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A Study on the Concept of ‘Māyā’ in Kashmir Śivādvayavādī Darśan

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Abstract

Trika philosophy or Kashmir Śaivism is one of the major nondual philosophical systems of India where both esoteric and exoteric practices are included systematically and scientifically. The two aspects of manifestation viśvamaya, the immanent and viśvottīrṇa the transcendental covers this entire philosophical system as a unique all-inclusive and very practical. In this process of manifestation in Trika philosophy ‘māyā’ plays an important role both from an ontological and epistemological point of view. Furthermore ‘māyā’ clearly stands as a foremost part with the point of view of a knower (pramātā). So, māyā is a quite notable concept, unlike other Indian philosophical traditions. Apart from this, it gives utmost support to artistic creations, i.e. both artist and aesthete, and because of that reason Pratyabhijñā darśan has a strong influence on Indian literary theory. This paper is an attempt to expound the major dimensions of ‘māyā’ in different levels.

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Notes

  1. Paramaśiva is the highest reality, the Absolute in Kashmir Śaivism.

  2. Ātmā here denotes the knower. Lakṣmanajoo explained that Knowledge and knower are one with one condition that it is correct when by the grace of Lord, you know this whole universe is filled with knowledge and knower, that knowledge and knower are one, that ‘this’ and ‘I’ are one being. If you know it, then it is not bondage; if you do not know it, then it is bondage. P.133–134.

  3. Saṁsarati iti saṁsāraḥ, i.e. ‘that which is always on the move’. As explained by Jayadeva Singh (Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam, p.120) while elaborating the Maṅgalācarana by Kṣemarāja (Namaḥ śivāya satataṁ…kṣemeṇodhriyate sāraḥ saṁsāraviṣaśāntaye) that saṁsāra is a continuous process. The word ‘world’ or ‘universe’ can hardly do justice to this idea. Etymologically the word ‘saṁsāra’ also means wandering through (a succession of states) of the jīva or the individual soul. It is in this sense that saṁsāra is called viṣa or poison. It is not the qua world which is poison, but the wandering through of the jīva as a being disintegrated from Reality, cut off from his Innermost Centre, which is poison. Viṣa is derived from the root viṣ of the third conjugation (veveṣṭi), meaning ‘to pervade, hence anything actively pernicious i.e. poison. The root ‘viṣ’ in the fourth conjugation (viṣnāti) means also ‘to separate', ‘to disjoin’. There may be a suggestion here that saṁsāra is viṣa because it disjoins us or disintegrate us from Śiva—the Highest Reality and Saṁsārī is that who, in consequence of its limitation of Śakti, reality which is all consciousness, becomes the mala-covered saṁsārin (transmigrating from one life to another).

  4. The absolute free will of Paramaśiva.

  5. This term used by Mukhyopadhyaya denotes all-inclusiveness and at the same time which is beyond all arguments. It is a matter of Anubhūti.

  6. The 5th tattva counting from Śiva. In this tattva, the consciousness of both ‘I’ and ‘This’ is equally prominent.

  7. The experient below Śuddhavidyā but above Māyā.

  8. There are some pramātās (subjects) who identify themselves with pure consciousness and are omniscience and omnipotent but due to the possession of the impurity of māyā; the body senses, bhuvana, etc., shine as separate from them, as the objects of knowledge and action, as does clothes from weaver. These subjects are called Vidyeśvara. (Bhāskarī, part III, p.207.).

  9. Parameśvareṇa svasvātantryaśaktyābhāsitasvarūpagopanarūpayā mahāmāyā śaktyā, ŚSV. 5.

  10. Paramaṁ yatsvātantryaṁ dūrghaṭasampādanaṁ maheśasya ׀ Devi māyāśaktiḥ svātmāvaraṇaṁ śivasyaitat ׀׀

  11. Māyā nāma śaktiḥ śivasya śaktimato’vyatirekiṇī svarūpagopanātmikā krīḍā, APS. 24.

  12. As per Jaideva Singh’s interpretations 1) it is a metaphysical point. 2) Undivided light of consciousness. 3) The compact mass of śakti gathered into an undifferentiated point ready to create, 4) Paraḥ Pramātā, the Highest Self or consciousness. 5) Anuśvāra or nasal sound (in Ahaṁ) indicated by a dot on the letter ha, suggesting the fact that Śiva in spite of the manifestation of the universe is undivided. 6) A specific teja or light appearing in the centre of the eye-brows by the intensity of meditation.

  13. Māyāśaktyā vibhoḥ saiva bhinnasaṁvedyagocarā ׀ kathitā jñānasaṁkalpādhyavaśāyādināmabhīḥ ׀׀

  14. Prakāśātmānaḥ parameśvarasya māyāśaktyā svātmarūpaṁ viśvaṁ ׀

  15. Āṇava mala is the mūla-mala, the chief limiting condition which reduces the universal subjective consciousness to an aṇu or a limited entity. Owing to this status jīva, the individual soul, consider himself apūrṇa, imperfect, a separate entity cut off from the universal consciousness. The āṇava mala is brought about in two ways. Bodha or knowledge loses its svātantrya or unimpeded power, and svātantrya or śakti loses its bodha or inherent knowledge.

