Siva Sutras - The Supreme Awakening

[s1va]

I am starting this thread to share and discuss the 'Siva Sutras - The Supreme Awakening by Swami Lakshmanjoo'.  Go through the sutras sequentially and share what I found interesting.  

 

Here is the link to the text for anyone that is interested:

https://ia801902.us.archive.org/30/items/TheSivaSutrasTheSupremeAwakeningSwamiLakshmanJoo/The Siva Sutras The Supreme Awakening - Swami Lakshman Joo.pdf

 

 

Sutras are a form of short cryptic aphorisms that are part of the Hindu scriptures from the Vedic times.  Since there was no paper or any form of writing in the ancient days, those who authored these sutras wanted to keep them very short, cryptic and at the same time convey the entire meaning that they wanted to convey.  Since they are cryptic, a direct word by word translation may not be helpful with these.  A commentary by someone who knows understands and experienced what is stated in the sutras are essential.  This is where Swami Lakshamjoo's commentary on these sutras help us understand and appreciate these sutras.

 

[s1va]

Brief Introduction for Kashmir Shaivism from the text:

"Kashmir Saivism is a system of philosophy known as the Trika system. The Sanskrit word trika means "threefold." In Kashmir Saivism, trika is used to refer to the threefold signs of humankind and their world. These three signs are Siva, Sakti and the bound individual (nara), and the three energies of Siva. These three energies are para Sakti, supreme energy; parapara sakti, medium energy; and apara sakti, inferior energy."

 

 

 

The 3 Paths or Upayas:

Kashmir Shaivism provides 3 paths or upayas to attain the moksha or realization. They are as follows.

 

1. Sambhavopaya -  By the grace of the Master/Guru or by the divine, the aspirant attains the God consciousness in a flash.  No methods, practices, meditation, etc.  This is the first and the highest means of the 3 methods.  
2. Saktopaya - This method is described as the liberation through means of shakti or energy.  The practice of Kundalini may fall under this.
3. Anavopaya - Liberation through ego or through the individual effort (by mind).  This upaya is considered inferior because it uses mental and physical practices for advancement.  The meditation, yoga, practicing ahimsa, etc. will fall under this category.

 

The key thing to note is these steps are not sequential.  An aspirant does not need to start at the bottom and climb their way up.  The highest method is advocated for every aspirant and if it does not work, then they can proceed to the next one below.

 

This text the Siva Sutras is also divided into three parts corresponding to the 3 upayas as described below in the text.

 

"The Siva Sutras are divided into three parts. According to Ksemaraja, the three parts correspond to the three means 5 Introduction (upayas) for the attainment of liberation (moksa), as revealed by Kashmir Saivism. The three upayas for traveling from individual limited consciousness to universal God consciousness are sambhavopaya, saktopaya and anavopaya. The first and highest means is called sambavopaya. The second means, for aspirants of medium qualifications, is called Saktopaya. The third means, called anavopaya, is regarded as inferior. Abhinavagupta, drawing from the Malinivijaya Tantra, defines Sambavopaya as the upaya wherein the aspirant achieves entry (samavesa) into supreme consciousness just by the grace of his master, without adopting any process. He does not use thought (dhyana), mantra, or any other aid to meditation. Saktopaya is defined as the upaya where the aspirant achieves mystical entry (samavesa) through contemplation of the mental object that cannot be spoken or recited. Anavopaya is defined as the upaya where mystical entry takes place through concentration on parts of the body (sthana-prakalpana), contemplation (dhyana), recitation (varna), taking the support of the breath (uccara), and mantras."

[s1va]

First Awakening

 

The Story of how Shiva Sutras were initially revealed to Vasavagupta:

"Some time before in the valley of Kashmir, at the foot of Sri Mahadeva Mountain, there lived a great devotee of Lord Siva named Vasugupta. He was absolutely unique and purified by the grace of Lord Siva. Filled with devotion, Vasugupta did not accept the theory and teachings of Buddhist philosophers. Having purified his heart by the teachings of siddhas and yoginis, he was determined in meditating on Lord Siva.

 

After some time, Lord Siva, having decided to elevate the great master Vasugupta by filling him with true knowledge, appeared in a dream. In this dream, he told Vasugupta that at the foot of Mahadeva Mountain, there is a great boulder and under this boulder are inscribed his sacred verses (sutras). He then directed him to find these sutras and to practice their teaching. "If you do this," he said, "you will discover the truth of the reality of God consciousness."

 

Vasugupta awoke from his dream and set off in search of the great rock. Eventually, he found the rock just where Lord Siva said it would be, at the foot of Mahadeva Mountain. As soon as he touched it, it turned over and there, on the underside, he found the engraved sutras described by Lord Siva.

 

He was awestruck and filled with joy. He began intense study and reflection on these sutras. He read them thoroughly and exhaustively, concentrating and meditating upon each one, seeking to grasp its true and hidden meaning. Through this profound study and reflection, he gained the understanding and knowledge the sutras contained. He then began to share the theory and secrets of these sutra s with his chief disciples, Bhattakallata and others. Simultaneously, he revealed the sutras in a book called Spanda Karika. Ksemaraja further clarified these spanda verses in his work entitled Spanda Nirnaya.

 

Now the Siva Sutras will be explained."

 

 

[s1va]

The First Sutra:

 

Without further ado, let's jump into the actual sutras.  

