Specific Principles of Kashmir Saivism

228 Pages·1998·7.317 MB·English

by  Balajit Nath Pandita

aoi voism
B.N. Pandit

Specific Principles of Kashmir Saivism
Specific Principles ofKashmir Saivism throws a clear light on the aspects of Trika
Saiva philosophy that remain either untouched or not well-clarified in other
schools. Starting with a discussion of the theistic absolutism of the Trika
system, B.N. Pandit guides us through Abhinavagupta’s critique of the
primary cosmogonic theories of his time—the materialist realism of Samkhya,
the momentary-idealism of Vijrianavada, and the vivarta theory of Advaita
Vedanta—en route to establishing the Kashmir Saiva theory of theistic reflec-
tional manifestation as a unique and supremely logical cosmogonic system.
Like the topic of cosmogony, several other important principles are
unique developments of the Trika system. These topics include: Spanda,
Saktipata, the classification of beings, aesthetics, the notion of Sabdabrahman,
the relation of the five pranas to the four states of consciousness, and Trika
yoga. This book illuminates these topics on the basis of the writings of the
primary masters of the school, including Vasugupta, Kallata Bhatta,
Somananda, Utpaladeva, and Abhinavagupta.
In addition, the author has included a chapter on the vildsa principle as
expounded in the Neo-Saiva philosophy (Abhinava-Saivadarsana) of Acarya
Amrtavagbhava. This work also includes an index, extensive glossary, and
appendix of Sanskrit quotations, making it an invaluable source-book for
beginners and scholars alike.
B.N. Pandit is an eminent Sanskrit scholar, holding a Certificate of Honour,
awarded by the President of India. A retired professor of Sanskrit from
Himachal University. Dr. Pandit is an internationally respected authority on
the Trika Saivism of Kashmir, with numerous publications in Sanskrit (8),
Hindi (4), and English (4). His Svatantrya Darpana (Mirror of Self-Supremacy)
and translation of Abhinavagupta’s Paramdrtha-sdra (^he Essence of the Exact
Reality) are also published by us.

Specific Principles
of
Kashmir Saivism
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B.N. Pandit
Munshiram Manoharlal
Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
ISBN 81-215-0729-4
First published 1997
© 1997 Pandit, Balajit Nath (b. 1916)
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the written permission of the publisher.
Typeset, printed and published by
Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd,
Post Box 5715, 54 Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi 110 055.
Dedicated to
Äcärya Sñ Utpaladeva

Contents
Preface ix
Introduction xiii
Chapter 1
Paradvaita, the Absolute Non-dualism 1
Chapter 2
TheisUc AbsoluUsm and Spiritual Realism 15
Chapter 3
The Four States of Prana 29
Chapter 4
Life—Its Nature and Seven Levels of Beings 39
Chapter 5
Four Types of Speech 53
Chapter 6
The Spanda Principle 62
Chapter 7
The Tattvas in Saivism 71
Chapter 8
The Sakdpata Principle of Saivism 80
viii Contents
Chapter 9
Yoga in the Trika System 91
Chapter 10
Aesthetics in Kashmir Saivism 116
Chapter 11
The Vilasa Principle in Neo-Saivism 126
Appendix
Sanskrit Quotations 134
Glossary 153
Bibliography 192
Index 196