Teachings
The Four Schools of Kashmir Shaivism by Swami Lakshmanjoo
This is a lecture of Swamiji given in Kashmiri translated into English.
Long after Sage Durvasa was first initiated into Shaivism by Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash, the Lord felt the need to explain it in still greater detail in order to make it easily understandable to larger masses of spiritual seekers of varying intellectual levels and occupational pursuits. This caused Lord Shiva to reincarnate himself in the form of four successive masters in Kali Yuga, namely (1) Erakanātha, also known as Shivanāndanātha, (2) Vasugupta, (3) Somānandanātha and (4) Shambhunātha the Guru of Abhinavagupta, the last in the lineage of masters of Kashmir Shaivism (also known as Trika philosophy) of the medieval times. All these masters assumed human forms only for our benefit, for our spiritual enlightenment which alone guarantees liberation from the vicious circle of transmigration (samsāra) and total deliverance from the suffering attending thereon.
Pratyabhijñā System
Shri Somānandanātha was the first and the foremost to teach the Pratyabhijñā School of thought, the highest within the Trika System of philosophy (more popularly known as Kashmir Shaivism). This System is best suited to seekers with a higher intellectual level and purity of mind. Pratyabhijñā System rests basically on the principle of recognition – recognition of the perfect identity of the individual soul i.e. Shiva. Jīva is none other than the peerless Shiva Himself who, in His state of exuberance of bliss (ānanda) has, of His own sovereign will (svātantrya) manifested Himself in the multitude of forms, each with distinctly different characteristics in terms of powers as well as functions, i.e., Shiva in his manifest form (in immanence) assuming limited powers and functions characteristic of jīva, retaining at the same time His transcendental nature.
The Pratyabhijñā System does not advocate the methods and means of vikalpa khaya (eradication of thought constructs or withdrawal of the senses of perception from their respective objects of perception) nor does it endorse the adoption of techniques, which lead to the expansion of powers of perception in terms of their range and depth to experience thereby their innate universal character. Instead, the individual needs directly to realize his identity with the Highest Reality and to BE IT.
‘Being it’ implies directly recognizing his true nature i.e. Supreme Consciousness, and to instantaneously resume the powers as well as functions characteristic of Lord Shiva. The former consists of Lord Shiva's (i) cit śakti (supreme consciousness) (ii) ānanda śakti (infinite bliss) (iii) icchā śakti (sovereign will), (iv) jñāna śakti (omniscience) and (v) kriyā śakti (omnipotence); whereas the latter, comprises His five universal functions (pañca krtya) namely (a) creation of the phenomenal world (sṛṣti), (b) sustenance thereof (sthiti), (c) its dissolution (samhāra), (d) the concealment of His true nature (pidhāna) and (e) the revealing of His true nature (anugraha) e.g. oneness of the manifest world of objects and the transcendental aspects of his Supreme Consciousness.
In other words, it amounts to remaining in the full awareness of one's real nature (pañca krtya anusaraṇa). Once that happens, you are there. There is nothing else to do. If every moment you are aware of what you are doing, you are there. You have to closely watch your own thought process and get used to identifying the moment when a new thought construct arises (initial act of creation – sṛṣti); how long it continues (sustenance – sthiti) in terms of its depth and detail; and when it terminates (identifying the moment of its dissolution – saṁhāra) i.e. when in the process of perceiving, the subjective awareness disappears and when the same reappears.
In each and every act of this world, one has to closely watch the moments of replication of the fivefold acts (pañca kritya) of Lord Shiva. In the course of time, one will realize that he has not suffered any loss of glory in terms of God-consciousness, be it lordly powers or universal functions. This is taught in Pratyabhijñā which rests on the basic principle of recognition of the absolute identity of man and God. All means and methods (upāyas) are redundant here. The perfect identity between jīva (the limited being or the soul-in-bondage), and Paramātman (the supreme soul), leaves no room for any impurities in the so-called jīva who is none other than Shiva Himself. The so-called impurities have no independent existence to be able to cause any impediments.