 

The first sutra is one of my favorite.  It describes everything there is to be described in this one short phrase, like in a flash.  In my view the entire Siva Sutras is contained in this one sutra.  It is deep.

 

"The first sutra of the Siva Sutras explains that the reality of  the universe is the real self. This self is not false. This is contrary to the theories of those philosophers who argue that the individual being is always individual being and universal being is always universal being. For these philosophers, universal being will never be united with individual being and individual being will never be united with universal being. This first sutra, on the other hand, states that individual being is one with universal being. The reality of this whole universe is God consciousness. It is filled with God consciousness."

 

1. caitanyamatma

 

The independent state of supreme consciousness is the reality of everything.

 

 

 

Any comments or discussion on the sutras are welcome.

[s1va]

Here are some comments on the first sutra that I found interesting and insightful from the text.  

(Note:  These paragraphs are taken from different parts of the commentary for the first sutra)

--------------------------------

 

"The independent state of consciousness is the self. It is the self of everything, because whatever exists in the world is the state of Lord Siva. So Lord Siva is found everywhere."

--------------------------------

 

"Now, if all individual beings are filled with consciousness, then where is the difference in these beings? There can be no difference. So, all individual beings are one universal being."

--------------------------------

 

"Ksemaraja talks about those aspirants who are on the path, who meditate day and night, and do not achieve anything. He says these aspirants are the same as ignorant people. This is not the real state of Siva. The real state of Siva is full realization. When full realization takes place, that is the fullness - the reality - of independent God consciousness. Until then, nothing has happened. Aspirants who practice day and night and do not achieve anything are just like ignorant worldly persons bound up in samsara. The reality of the self only exists when you are filled with the independent state of supreme God consciousness (caitanya). Until then, everything is useless and worthless.

 

So, there are not individual states of being, there is only the universal state of being, and that is one. This is why, in the very first verse, the author has explained that God consciousness is one in many."

--------------------------------

 

"The independent state of God consciousness is also found in the individual states of body (Sarira), breath (prana), intellect (buddhi) and void (Sunya). In the body, he is above the body. In breath, he is above the breath. In intellect, he is the super intellect. In voidness, he is full. In nothingness, he is everything. This is the reality of universal I (aham)."

 

---------------------------------

 

"The Vijnana Bhairava says the same thing.

 

In each and every being exists the independent state of God consciousness. You must find this state of God consciousness. To accomplish this, concentrate on the totality of individuality, the state of universal consciousness. If this is done, you will conquer the differentiated state of world and will be carried above the individuality of consciousness. (Vijnana Bhairava 100)"

 

---------------------------------

 

"Ksemaraja now gives another exposition of this first sutra. He says that, in the verse, the word atma means "form." Thus the meaning is: "This supreme independent state of God consciousness (caitanya) is the form." But the author has not revealed whose form. He simply says that this supreme independent state of God consciousness is form. If it is not said whose form it is, you must conclude that this is the form of everything. So, the independent supreme state of God consciousness is the form of everything. It is the form of the nose, it is the form of the eye, it is the form of the face, it is the form of the arm, it is the form of the limbs. And even more than that: It is the form of an animal, such as a sheep; it is the form of a tree; it is the form of everything in this world."

 

---------------------------------

[Jonesboy]

I think the term Kula really helps with this. From the Triadic Heart of Siva.

 

As the Embodied Cosmos that emerges from Siva, the kula is the

grand and complex structure of lived reality.

 

If Siva is the absolute totality, kula is a term that can be applied to

any emergent manifestation from that totality. Kula seems to be applied

on a sliding scale from the largest unit of manifestation to the smallest.

 

Even as Siva creates the very real game of

breaking himself into parts which suffer transformation, division, extinction

and emptiness, he is nevertheless able to maintain himself free of the game

and intact as Siva, all the while taking on the roles required by the game.

 

In the inconceivable enormity of Siva's game, any self-contained

unit - for example, our universe - may be termed a kula. The unit is

self-sufficient precisely because it is a part that is structured out of wholeness.

Since the kula's essential reality is finally that wholeness which it

has bodied forth, every unit, or kula, resonates in identity with every

other structure composed of that wholeness. It is in this way that the

human body, as a kula, resonates in identity with the entire universe.

 

Wherever Siva is present, the

whole is present. If the body is a structure composed essentially of Siva,

then all that is manifested from Siva, including the entire array of universes,

may be found present in the body.

[s1va]

48 minutes ago, Jonesboy said:

Wherever Siva is present, the

whole is present. If the body is a structure composed essentially of Siva,

then all that is manifested from Siva, including the entire array of universes,

may be found present in the body.

 

Wow, that is amazing.  Going by that logic, the entire array of the universes can be found in every atom!

[anshino23]

Just want to say thank you for doing this. 

 

[s1va]

From the first sutra commentary, there is a discussion about the existence of ignorance that I found interesting and wanted to share before moving on to the second sutra. The conclusion: Ignorance was really non-fullness of knowledge.   Yet this non-fullness of knowledge results in getting caught up with the entire worldly experience.

 

 

Does ignorance exist before realization? 

 

"Let us examine the theory of the malas, the veils of ignorance. Where does this ignorance exist? How can we say that ignorance exists? If ignorance is removed from God consciousness, it does not exist at all. So where does it exist? If ignorance is filled with the independent state of God consciousness, then it is not ignorance at all, but fullness of God consciousness. So ignorance cannot be found. Then what is it that remains? What is left? There is only independent supreme God consciousness - which is the reality of the self.

