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A Kashmir Shaivism school

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Lakshman Joo was a great exponent of Kashmir Shaivism. Would it be of interest to discuss ks and concepts of abhinavagupta, etc here?

I am greatly interested.

 

I would also enjoy the conversation.

 

:)

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Hello Dwai,

 

I submitted that link as a resource for anyone interested. I'm not qualified to comment much on the materials (excepting for my own very limited experiences) while they (The Swami) or the text speaks very well for itself... I do like this school because it does not stress some of the super strict, (male dominated) and heavy handed sectarian ways that some schools do.

 

Om

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Hello Dwai,

 

I submitted that link as a resource for anyone interested. I'm not qualified to comment much on the materials (excepting for my own very limited experiences) while they (The Swami) or the text speaks very well for itself... I do like this school because it does not stress some of the super strict, (male dominated) and heavy handed sectarian ways that some schools do.

 

Om

At the end of the day it is our respective limited eperiences that guide us, supported by teachers in person or proxy ( literature). I ave not practiced KS but have studied it to a certain degree and find many open questions from advaita vedanta being answered there in and viceversa. May i request that you share your experiences and understanding of this tradition here?

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At the end of the day it is our respective limited eperiences that guide us, supported by teachers in person or proxy ( literature). I ave not practiced KS but have studied it to a certain degree and find many open questions from advaita vedanta being answered there in and viceversa. May i request that you share your experiences and understanding of this tradition here?

 

Dwai,

I only had very brief e-mail contact with the K.S. school. The limited "experiences" I mentioned were with another school of Shaivism that has some aspects or traditions in common with K.S.. But I can not speak for these schools, such would be up their designated people or contacts; although I may share some understandings in a very general way about help that was given me.

 

Om

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Dwai,

I only had very brief e-mail contact with the K.S. school. The limited "experiences" I mentioned were with another school of Shaivism that has some aspects or traditions in common with K.S.. But I can not speak for these schools, such would be up their designated people or contacts; although I may share some understandings in a very general way about help that was given me.

 

Om

Thats a gret place to start...i wasnt looking for school details etc...i am more interested in personal perspectives and undstanding...

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KS is a nondual system and its primary premise is that the absolute reality is consciousness, being, bliss. This absolute consciousness is in a state of ecstacy and all creation manifests from the spontaneous vibrations (spanda) that are emanated from this dynamic absolute consciousness. KS calls this Shiva. And the tantra of KS is based on the seeking of immersion into Shiva.

 

A good starting point?

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KS is a nondual system and its primary premise is that the absolute reality is consciousness, being, bliss. This absolute consciousness is in a state of ecstacy and all creation manifests from the spontaneous vibrations (spanda) that are emanated from this dynamic absolute consciousness. KS calls this Shiva. And the tantra of KS is based on the seeking of immersion into Shiva.

 

A good starting point?

 

Well I'd suggest a short quote or two from K.S. to go along with paraphrasing about their schools teachings... (a school which may be basically known to some while others may have never heard of it)

 

Also and as you well know topics at this site often reach for the deepest, highest or most subtle... very seldom does one see page after page speaking to the beginning yet ever present precepts and practice of yama. (and niyama) I live in the world of a blue collar industrial shift-worker who is around a lot of noise located in a drastically non-Hindu aquainted part of the country, (like most of America where shopping malls with westernized hatha yoga classes doesn't really cover same) yet once in a while I visit the quiet mind-set of the contemplative world; a world so to speak where it easier to tune in to mystical type teachings. Anyway, where are we going to go if we are starting near the end?

 

Om

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Well I'd suggest a short quote or two from K.S. to go along with paraphrasing about their schools teachings... (a school which may be basically known to some while others may have never heard of it)

 

Also and as you well know topics at this site often reach for the deepest, highest or most subtle... very seldom does one see page after page speaking to the beginning yet ever present precepts and practice of yama. (and niyama) I live in the world of a blue collar industrial shift-worker who is around a lot of noise located in a drastically non-Hindu aquainted part of the country, (like most of America where shopping malls with westernized hatha yoga classes doesn't really cover same) yet once in a while I visit the quiet mind-set of the contemplative world; a world so to speak where it easier to tune in to mystical type teachings. Anyway, where are we going to go if we are starting near the end?

 

Om

 

Start at the end and work our way to the beginning :)

In any case there's really no end and beginning in a circle right?

