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Śivadṛṣṭi: Śiva's point of view


'One should worship Śiva by becoming Śiva.'

( Spandanirṇaya , II, 6-7)

 

This realization of one's identity with the object of meditation (namely, Śiva) is an absorption in oneness with Śiva, and this realization of one's identity with the object of meditation is not achieved by mere resolution, but rather it takes place only in the case of a spiritual aspirant with firm will, or to put it otherwise, in the case of a spiritual aspirant who is fully absorbed in the will to become one with Śiva, who is thoughtless--he is totally devoid of vikalpa-s--and possesses 'I-consciousness' in everything. Thus this is the meaning of what has been stated above: The realization of one's identity with the object of meditation, namely, Śiva, comes as a result of a thoughtless state.


For spiritual aspirants, masters (advanced spiritual aspirants), etc., this realization that everything is identical with oneself (i.e., that oneself is one with the entire universe) is the cause of their attainment of the desired object. In other words, it is the cause of their attaining Śivavyāpti (inherence in Śiva) which directly leads to Liberation. Obviously, in this context, 'the desired object' is not supernatural powers, residence in some higher world and so on, but the divine state of Śiva.


The desired object is the state of Śiva, as explained before, and this state of Śiva is achieved, according to this mysterious instruction, by becoming Śiva. That is, by strenuously remembering in the mind that everything is Śiva, that there is no state other than Śiva, he (the Yogi) ultimately becomes Śiva, that is, he realizes his identity/oneness with Him.


Even if the deity of your mantra is the terrifying five-faced Śiva, when you attain this realization of identity with the object of meditation (of identity with the state of Śiva), you just enter into a condition where you perceive your oneness with Śiva. You don't see any deity there. He just emerges as a mass of Consciousness and Bliss and you confirm that He is indeed You (the Real You). When that happens, since He is one with the entire universe, you become one with the universe also. This is Śivavyāpti, leading to Liberation.


You cannot attain this state of Śiva merely by resolving 'suddenly' in your mind that you will attain Him. Why? Because He is beyond vikalpa-s or thoughts. Rather, it is the fruit of your firm will that persists in the direction of such attainment. Every day you remember this goal, and you persist every day in your request to become one with the Lord who is thoughtless (He is beyond the realm of vikalpa-s) and is the Self-consciousness in all (He is the Aham or 'I' in all beings). This firm will is not merely mental resolution but something much deeper and stronger.

 

Śāmbhavopāya, the means to Liberation.

According to Trika Shaivism, Śāmbhavopāya is the final means for the attainment of Liberation (the acquisition of the state of Śiva). In Śāmbhavopāya, there is full thoughtlessness, i.e. the yogī just patiently waits for Śiva's decision. This is all he can do (remain thoughtless and wait) because his Liberation is not in his hands, namely, Liberation is the attainment of universality as Śiva himself. Whether someone will attain this or not, or when, or where, etc., is not the decision of any 'individual'. Why? Because the individual is considered to be incapable of doing so, as the last impurity situated between the 5th and 6th tattva-s cannot be crossed by effort. This is a law and I have explained how it works in different parts of my website and also on the blog.

 

As long as you resort to dualism (for example, I am here but not there, I exist now but not later, I am not liberated now but in the future I will be, etc.), you are doomed to die. But when you go in the direction of Non-Dualism, that is, in the direction of acquiring complete oneness with Śiva, then you become immortal. This immortality is then obtained by attaining the state of Absolute Freedom in which Śiva dwells.


Any other kind of nectar that you may enjoy (for example, the nectar that descends from Nādabindu through Lalanācakra to the tongue, as taught in the Hathayogapradīpikā) will not give you immortality, that is, death will defeat you in the end. This is specified by the quotation from the Svacchandatantra, namely, that ordinary nectar is not competent to make you triumph over death. Only the Nectar of Immortality, also called the state of Śiva, can.

 

Therefore, as a conclusion of all the previous teachings, the heart of the method for attaining the real Nectar of Immortality is 'Śivadṛṣṭi', i.e., the constant perception/remembrance that everything is Śiva, the Great Lord.


By this method all signs or marks of death are completely removed forever. The inferior nectars along with the methods of obtaining them, e.g., that where you use your tongue to stimulate the descent of nectar from Nādabindu, which are well known to the yogis, should be totally avoided, for by their help death will overtake you in the end anyway. This is the meaning.