 

What if, for the time being, we were to say that the veil of ignorance exists before you are realized, and that afterwards, when you are realized, it does not exist? Then, if ignorance does not exist after realization, it is the truth that it did not exist at all. Why? Because at the time of realization, the aspirant realizes and knows that ignorance does not exist at all. So that ignorance never exists. Whatever he called ignorance existed, but it was not actually ignorance; it was really non-fullness of knowledge."

[s1va]

Sutra 1.2

 

2. jnanam bandhah

 

Knowing differentiatedly is bondage and not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage.

 

 

Though the sutra reads as 'jnanam bandhah', generally sutras are chanted, read and written one after the next continuously.  When such combining happens, the Sanskrit language grammatical (sandhi - joining) rules apply and they change the word and meaning at times.  In this case, the first sutra ends with atma (caitanyamatma) with the 'a'.  This joins with the word jnanam in the second sutra and makes it ajnanam bandhah.

 

So, when read or chanted separately, it is jnanam bandhah, and with the first sutra it becomes ajnanam bandhah.  

 

Jnanam = Knowing (roughly translated in this case, it is hard to translate jnana word to word jnana directly to English)

Ajnanam = Not knowing or the opposite of Jnanam.

 

 

There are two ways the sutra can therefore be interpreted.

 

1. Knowing differentiated is bondage
2. Not knowing undifferentiated is bondage

 

The two interpretations of the sutra may sound contradictory.  The question then becomes knowing what is bondage and not knowing what is bondage.  The author explains beautifully in the commentary as follows.

 

"What knowledge is bondage? Differentiated knowledge. What not knowing is bondage? Not knowing your own undifferentiated self. So knowing individual consciousness as one's own nature and not knowing universal consciousness as one's own nature, are both bondage. In the path of Saivism, there is nothing that exists or that does not exist that is separated from citprakasa, the conscious self. Impurity (mala), therefore, also does not exist. So how can impurity (mala) come between you and the conscious self, creating obstacles and bondage? It cannot. Then what is impurity (malap. Impurity is not dirt, impurity is ignorance.)"

 

Essentially it boils down to this.  The first sutra talked about the universal God consciousness that is essentially everything.  Not knowing this undifferentiated universal consciousness as one's nature and seeing the world as multitudes only leads to bondage.  A limitation as the result of the Maya tattva (principle) that makes us get caught up in this samsara and take countless births.  Knowing everything in a differentiated state as multitudes and not seeing the one universal consciousness (essentially means the same) leads to bondage.

 

Comments welcome on the second sutra.

 

 

[s1va]

Some of the commentary for the 2nd sutra that I found insightful from the text.  I have added the bolded topics to provide context to the text added from different parts of the commentary.

 

Cause of Samsara - what binds us in the wheel of repeated births and deaths?

 

"We are told this in the Malini Vijaya Tantra:

 

Impurity (mala) is the ignorance (ajnana) of undifferentiated nature and the knowledge of differentiated nature. That ignorance is the cause of the sprout of samsara. (Malini Vijaya Tantra)

 

It is also said in the Sarvacara Tantra:

 

Because of this ignorance, you are filled with differentiated, not undifferentiated, knowledge and you become bound in the wheel of repeated births and deaths. This happens in innumerable ways. (Sarvacara Tantra)"

 

 

What causes the maya (illusion) of limitation?

 

"This contraction or limitation is caused by Paramesvara's great illusive energy. This is the great force of illusion that has risen by the power of his freedom. By this energy of his freedom, he conceals his nature and reveals this limitation in his own self just for play, not in trying to satisfy some deficiency or for pleasure.

 

The self is only a vacuum full of consciousness (akasakalpi). And within that vacuum, that contraction or limitation, are found the states from Anasrita Siva to limited jiva. The demonstration of limitation is bondage. The contraction is in the form of not knowing. It is ignorance, but ignorance of what? Ignorance of the oneness of Siva. The sign of bondage is the feeling that you are incomplete (apurnammanyata)."

 

What is anavamala? (anava-mala -> the first of the 3 impurities)

 

"The sign of bondage is the feeling that you are incomplete (apurnammanyata). You agree that you are incomplete, that you are not full. That is the impurity (mala) known as anavamala. It is shrunken knowledge and it is ignorance. Why? It is shrunken knowledge because it is knowledge of the differentiated world and it is ignorance because it is ignorance of the undifferentiated state. When you do not know your undifferentiated state, that is ajnana (ignorance), and when you know your differentiated state, that is also limited jnana (knowledge). Jnana is bondage and ajnana is also bondage."

[Jonesboy]

43 minutes ago, s1va said:

Sutra 1.2

 

2. jnanam bandhah

 

Knowing differentiatedly is bondage and not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage.

 

 

Though the sutra reads as 'jnanam bandhah', generally sutras are chanted, read and written one after the next continuously.  When such combining happens, the Sanskrit language grammatical (sandhi - joining) rules apply and they change the word and meaning at times.  In this case, the first sutra ends with atma (caitanyamatma) with the 'a'.  This joins with the word jnanam in the second sutra and makes it ajnanam bandhah.

 

So, when read or chanted separately, it is jnanam bandhah, and with the first sutra it becomes ajnanam bandhah.  