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Start at the end and work our way to the beginning :)

In any case there's really no end and beginning in a circle right?

 

true, and there really is no light inside of light nor sound inside of sound.

 

Om

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And the tantra of KS is based on the seeking of immersion into Shiva.

 

 

Technically incorrect, this is true for Siddhanta Shaiva and other bheda or bhedabheda schools, but for a non-dual school like Kashmir Shaivism.

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Technically incorrect, this is true for Siddhanta Shaiva and other bheda or bhedabheda schools, but for a non-dual school like Kashmir Shaivism.

Hi Guru Yoga :)

I am guessing you meant - "But 'not' for a non-dual school like Kashmir Shaivism."

 

If so then that is technically incorrect.

From the view point of the practical side of KS, one's practice {or which Upaya one is using} depends on your state. Thus a when one is feeling very dense and dualistic, one uses anavapaya, which encompasses Devotional practices, pranayama, puja's and rituals, and one seeks to merge with the divine...

The higher upaya's become subtler and less and less dualistic.

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Hi Guru Yoga :)

I am guessing you meant - "But 'not' for a non-dual school like Kashmir Shaivism."

 

 

 

Thanks Seth, you're correct, I meant to say 'not' :wub:

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hey does anyone have links to some english translations of some of the old tantric texts from the ks school. I cant seem to find any on amazon. Or maybe a list of some of the traditional texts.

From the descriptions it sounds like an interesting school.

Does it place an emphasis on the mythology of shiva or any of the astrological significance.

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hey does anyone have links to some english translations of some of the old tantric texts from the ks school. I cant seem to find any on amazon. Or maybe a list of some of the traditional texts.

From the descriptions it sounds like an interesting school.

Does it place an emphasis on the mythology of shiva or any of the astrological significance.

 

 

Check out books by Swami Lakshman Joo, Dr. Jaidev Singh and Mark S. G. Dyczkowski.

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here is the Shiva sutras:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/256443/Siva-Sutra

 

There are KS web sites out there with all the texts available online, I am trying to find my old bookmarks...

 

+1 Guru Yoga's recommendations.

I still think that the book 'Consciousness is Everything', is the single best Introduction to the subject. It is the perfect mix of being scholarly consistent, and a Joy to read.

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here is the Shiva sutras:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/256443/Siva-Sutra

 

There are KS web sites out there with all the texts available online, I am trying to find my old bookmarks...

 

+1 Guru Yoga's recommendations.

I still think that the book 'Consciousness is Everything', is the single best Introduction to the subject. It is the perfect mix of being scholarly consistent, and a Joy to read.

I recommend kamalakar mishra to that list

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My KS teacher always recommended B.N.Pandits works, which I too found great Joy in. Going to start them again shortly.

 

While we are at it, has anyone ever found an English translation of the Tantraloka?

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I have mostly relied on the Sanskrit original and it's commentary by Rajanaka Jayaratha (which, we in our lineage, do not consider as correctly representing the great master Abhinavagupta). There is one English translation by Gautam Chatterjee, and it is clear he obviously does not understand "secrets" or the esoteric/practical purports of the coded Tantraloka, but seems sincere enough:

 

http://books.google.com/books/about/Sri_Tantraloka.html?id=gpsacAAACAAJ

 

Swami Lakshman Joo, who I consider more a intellectual than a Tantra exponent, did write some papers I read that were commentaries on the Tantraloka, but I am not sure if they were ever published by one of his numerous and illustrious students.

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(which, we in our lineage, do not consider as correctly representing the great master Abhinavagupta).

Cool, what is your Lineage?

I started out in Muktananda's lineage, and then became a student of Virendra Qazi, who is Swami Lakshman Joo's cousin.

 

I am going to reconnect with him again and hopefully he will forgive my break of a few years exploring Buddhism.

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Cool, what is your Lineage?

I started out in Muktananda's lineage, and then became a student of Virendra Qazi, who is Swami Lakshman Joo's cousin.

 

I am going to reconnect with him again and hopefully he will forgive my break of a few years exploring Buddhism.

I interacted with sri qazi thru the auspices of my website in the past...

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Check out books by Swami Lakshman Joo, Dr. Jaidev Singh and Mark S. G. Dyczkowski.

thank you guru-yoga, seth , and dwai

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