While explaining the Pratyabhijñā Sāstra, founded by his own Guru Shri Somānanda, in his own commentary called Vimarsinī, Shri Utpaladeva quotes a typical illustration of Pratyabihjñā as described here. Think of a young maiden girl of marriageable age, whose marriage has already been fixed with someone possessing a suitable family background, educational achievements, and other enviable qualities. She has, without seeing or meeting the would-be spouse, developed a passionate love for Him. Both may even be in correspondence through letters or personal messengers. Imagine a situation when, by chance, the two meet somewhere (like a place of pilgrimage or any public place.). Even though the man of her dreams stands right before her and vice-versa neither recognizes the other, at least on the basis of their respective assessments through correspondence or verbal descriptions of their physical personalities and qualities of head and heart by someone else. The meeting turns out to be just ordinary without yielding any joy or excitement characteristic of the meeting between two lovers. Suddenly someone knowing both and their anticipated relationship turns up on the scenes and reveals their respective identities. The whole scenario changes dramatically. Their hearts are flooded with joy of love; their bodies and minds experience surges of deep satisfaction and each rejoices the occasion like never before.
Utpala, in his Vimarsini deduces that likewise in the case of an earnest seeker, often his own spiritual teacher provides him the necessary inspiration at the spur of the moment, which makes him identify and enjoy and recognize those blessed occurrences of boundless peace and transcendence. That is how the principle of Pratyabhijñā Śāstra of Kashmir Shaivism was instilled in the heart of Utpaladeva by his teacher, Shri Somānanda. This approach of reality is, however, applicable to only those spiritual seekers, who have the highest ability and need not resort to any particular upāyas (means or methods). For such people, however who need to resort to one or the other specific upāyas because they are relatively less qualified in terms of purity of mind and intellect, they are recommended to adopt other means or paths.
Kula System
For the next lower grade of sādhakas, i.e. those who are not qualified for Pratyabhijñā, Lord Shankara (Shiva) has assumed the form of the Kula System. The Kula System propounds the thought of totality of energies, which in turn, is based mostly on Śāmbhava upāya and to a lesser extent on Śākta upāya, the former being more predominant. Briefly, this system advocates the technique of 'yoga in action' explained by me on a previous occasion. This approach of Kula System does not envisage retreating into solitude, like chosen places of meditation, shutting off all lights, resorting to prāṇāyāmas (practicing of breath control) and thereby enjoying induced moments of quietude popularly known as samādhi. The school of Kula System was first established by Macchandanātha for those not suited outright for Śāmbhava upāya, let alone qualified for Pratyabhijñā.
Kula stands for the totality of energies. For example, when a person is busy listening to someone's voice or music, he cannot simultaneously talk to someone else nor can he undertake other activities like discerning seriously and performing other tasks simultaneously with the same efficiency. The Kula System precisely teaches how one can deploy all his organs of action and senses of perception at the same time with maximum efficiency as is characteristic of Lord Shiva, who is all-pervading.
The tongue will continue talking as well as tasting food and analyzing the same, smelling various fragrances and distinguishing each one from the other through the nose, perceiving various objects with the eyes at the same time, and keeping track of other events like touch through the skin and sense of tactility all at the same time. This involves mastering the art of maximizing the efficiency of all sense perceptions and organs of action simultaneously with full awareness of one's real nature. That ensures establishment in Yoga of Action. Remember the quote: "sarva śakti cetasa darshanāt yaḥ yoga pathena madhyataḥ".
The Kula System thus trains a seeker to overcome the limitation of using one channel of energy at a time, thus leading to deprivation of his inherent freedom of will, knowledge and power of action, all of which is contrary to his true nature. The Kula System, on the contrary, teaches exactly how to use all faculties at the same time and thereby release his svātantrya Śakti to accomplish anything he desires, while remaining centered in his self-awareness.