 

Jnanam = Knowing (roughly translated in this case, it is hard to translate jnana word to word jnana directly to English)

Ajnanam = Not knowing or the opposite of Jnanam.

 

 

There are two ways the sutra can therefore be interpreted.

 

1. Knowing differentiated is bondage
2. Not knowing undifferentiated is bondage

 

That sounds contradictory to each other.  The question then becomes knowing what is bondage and not knowing what is bondage.  The author explains beautifully in the commentary as follows.

 

"What knowledge is bondage? Differentiated knowledge. What not knowing is bondage? Not knowing your own undifferentiated self. So knowing individual consciousness as one's own nature and not knowing universal consciousness as one's own nature, are both bondage. In the path of Saivism, there is nothing that exists or that does not exist that is separated from citprakasa, the conscious self. Impurity (mala), therefore, also does not exist. So how can impurity (mala) come between you and the conscious self, creating obstacles and bondage? It cannot. Then what is impurity (malap. Impurity is not dirt, impurity is ignorance.)"

 

Essentially it boils down to this.  The first sutra talked about the universal God consciousness that is essentially everything.  Not knowing this undifferentiated universal consciousness as one's nature and seeing the world as multitudes only leads to bondage.  A limitation as the result of the Maya tattva (principle) that makes us get caught up in this samsara and take countless births.  Knowing everything in a differentiated state as multitudes and not seeing the one universal consciousness (essentially means the same) leads to bondage.

 

Comments welcome on the second sutra.

 

 

 

Knowing differentiatedly is bondage and not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage.

 

I agree with everything said about bondage but there is an aspect that I think is missed in the commentary.

 

"Not knowing this undifferentiated universal consciousness as one's nature and seeing the world as multitudes only leads to bondage."

 

Being caught up in duality and not realizing it is all you, within you is bondage..

 

"not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage"

 

This part to me seems like it is missing something. Once you get to Universal Mind one needs to learn to differentiate again.  

 

The Buddhist Avatamsaka Sutra helps with this.

 

"

They are able to shake infinite worlds in the ten directions by spiritual powers; their minds are 

broad, being equal to the cosmos. They know various explanations of truth, they know how 

many sentient beings there are, they know the differences among sentient beings, they know 

the birth of suffering, they know the extinction of suffering; while knowing all acts are like reflected 

images, they carry out the deeds of bodhisattvas"

 

By knowing how many sentient beings there are, the differences among them one is able to differentiate again. Yet, this time at the Universal Mind level.

 

Maybe that will be discussed later on in the sutras and I am just jumping the gun.

[s1va]

6 minutes ago, Jonesboy said:

 

Knowing differentiatedly is bondage and not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage.

 

I agree with everything said about bondage but there is an aspect that I think is missed in the commentary.

 

"Not knowing this undifferentiated universal consciousness as one's nature and seeing the world as multitudes only leads to bondage."

 

Being caught up in duality and not realizing it is all you, within you is bondage..

 

"not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage"

 

This part to me seems like it is missing something. Once you get to Universal Mind one needs to learn to differentiate again.  

 

The Buddhist Avatamsaka Sutra helps with this.

 

"

They are able to shake infinite worlds in the ten directions by spiritual powers; their minds are 

broad, being equal to the cosmos. They know various explanations of truth, they know how 

many sentient beings there are, they know the differences among sentient beings, they know 

the birth of suffering, they know the extinction of suffering; while knowing all acts are like reflected 

images, they carry out the deeds of bodhisattvas"

 

By knowing how many sentient beings there are, the differences among them one is able to differentiate again. Yet, this time at the Universal Mind level.

 

Maybe that will be discussed later on in the sutras and I am just jumping the gun.

 

I agree the differentiation is needed again.  I guess the sutra just emphasizes the knowledge of the undifferentiated is essential.  Not knowing that at all leads to bondage.  But it does leave the differentiation that is needed after knowing the undifferentiated unsaid at this point.  To me it feels like it is assumed as part of the sutra since it is cryptic in nature.

[s1va]

Before moving on to the third sutra, it is essential to have a basic understanding of the three impurities (malas) that are basic part of the KS philosophy.  These impurities are the building blocks of the Maya tattva/principle which veils and creates the limitation of separated individual entities.

 

Here is a brief chapter about the three impurities from 'The Secret Supreme - Swami Lakshmanjoo'.

 

Quote

The Three Impurities

Malas

 

In our Śaiva system, there are three malas or impurities. These malas reside in māyā. They do not reside in svātantrya śakti. Even though svātantrya śakti and māyā are one, yet they are different in the sense that svātantrya śakti is that state of energy which can produce the power of going down and coming up again, both at will, whereas māyā will only give you the strength of going down and not the ability of rising up again. Once you have come down, you can not move up again. This is the reality of the state of māyā. It binds you.

 

Māyā śakti is that universal energy which is owned by the individual being, the individual soul. And when that same universal energy is owned by the universal being, it is called svātantrya śakti. Svātantrya śakti is pure universal energy. Impure universal energy is māyā. It is only the formation that changes through a difference of vision. When you experience svātantrya śakti in a crooked way, it becomes māyā śakti for you. And when you realize that same māyā śakti in Reality, then that māyā śakti becomes svātantrya śakti for you. Therefore, svātantrya śakti and māyā śakti are actually only one and the three impurities (malas), which are to be explained here, reside in māyā śakti, not in svātantrya śakti.

