'She' or Śrī Devī. More on Śrī Devī and this Aham in an additional follow-up post.

When we look at this aham we can look at it as a +ha+m.The letter a denotes Śiva , ha denotes Śakti and m denotes nara, or all manifested life, people, society, etc. This aham is also known as sṛṣṭi-bija or the seed of creation.

It is quite interesting to note that in the Bhāgavad gītā , Kṛṣṇa calls out in Chapt 10.33 of the letters (akṣarāṇām) I am akāra ( or the letter/sound a ). This is the 1st letter/sound as we know. From a all other sounds become possible. So from this a as Śiva , creation manifests by ha or Śakti and this manifestation brings the multiplicity of this universe m or nara.

Yet there is another view on this also. If we take aham and look at it backwards ma+ha+a (some say mahā). We know this mahā as 'great' . This mahā ( some write mahah) is found in the Taittrīya Upaniṣad and ṛṣi Mahācaṃasya . He speaks of this mahā as vyahriti or the sacred utterance, as Brahman. He also instructs that bhu, buhvah, and suvah ( typically associated with the Gayatri) are contained in this Mahā.

It is said from this reversal of aham or ma-ha-a , it is the absorption, enterence, or preveśa¹ back to Śiva. In this order, ma denotes nara, ha is Śakti and a , as before, remains Śiva. They call this mahā saṃhāra bija or the seed-sound that brings together or draws one back. But back to what? To a or Śiva.

What is so vitally interesting about this is the method of saṃhāra is found in Patañjali's yoga darśana¹ ( Chapt 2, sūtra 10) - In this school it is brought to light as pratiprasava, reversing the birth process. That is, thoughts have 'births'. One upāya or meditation is the process of reversing this thinking process to arrive back at the Source.
It's like going to work every day. One gets in their car, or public transportation and goes to work. What do you do when you come home? You reverse the process, pratipradava, daily.

When we look at this knowledge above one can note the string of continuity , the sameness (samatā) that can be found. Yet there are several schools here that are offered. The knowledge is found in the following śāstra-s: Parā-trīśikā Vivaraṇa¹ + Bhāgavad gītā + Taittrīya Upaniṣad + Patañjal's Yogasarsana (some just call the Yogasūtra-s).

I am sure one can look for differences, but this is not my vision or intent as of late. We have so much diversity in this world. Just look around not just in nature, but in what mankind has created. I find it these days more 'unique' to find the underlying unity in the diversity of creation.
From this point of view it is the intent to see how this diversity all culminates in anuttara¹. It is the union (saṃghaṭṭa) of a+ha+m by way of ma+ha+a that stimulates different techniques (upāya-s , meditations, dhāranā-s, etc) to come into play. But what does not change? Anuttara, the Supreme, we may also call it turīyatīta.

Last, I mention different techniques - this suggests different views on the approach to Reality. I find it healthy for us to talk of this ( yet I am not much for boxing ). This is one reason why I chose the word saṃghaṭṭa. Not only does it mean union, but it's also defined as rubbing or clashing together i.e some friction. Some times our views may be different i.e. the views on how we get to anuttara, the Supreme. This is fine as we better understand the different schools and methods of others. For this, IMHO, we can become more knowledgable and a better person.

As in rubbing two sticks to make fire, both sticks combine to reach the goal. It is when one stick's intention is fire and the other stick is thinking about poking and prodding, some discomfort is felt. For this I think we are mature people, and can keep to thinking how we ignite agni.


pranams

Words and references
posted on Monday, śukla chaturdaśi, owned by śiva.

  • aham अहम् - I
  • This is the work of Abhinavagupta - Parā-trīśikā Vivaraṇa -or- That (Śrī Devī) who transcends and is Identical with trika. It also means That which speaks out (kāyati) the three (tri) śakti-s (śa) of the Supreme (parā). Vivaraṇa means the act of uncovering, opening, or explanation.
  • Sṛṣṭibija - sṛṣṭi सृष्टि is manifestation, production , procreation , creation , the creation of the world ( letting loose!) + bija बीज is seed i.e. any germ , element , primary cause or principle , source , origin.
  • preveśa प्रवेश - coming or setting in ; a place of entrance ;entering , entrance , penetration or intrusion into
  • Saṃhāra संहार - bringing together , collection , accumulation ; contraction; drawing in
  • pratiprasava प्रतिप्रसव - return to the original state ; counter-order , suspension of a general prohibition in a particular case ; an HDF post on this subject: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1462&highlight=Patanjali
  • anuttara अनुत्तर - chief , principal, Ultimate; Abhinavagupta's words on this anuttara is na vidyate uttaram adhilam yataḥ, or that which there is nothing more or additional.
  • saṃghaṭṭa संघट्ट - union; rubbing or clashing together , friction