 

This is the main mark of the Yogi: 'He considers everything to have the state of Śiva.'


That same truth has been declared by the venerable Vijñānabhairava:


'Wherever the mind goes, whether outward or inward, O Beloved, the State of Śiva is right there, since it is all-pervading. O mind, where will you go then?' ||

 

Similarly in the same writing:


'One should consider, with a thought-free mind, that his entire body or the world simultaneously, is composed of Consciousness; if he does so, there will be emergence of the Supreme Reality for him' ||

 


Thus, the goal in Trika Shaivism is always 'Śivavyāpti' (inherence in Śiva) or a complete realization of the non-duality of the Supreme Śiva. In other words: Realization that the entire universe is He and He alone.


According to Trika Shaivism, only Śivavyāpti grants true Liberation.


When the disciple attains Ātmavyāpti (inherence in the Self), he does so by the favor of his own inner Self (Ātma). His spiritual preceptor (his Guru) should guide the disciple to attain Śivavyāpti (inherence in Śiva). In a word, his Guru has to bring the disciple to the state where he finally realizes that not only his inner Self is Śiva, but also the entire universe. This perception of oneness between the individual Self and the universal Self is called Śivavyāpti. This is Liberation!

 

However, many systems such as Pāśupata, Lākula, etc. postulate that the state of Ātmavyāpti is real Liberation. Why? Because their founders failed to give up duality in relation to their Essential Nature (Paramaśiva). In other words, they could not realize, due to the powerful Āṇavamala, (primordial impurity that forces the Lord to feel 'unfulfilled', 'imperfect'), that they were also one with the universe. Instead, they maintained the duality between Aham and Idam, between 'I' and 'the universe', and this act of theirs threw them down into a limited state called 'the state of Vijñānakevala/Vijñānākala' , in which they feel that they are Śiva but lack Absolute Freedom. They only experience themselves as Consciousness, but they have no Power. It is rather a static state and a kind of prison also (a golden cage) because they remain there satisfied with that alone. And because the goal of all such followers of lower paths is the state of Śiva without any Absolute Freedom, they never mention the Absolute Freedom of the Supreme Lord in their studies.

 

In Trika Shaivism, it has already been proved in extenso that the doctrine of multiple beings is false, since all beings are one with the infinite attributes of omnipresence, eternity, formlessness, consciousness, creator status, etc. belonging to the Supreme Śiva. Thus the notion that Śiva's status is divided into multiple beings is merely the result of improper reasoning. The followers of these erroneous systems talk about 'another Self separate from Paramaśiva', and as a result, they cannot grasp that Paramaśiva's status is all-pervading everywhere. But if through the Grace of this very Lord, they have access to the teachings of Trika Shaivism, and again by the Grace of the very Lord, they decide to follow these sacred teachings, then they can finally realize the real status of Paramaśiva. This is Śivavyāpti, this is real Liberation!



'All worshipers of the Self reach, through Trika Shaivism (through the knowledge declared in the Non-Dualistic philosophy of the Supreme Lord, Paramaśiva) the Supreme Śiva.'


 

In this initiation of the disciple who has attained Ātmavyāpti to attain Śivavyāpti, real Liberation takes place. This is the culmination of all spiritual efforts made, many times, for a very long time. It is marked by the attainment of Jagadānanda (the Bliss of realizing that 'Jagat', the universe, is nothing but Paramaśiva). In Ātmavyāpti, the disciple experienced only Cidānanda (the Bliss of realizing the inner Self which is inner Consciousness). Ultimately, after receiving this supreme initiation, the Yogi attains real Liberation.

 

Knowledge about the Heart or Core of everything is knowledge about the all-pervading, all-inclusive Nature of the Supreme Reality (Paramaśiva).


When the Guru explains to the disciple that just as the gigantic banyan tree resides in a small seed, so also the entire universe resides in Paramaśiva, this is the highest type of initiation, as it enables the disciple to realize The Totality.


Previously, in ignorance, the universe was perceived as a separate reality distinct from the individual, but now, after being initiated in this way, the disciple realizes that actually everything is Paramaśiva (within and without), and that he himself is Paramaśiva also.


There is no way to put this experience into precise words because of the inherent limitation in words themselves. This is, of course, the attainment of Real Liberation according to Trika Shaivism.




 

 

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