 

The three impurities (malas) are gross (sthūla), subtle (sūkṣma), and subtlest (para). The gross impurity is called kārmamala. It is connected with actions. It is that impurity which inserts impressions such as those which are expressed in the statements, “I am happy, I am not well, I have pain, I am a great man, I am really lucky”, in the consciousness of the individual being. This impurity of action (kārmamala) is śubhāśubhavāsanā, the impressions of pleasure and pain. And these impressions of pleasure and pain actually remain in your individual consciousness.

 

The next impurity is called māyīyamala. This impurity creates differentiation in one’s own consciousness. It is the impurity of ignorance (avidyā), the subtle impurity. The thoughts, “This house is mine, that house is not mine; This man is my friend, that man is my enemy; She is my wife, she is not my wife,” are all created by māyīyamala. Māyīyamala creates duality. Māyīyamala is bhinnavedyaprathā, the feeling that I and others are different. You feel that what you have is different from what others have, that some things are yours and other things are not yours. This is the impurity which makes Lord Śiva appear as many rather than as one.

 

The third impurity is called āṇavamala. It is the subtlest impurity. Āṇavamala is the particular internal impurity of the individual. Although he reaches the nearest state of the consciousness of Śiva, he has no ability to catch hold of that state. That inability is the creation of āṇavamala. For example, if you are conscious of your own nature and then that consciousness fades away and fades away quickly, this fading is caused by āṇavamala.

 

Āṇavamala is apūrṇatā, non-fullness. It is the feeling of being incomplete. Due to this impurity, you feel incomplete in every way. Because of this feeling, you create abhilāṣā, the desire for completion. As you feel that you are not complete, you desire to become complete. For example, if I have the desire for some particular thing, then it means that I feel that I do not have this thing. This feeling, that you do not have this thing, is caused by āṇavamala.

Though you feel incomplete, knowing that there is some lack in you, yet you do not know what this lack really is. You want to hold everything, and yet no matter what you hold, you do not fill your sense of lacking, your gap. You cannot fill this lacking unless the Master points it out to you and then carries you to that point.

 

Of these three impurities, āṇavamala and māyīyamala are not in action; they are only in perception, in experience. It is kārmamala which is in action.

You can read more about malas in other texts of Kashmir Shaivism here…

 

[s1va]

Sutra 1.3

 

3. yonivargah kalasariram //

 

becomes

 

3. yonivargah kalasariram bandhah // - for reading and understanding purposes the word 'bandhah' (bondage) gets inserted in the end of the sutra.  This is a must as the author points out below. 

 

Mayiyamala and karmamala are also bondage.

 

"Here, the word yonivarga means "differentiated knowledge." He is mine, he is not mine. This is beautiful, this is not beautiful. This is good, this is bad. All these statements are examples of the knowledge that is yonivarga. This kind of knowledge is the impurity known as mayiyamala.

 

The Sanskrit words kala sariram mean "the embodiment of action." This is done, this is to be done. This is half done, this is well done. These statements are examples of knowledge that is kala sarira. This kind of knowledge is the impurity known as karmamala. It is bondage and yonivarga, separated knowledge, is also bondage.

 

For understanding, the word bandhah (bondage) must be inserted in this sutra. The sutra would thus read, "yonivarga kala sariram bandhah," which gives the same meaning as above and adding "this is also bondage."

 

What is yonivarga? The word yonivarga comes from combining the two words yoni and varga. The word yoni means "the cause of the universe." The word varga means "class; your own class tha t is directly or indirectly attached to your body." The universe is the product of the energy of illusion and its class (varga).

 

There is your own class, which is directly attached to your body. This is good, this is bad. This is one finger, this is another finger. This is the knee. This is direct yonivarga. All these statements are examples of classes directly attached to your body. Indirect attachment is that which is referred to in statements such as: this is a wife, this is a disciple, this is a servant, this is a cook, this is rice, this is a plate. All these are indirect attachments.

 

These two classes, direct or indirect, are the cause of the rise of your body and your own separate individual world attached to your body. That body is yonivarga. That is to say, when you are limited in every way - limited in action and limited in knowing - that is yonivarga. You experience this limitation from kala to earth. Why? Because the manifestation of the differentiated world, maya, starts from the element kala. Above maya is found the pure element suddhavidya. So, from the element earth to the element kala is yonivarga and that is mayiyamala.

 

Now consider kala sarira, the embodiment of actions. When an action enters your body, your self in your knowledge, and your mind in your thought, and leaves an impression in you, that is kala sariram. This is karmamala. When a person thinks, "I am nothing, I am lost, I have lost my precious wife, I am no longer living, I am almost dead," this kind of thinking is the result of karmamala. It is also bondage."

 

Anavamala is the foundation of Karmamala and Mayiyamala

 

""The natur e of limitation is located on the surface of anavamala. Whe n anavamala exists, th e other two malas, karmamala and mayimala, ar e also existing. Whe n anavamala ha s ceased to exist, the n these other two mala s will also vanish."

-------------

"Karmamala and mayiyamala always reside in anavamala. It is the foundation of these two, which are no other than contracted particular knowledge. (Pratyabhijna Karika)"

[s1va]

This concept of maya (tattva) and the three impurities (malas) are unique to tantra based systems like Kashmir Shaivism and it sets them apart from the other Vedic Hindu systems.  In this system, intellectual analysis or meditation is not enough to overcome the limitations imposed by the maya layer.  Just doing neti neti, and saying this is not me and trying to intellectually solve the maya tattva is simply not possible.  Reaching a silent state by meditation or mechanical practices alone will not reveal the truth.