  16. Māyā gives rise to the five kañcukas. This kañcukas of Māyā veils the real Self and brings about the consciousness of difference and plurality. Those are, respectively,—kalā, vidyā, rāga, kāla, niyati. Kalā is the limitation in respect of (sarvakartṛtva) Universal authorship. Vidyā is the limitation in respect of (sarvajñatva) knowledge. Rāga is the limitation of the pūrṇatā (fullness or all-satisfaction) of the Universal and brings about the desire for ‘this’ or ‘that'. Kāla reduces the nityatva (eternity) of the universal and produces limitation in terms of time. Niyati reduces the svatantratā and vyāpakatva (freedom and pervasiveness) of the Universal and leads to limitation regarding cause and space.

  17. Māyīyamala is the limiting state brought about by māyā. It gives to the soul its gross and subtle body. It is also called as bhinna-vedya-prathā that which induces the consciousness of difference owing to the differing limiting auxiliary of the bodies. The impressions of actions done by the jñānendriyas and karmendriyas under the influence of antaḥkaraṇa led jīva from one life to another. This is the kārma-mala.

  18. Māyāyāstattvagranthiśaktyātmakaṁ trividham rūpamuktaṁ tattra tattvātmakamaśeṣaviśvavyāpakāṅḍarūpasannibhaṁ, granthātmakaṁ trividhaṁ, śāktaṁ tu svātantryaśaktisārameva. Svacchandatantra Tīkā, part-5.

  19. The five tanmātrās (śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa, gandha), buddhi, ahaṁkāra, and manas; the sukṣmaśarīra consisting of the above eight constituents is called puryaṣṭaka.

  20. In this state, the experient has neither the clear consciousness of ahaṁ (I) nor of idaṁ (This). His I-consciousness is identical with a void like the void that one experience in deep sleep. He has the feeling of a vague something which is practically nothing. The pralayākala-pramātā is identified with the prakṛti at the time of dissolution. The yogīns who have experience only of the void are also like the pralayākala-pramātā. He is free from kārma mala but is subject to Āṇava and Māyīyamala. (Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam, p.128.).

  21. The sakalas are the devas (gods) and jīvas (individual selves) who have no true knowledge of Self, and whose consciousness is only that of diversity. The average humane being belongs to this level. The sakalas are subject to all the three malas-Āṇava, Kārma and Māyīya.

  22. pratyabhijñāhṛdayaṁ 6.

  23. māyā pramātā cittapradhānaḥ Pramātā ׀ sa ca aṇuḥ, paśuḥ, jīvaḥ, pudgalaḥ, nāmako’śuddhaḥ pramātā. The limitation of Citi or the Universal consciousness.

  24. Caitanyam Ātmā, ŚS,1.1.

  25. Ātmā Cittam, ŚS,3.1.

  26. ŚS, 3.3.

  27. Anirvacanīya. As Sadānanda explains ‘ajñānaṁ tu sadasadbhyāmanirvacanīyaṁ trigunātmakaṁ jñānavirodhibhāvarūpaṁ yadkiñciditi vadanti…’.

  28. Anirvacanīyakhyātivādā.

  29. Cidānandamayabrahmapratibimbasamanvitā ׀

    Tamorajaḥsatvaguṇā prakṛtirdvividhā ca sā ׀׀ (pañcadaśī 1/15).

    Sattvaśuddhyaviśuddhibhyāṁ māyā’vidye ca te mate ׀

    Māyābimbo vaśīkṛtya taṁ syāt sarvajña īśvara ׀׀ (pañcadaśī 1/16).

  30. Jagat cittraṁ samālikhya svecchātulikayātmani ׀

    Svayameva samālokya prīnāti parameśvara ׀׀

  31. Yat saṁkalpe bhāti tatpṛthagbhūtaṁ bahirapi asti sphūtena vapuṣā ghaṭa iva. TS, 8th āhnika.

  32. Evaṁ sthite māyātattvāt viśvaprasavaḥ. TS, 8th āhnika.

  33. Sa ca yadyapi akramameva tathāpi uktadṛśā kramo’vabhāsate.

  34. ŚS. 3/9.

  35. ŚS. 3/10.

  36. ŚS. 3/11.

Abbreviations

APS:

Ajaḍapramātṛsiddhi

ŚS:

ŚIva-Sūtra

TS:

Tantrasāra

ŚSV:

ŚIvasūtravimarśinī

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  1. Department of Sanskrit, Ramjas College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India

    Sukanya Boruah

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Boruah, S. A Study on the Concept of ‘Māyā’ in Kashmir Śivādvayavādī Darśan. J. Indian Counc. Philos. Res. 38, 311–320 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-021-00255-5

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