This approach was initially found by Shri Macchandnātha and later on propounded in greater depth and detail by Acharya Śāmbhunātha, the Guru of Bhagavatpada Shri Abhinavagupta Ācarya. This system of Kula technique ultimately leads one to the mindless state (unmanā bhāva) where his sovereign will operate at a universal level with no consideration or for any individual desire. Individual desires just don’t exist there.
Once established in that exalted state of consciousness, one experiences perfect control over the totality of energies, (śakti cakra). This practice leads him to shed off all his limitations and restore his full mastery of the totality of energies. At his mere will, he has everything at his command. Naturally one does not harbor any individual or personal desire; and universal desire is no desire. Instead, it is cosmic in character and as such is a mere reflection of God-consciousness.
At such an advanced level, this yogi becomes qualified for Śāmbhava upāya, a step lower than the established yogi. This technique is also known as Viśvavyāpī Yoga (the Yoga of universal pervasion).
Krama System
Yet lower than the above is the Krama System of thought suited to the lower grade of spiritual seekers. Krama System essentially rests on the principle of succession or sequence, also called Krama theory. This involves investigation into how and what causes the supreme consciousness to descend to the level of limited being (i.e. jiva or soul-in-bondage) and his retrieval i.e. to his ascending back to his original state of glory viz. the ultimate state of reality.
The principle of succession or sequence is threefold in nature and it operates in terms of space, time and form, In other words, the Krama System rests on these three concepts, those of space (deśa), time (kāla) and form (rūpa) of the object of perception. This system is also known as Kālī Śāstra. The Krama System advocates deep concentration on all three concepts.
For example, take the case of our own breathing. One inhales a breath and then he exhales the same. One has to mark how long he breathes in (pūraka), how long it takes to exhale (recaka) and how long the in-between pause (kumbhaka) is. This needs unbroken awareness on the part of the seeker to discern fully the natural duration of the incoming breath (apāna vāyu) and the outgoing breath (prāṇa vāyu), and the duration times of the two in-between pauses at the commencement and termination of each of the two viz. inhalation and exhalation, which together constitute one full cycle of breath.
In particular one has to develop perfect awareness of the pause time (sandhi or junction), which provides a peephole to the realm of pure consciousness marked with intense peace and tranquility. This concerned practice in Krama System ultimately leads one to the state of transcendence (akrama padavī). Akrama padavī is synonymous with Lord Shiva's state of transcendence. It is that state which is beyond space, time and form. Once one enters into that state, he virtually crosses the barriers of space, time and form.
So one needs to fully understand the concepts, analyze their nature in terms of their range (deśa), duration (kāla) and repeatedly recognize the pause time (junctions) thereby gaining entrance into the Ultimate Reality i.e. Shiva. This was first taught by Airakanātha, also known as Shivānandanātha the author of Shri Kālikā Stotra.
The Krama System is of course very ancient, and historically it precedes the period during which Pratyabhijñā Śāstra was revealed by Shri Somānanda and later on elaborated by Shri Utpala Deva in his Vimarsini on Śiva Dṛṣṭi. The technique of Krama is based partly on Āṇava upāya and partly on Śākta upāya. The āṇava state lasts throughout the initial period of practice when the seeker resorts to concentration on space, time and form. Once he starts overstepping them, he automatically enters into Śāktopāya. When he becomes firmly established in spaceless-ness, timeless-ness and formless-ness, he is further elevated and becomes qualified for Śāmbhava upāya.
Spanda System
There is yet another school of thought in Kashmir Shaivism that is ranked as the fourth in order of merit viz, the Spanda School of thought. It is comprised of Śākta and āṇava upāyas. The Spanda School of thought rests on the principle of movement – movement forming the basis of the revelation of one's nature – any kind of movement, not necessarily physical movement.