 

The maya layer cannot be pierced without divine grace.  This is a system based on guidance from the guru/master.  This is made amply clear everywhere in KS, from the upayas (methods) we saw earlier to some of the sutras that we will see ahead.

 

This is also clearly stated by Krishna in the 7th chapter of Gita in the following verse.  He calls the maya his divine energy and states it is impossible to penetrate and overcome this.  In the same breath, Krishna goes on to state those who surrender to the divine can easily cross this.  Abhinavagupta in his commentary for the following verse states this trick of illusion is a play by the divine.  To overcome or undo that self imposed illusion, the play-trick done by the divine, it stands to reason that once again the divines act in anugraha (grace) in order to undo and set free.   To think that maya is purely an intellectual puzzle is to completely underestimate the power of this divine energy maya.

 

daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te (gita 7-14)

 

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."

 

 

 

[s1va]

Sutra 1.4

 

4. jnanadhisthanam matrika //

The Universal Mother commands this triple knowledge.

 

"Matrika, the Universal Mother, is the master director of the triple knowledge consisting of anavamala, mayiyamala and karmamala. Here, the word matrika means ajnata mata. Ajnata mata is the state where universal energy is known in the wrong way. When universal energy is known in a correct way, it is simple svatantrya sakti. When it is known in the wrong way, it is energy of illusion and it is called maya sakti. So matrika is both. Matrika means ajnata mata when universal energy is not known correctly and svatantrya when it is known correctly. This means that svatantrya controls the three instruments of bondage. Svatantrya is your own will! If you bind yourself or if you free yourself, both are under your control."

 

 

When universal energy resides in the field of maya:

 

"When universal energy, residing in the field of maya, possesses differentiated and constricted knowledge, she appears to be limited, and thinks such thoughts as, "I am not full," "I am weak," "I am stout," "I am the only fortunate person in the world," or "I am a great master," "I have so many disciples," "I am a world renowned teacher."By these words, these letters and these objects, she is sometimes filled with grief, sometimes with wonder, sometimes with joy, sometimes with anger, and sometimes with attachment. And so what finally happens to this victim? This mother (matrika) does something terrible. She makes this victim her plaything."

 

 

Keep objective world (vacya) and the subjective world (vacaka) separate:

 

"And the way he becomes the victim of pleasure and pain is by the words that he hears. For example, he will hear the words "our business has decreased," even though it has not decreased. When he hears that his business is ruined, he will be the victim of grief. And when, on occasion, he hears that his business is doing well, he will be the victim of pleasure. In both cases, he is played by matrika. He becomes the victim of grief, the victim of pleasure, the victim of sex or the victim of enjoyment. These are the good and bad things we face in our daily lives. But the one who is player, he will never be sad. All these things will be enjoyed by him. He is aware of his nature. He will never be bound.

 

The objective world (vacya) is the world that is named. The subjective world are the names (vacaka) of those objects. When you unite the objective and the subjective states, that is bondage. When they are kept separate, then there is no bondage."

[s1va]

Sutra 1.5

 

5. udyamo bhairavah //

 

That effort - the flashing forth of active awareness - that instantaneously makes universal consciousness shine, is Bhairava.

 

"Active effort is elevating . It is effort that, when it flows out in active consciousness, makes one's universal consciousness shine instantaneously. Active effort is bhairava because it carries one to the state of bhairava.

 

And active effort that takes you abruptly, in one flight, to your consciousness and causes the supreme knowledge of being (pratibha) to radiate is bhairava, because all energies are diluted and digested in one energy, svatantrya sakti. It is also bhairava because the whole universe is filled with svatantrya, and because here all differentiated perception ends.

 

Active effort is called bhairava because it becomes the means of carrying you toward the state of bhairava. This kind of effort is found in real devotees whose consciousness is always introverted in the awareness of God consciousness. This is the meaning of this sutra. It is also said in Malinivijaya Tantra:

 

The penetrative inescapable state of trance, which absorbs your individual being, is called sambhava samavesa. Because of the elevating infusion of power from the master, this sambhava samavesa is experienced by one who is capable of keeping away all thoughts and impressions. (Malinivijaya Tantra 2.23)

 

Our masters explain this verse in this way. When you are capable, then your master will uplift you. If you are not capable, he will not be successful in carrying you there. This means you must be capable of absorbing this kind of awareness.

 

In Svacchanda Tantra it is also said:

Oh Parvati, all mantras are successful for the one who contemplates on his own self as one with bhairava because he is always one with that awareness of consciousness (samavesa). (Svacchanda Tantra)"

[s1va]

Sutra 1.6

 

6. sakticakrasamdhane visvasamharah //

By establishing and meditating on the wheel of energies, the differentiated universe comes to an end.

 

"Bhairava, which has already been explained, carries you to the highest summit of active consciousness and is found together with svatantrya sakti. How is svatantrya sakti found as one with Bhairava? You will find Her as one with Bhairava by keeping your organs in action, and then by establishing yourself inside, observing the action within. This is Bhairava mudra. The supreme energy of Bhairava holds both the successive movement and nonsuccessive movement of the collective totality of energies. But in fact, here there is neither a successive way or a nonsuccessive way of meditation. Why? Because, both nonsuccessive and successive ways of meditation require something to meditate on. Here there is nothing to meditate on."

 

Anupaya - Beyond the 3 upayas, the way does not exist at all:

 

"So, in the state of svatantrya sakti, there is no meditation. It is not the means (upaya) of sambhava, or sakta, or anava. It is anupaya and beyond anupaya.  Supreme energy excludes sambhava, sakta and anava upayas and, at the same time, they are all included. The state of svatantrya Sakti excludes everything and also includes everything. This is the state of svatantrya sakti. Why would they be excluded? They would be excluded because the way does not exist at all. There is no way to go, there is no traveling. From the point you start, that is what is to be held. You have to hold that starting point and that is all. Although this svatantrya sakti is both successive and nonsuccessive, it is above that. Why? Because it is the supreme energy of Lord Siva, which is absolutely independent awareness."

 

The play of creation, protection and destruction:

 

"The play of creation, protection, and destruction is the recreation of svatantrya sakti. Where? In the ground of her own nature (svarupa). Right from the element earth (prithvi) up to the state of the supreme perceiver (para pramatri). When the heroic yogi meditates with continuous contemplation on that collective class of energies of Siva (Sakti cakra), which is found in only one energy, svatantrya sakti, he destroys this dualistic universe right from kalagni rudra up to santatita kala. You must understand though, destruction does not mean that it is destroyed. Although it is individually found, externally found, or found in his own awareness, the heroic yogi feels that the entire universe has become one with the fire of supreme consciousness."

[s1va]

The wheel of energy mentioned in this sutra (1.6) basically refers to the 36 tattvas or the principles of KS as shown below.  The kalagni rudra mentioned above is rests in the prithvi tattva (Earth principle) in the bottom of the image below and the santatita kala is the abode of Shiva (Siva principle) at the top.

 

The heroic yogi is said to engage in continuous contemplation of this collective class of energies (earth to siva tattva) until the  dualistic universe is destroyed.  In other words, the yogi realizes all of these are one with the supreme consciousness.  

 

[s1va]

The next few sutras deal with the waking state (jagrat), dream state (swapna), deep sleep state (sushupti) and the 4th state turiya --  the successful yogi experiences -- that transcends all the other 3 states and is ever present. 

 

Sutra 1.7

7. jagratsvapnasusuptabhede turyabhogasambhava  //

 

Such a heroic yogi experiences the expansive

state of turya in the differentiated states of

waking, dreaming and deep sleep.

 

"When that aspirant, who is a hero in meditation, through the flashing forth of active awareness instantaneously makes universal consciousness shine (udyamo bhairavah), then for him the expansive state of turya occurs in all states, waking (jagrat), dreaming (svapna) and deep sleep (susupti). For this yogi, all the states of experience, waking, dreaming and deep sleep, are one with turya. He does not experience any difference between this world and the state of samadhi. This happens to that yogi who is a great yogi, with advanced development of awareness.

 

In the Spanda Karika, it is explained in this verse:

In the differentiated states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep, that supreme consciousness of turya is found as one. (Spanda Karika1.3)"

 

Sutra 1.8

8. jnanam jagrat //

External organic knowledge constitutes

the waking state.

 

"External organic knowledge (jnanam) is not knowledge of the self; it is dualistic knowledge."

 

Sutra 1.9

9. svapno vikalpah //

Internal perceptions and thoughts compose

the dreaming state.

 

"The Sanskrit word vikalpah means "internal perceptions." If internal perceptions are found in the waking state, it is also dreaming (svapna)."

 

Sutra 1.10

10. aviveko mayasausuptam //

Forgetfulness and the negation of awareness is the

dreamless state or maya .

"That which is the object of everyone because it is from the external organic world comprises the waking state (jagrat).

 

Those objects which are created in one's own mind and become perceptions of only one individual constitute the dreaming state. In the dreaming state, thought is predominant.

 

And when you are absolutely unaware, unable to differentiate your being - not being present where you are - this ignorance, this negation, is the state of deep sleep. This state is one with maya. It makes you absolutely deluded about your nature. So, although it is the dreamless state (susupti) that is explained here, you must understand that the state of maya, which must be discarded, has the same explanation."

[s1va]

In the commentary for this sutra 1.10, the author points out each of these 3 states (waking, dream & deep sleep) in turn contain 3 more states within themselves.  We are not always wakeful in the waking state.  Mostly we spend the waking state (day) dreaming or in the ignorance of deep sleep.  There are totally 9 states as explained below and 3 more for yogis in meditative state.

 

1. Wakefulness in waking state (jagrat in jagrat): "You must know that in the waking state, whenever you find that there is external organic knowledge, that is wakefulness in the waking state."
2. Dreamness in waking state (swapna in jagrat): "When there are only thoughts in the waking state, that is dreaming in the waking state"
3. Deep sleep in waking state (sushupti in jagrat): "When there is unawareness (moha), the negation of your self, in the waking state that is deep sleep in the waking state"
4. Wakefulness in dream state (jagrat in swapna): "When, while dreaming, there is some subjective knowledge and you are conscious of dreaming, feeling that you are dreaming a dream, that dreaming state is called wakefulness in the dreaming state"
5. Dreamness in dream state (swapna in swapna):  "When, while dreaming, you are given completely to perception without any awareness of that subjective consciousness, that is the dream state within a dream."
6. Deep sleep in dream state (sushupti in swapna): "And when these dreams are not remembered at all, that is the deep sleep state within a dream"
7. Wakefulness in deep sleep state (jagrat in sushupti): "Where can wakefulness be found in the deep sleep state? Where can wakefulness exist when there is the absolute negation of thoughts and awareness? Although thought does not exist in the state of deep sleep, there is a point before entering the state of deep sleep where one feels that he is going to get complete rest. This is wakefulness in the deep sleep state"
8. Dreamness in deep sleep state (swapna in sushupti): "When the impressions of the deep sleep state remain, causing one to think upon waking that he was sleeping and does not know anything, this is dreaming in the state of deep sleep"
9. Deep sleep in deep sleep state (sushupti in sushupti): "In the dreaming state of deep sleep, there are impressions and there are thoughts of these impressions, but these are not gross thoughts. Rather, these are thoughts held in a subtle way. They are thoughts in the state of impressions. The completely thoughtless state is deep sleep in the state of deep sleep"