Consider the case of a hand at rest. Even when it does not move it is still invested with the power of moving. If that power were not there, it would be a dead man's hand. It is obvious that though it’s not moving externally, the power of motion exists and some movement is still going on within the veins of the hand.
We are all aware that during the interval of two successive heartbeats, how fast the blood rushes throughout our capillary system, though not perceived by our naked eyes. Imagine it traverses through 72,000 major and minor veins by the time the heart beats once. Thus, the soul reveals its power of movement. This becomes more and more clearly revealed through appropriate methods of concentration on different forms of movements making it possible to ultimately discern the changeless state of Spanda Śakti.
One such illustration, often observed by us, is provided by an electric fan. Once it is switched on, the blades start rotating and at increased speeds, even though they rotate so quickly, yet the objects behind the moving blades remain distinctly clear, the blade in motion allows full view of the still objects in the background.
The Spanda System thus lays emphasis on the acceleration of the sense perceptions involving movement so intensely that the underlying changeless (movement-less) state of Spanda comes into clearer and still clearer perception. The one-pointedness of concentration constitutes the key to our discernment of the changeless state of Spanda right amidst the process of intensely fast-occurring perceptions.
In the case of the fan at maximum speed we clearly see only the space in which the blades move, certainly not the blades. Besides we hear the sound caused by the continuous air displacement as well as the mechanical sound of the equipment. Thus, the more intense the effort of concentration the greater the chances of one's entrance into yogic trance which is the state of motionless-ness characteristic of Lord Shiva, the highest state of quietude (nispandata).
Thus all forms of motion (activity) like the processes of sense perceptions and activities through our organs of action will ultimately get transformed into that sublime state of motionlessness and hence unbroken awareness.
This System of Spanda thought was evolved by Shri Vasugupta, who himself got it from Lord Shiva through the Shiva Sutras engraved on the huge boulder named Shankar Pal in Dachigum National Park, Kashmir, India.
[ END ]
To listen and read more about the Systems and Schools of Shaivism visit this blog excerpt from the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Chapter 19, where Swamiji explains the four sub-systems of this philosophy in English.
Due to the rise and fall of Kashmir over the past eight centuries, the knowledge of Kashmir Shaivism has remained practically hidden from view. As an oral tradition, its teachings have always been passed down by word of mouth, from master to disciple. Today, scholars find it difficult to piece together the intricate web of Kashmir Shaiva philosophy, since many of its earlier manuscripts are now extinct.
Fortunately, Swami Lakshmanjoo was a direct descendant in the unbroken chain of of this oral tradition. With the gradual emergence of Kashmir Shaivism, over the last decades, any publication has appeared without mention of his name. Seeking his guidance for all of his publications on Kashmir Shaivism, Jaideva Singh looked upon Swami Lakshmanjoo as, “the doyen of Shaiva Agama.”
In 1972 Swami Lakshmanjoo gave a series of lectures, which he considered to be ‘the essence of Trika Philosophy’. Without the aid of texts, Swamiji revealed the most important aspects Kashmir Shaiva Philosophy, at the same time revealing some of the unknown secrets of his oral tradition. His memory was so vast that he could effortlessly verify his statements with quotes and from the various Shaiva tantras.
Fifteen of the topics selected covered the essence of the first fifteen chapters of Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka. These lectures were recorded by John Hughes and form the substance of Swami Lakshmanjoo’s book, Kashmir Shaivism, the Secret Supreme.
A devotee once asked Swamiji, what was the best way to learn Kashmir Shaivism. His simple reply was, “read my book, Kashmir Shaivism, the Secret Supreme over and over, and you will absorb the essence of Kashmir Shaivism.”
For the last twenty years of his life, Swami Lakshmanjoo translated into English what he considered the most important of Kashmir Shaivism. These translations were recorded by John Hughes and form the basis of the teachings presented by the Universal Shiva Fellowship.
Available publications (books and ebooks, with free audio downloads) can be purchased in our online bookstore.