The above states are for normal people. For the yogis 3 more states are described in meditation.

1. Wakefulness in meditation: "When a yogi is completely one-pointed in meditation (dharana), that is the waking state. Here the yogi is aware at the beginning of meditation that he is meditating and he is one-pointed about meditating. This is active, not passive meditation (In passive meditation, when you sit for meditation you may sit and think of someone else. When you sit for meditation, you must sit with consciousness. That is active meditation). For yogis, the state of meditation is called wakefulness because here the yogi is given to one-pointedness."
2. Dreamness in meditation: "When one-pointedness is breaklessly maintained as the continuity of one thought, that, for the yogi, is the dreaming state. For the yogi, this state of dreaming is higher than wakefulness."
3. Deep sleep in meditation: "And, for yogis, higher still is the state known as deep sleep. This state exists when both the state of objectivity and the state of subjectivity instantly vanish. This is samadhi, the thoughtless state of consciousness, and it is deep sleep for yogis."

[s1va]

Recap sutra 1-10.

 

1. caitanyamatma

The independent state of supreme consciousness is the reality of everything.

 

2. jnanam bandhah

Knowing differentiatedly is bondage and not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage.

 

3. yonivargah kalasariram // becomes 3. yonivargah kalasariram bandhah //

Mayiyamala and karmamala are also bondage.

 

4. jnanadhisthanam matrika //

The Universal Mother commands this triple knowledge.

 

5. udyamo bhairavah //

That effort - the flashing forth of active awareness - that instantaneously makes universal consciousness shine, is Bhairava.

 

6. sakticakrasamdhane visvasamharah //

By establishing and meditating on the wheel of energies, the differentiated universe comes to an end.

 

7. jagratsvapnasusuptabhede turyabhogasambhava  //

Such a heroic yogi experiences the expansive state of turya in the differentiated states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep.

 

8. jnanam jagrat //

External organic knowledge constitutes the waking state.

 

9. svapno vikalpah //

Internal perceptions and thoughts compose the dreaming state.

 

10. aviveko mayasausuptam //

Forgetfulness and the negation of awareness is the dreamless state or maya .

 

 

 

 

[s1va]

Sutra 1.11

 

11. tritayabhokta viresah //

 

The one who enjoys in the oneness of awareness all of the

three states - waking, dreaming, and deep sleep -

becomes the master of all organic energies.

 

"When this yogi, through meditating on the wheel of energies (sakticakra), apprehends the threefold state of waking, dreaming and deep sleep as absolutely free from all dualistic thoughts, filled with the nectar of bliss (ananda rasa) and completely mixed with turya, then this yogi has truly relished these three states in the oneness of awareness. He is one who, enjoying the oneness of these three states in turya, becomes viresah, the master of all active organic energies.

 

This heroic yogi is simultaneously aware of where objectivity and where subjectivity exist in the three states of waking, dreaming and deep sleep and is never stained by them. This kind of yogi enjoys the unrivaled kingdom of the universal self. He is filled with supreme bliss and becomes master of heroes (viras) who are dedicated to digesting the sense of difference in the universe. He is said to be one with Manthana Bhairava, which is Bhairava who churns everything, all objectivity, all cognition and all subjectivity, into one consciousness, producing a supreme undifferentiated mixture of universal consciousness. This is how it is explained in very rare Tantras."

[s1va]

Sutra 1.12

12. vismayo yogabhumikah //

The predominant sign of such a yogi is

joy-filled amazement.

 

"This yogi is filled with joy and amazement. The Sanskrit word vismaya means "amazement completely filled with joy." Just as a person seeing some wonderful object is amazed, in the same way, this yogi is filled with amazement who, in the objective world of senses, experiences entry in his own self filled with consciousness, which is unique, intense, always fresh and uncommonly charming, and by which entry all his varieties of organs are filled with blooming, ever smiling, one-pointed joy.

 

What kind of amazement is this? This yogi, upon entering into that limitless state of bliss (ananda), is never satiated with the experience. On the contrary, he feels bathed with the amazement of joy. This is the predominent state of yoga of a yogi who has become one with the supreme Lord, the supreme tattva, Siva tattva. And by this, you can surmise that he has ascended to the state of Siva."

 

The author cautions not to confuse this state with some joyful state of consciousness near the muladhara (first) chakra or with seeing some effulgent light between the eyebrows.  Simply put,  having some energy (chi) sensations/movement, or seeing the light between eyebrows, or having some visions does not mean the achievement of this highest state.  It is just the start .