212 11. COMPARISON 1 1.0. The comparative study of Maya in Advaita Vedanta and Sakti in Kashmir Saivism, chiefly concerns with the comparison of the two theories of creation propounded in these two philosophies. It deals with the topics like, “why, what, how etc.” of the creation and with the relation between matter and consciousness. The subject' why of creation” has always been interesting, no matter how many times it has been answered since the hoary past days from the time of Naciketas'. Paramahansa Yogananda while spread­ ing Yoga in U.S.A., speaks, 'No matter how many times you hear me speak on the subject of why God crcated the world, you will always find something new; through infinite concentration one receives ever new light on this enigma. Somehow, God has all the power of the Universe at His command, but why does He have this power. Why is God God? Why are not you God ? You will rack your brain when you try to think in this way”^ This problem is elaborated in this Chapter on the Section 11.3.1., in the comparison of the t cause of creation with regard to Maya and Sakti. 11.1. Roles of maya and sakti with regard to the prameyas The prameya o f Advaita Vedanta is quiescent consciousness, “never taking any part in any fact or act”. It is frequently termed as witness­ ing consciousness. It is pure which means without having any function, con­ sciousness is as it is in itsell'. It does not function; it simply is by its is*ness or mere existence. The function of observation or witnessing “is supposed on it when it comes in contact with another. Even then it is quiescent, when attraction for the other is generated in it, it becomes the agent-consciousness and loses its quiescence..... Really speaking, it is, under all circumstances. 213 whether in the subject-objcct state or in the objectless state, a contentless state, always quiestent, never taking any part in any fact or act’’^ Whatever other than consciousness is nonexistent, or rriaya. Whereas the prameya of Kashmir Saivism is always reflective. It can never be free from its nature of vibration which is called initiative act of aware­ ness. Spanda or thrill is innate to It. Consciousness is self-deliberative. Sen­ tience or autonomy (vitnarsa) cannot be separated from ^iva. Existence is not free from autonomy, the freedom or the sovereignty. It is the power to know its existence. The Comparison of the states of amani or atmavyapti in the Vadanta and unmani or Sivavyapti in the Saivism as discussed in the Ch. 10.0.3-4, can be presanted here in the following table together with a Com­ parison of the state described in the Patanjala yoga. Name of Freedom Individual Universal State of System from bliss & worldly citta bondage bliss remergence (prati prasava) into prakfti Yoga yes no no not to precincts of Purusa.• Vedanta yes yes no diluted bliss citta is regeneratec Saivism yes yes yes and turns into Cit 214 11.1.1. Niicala and spandax quiescence and vibrating When niaya, as the limiting adjunct or upadhi is removed, the reality according to Advaita Vedanta is observable as silence (santa), niicalatauva or static. It is restful, throbless, unattached, and asanga-iox this reason, it is inactive, harmonious, nirguna or niskriya* satsahgatva nihsangatvam nihsangatve nirmohatvam/ nirmohqtve niscalatattvam ni/calatattve jivan^uktih//^ The state of niscalatattva is possible only by removing all the traces of movement^called nTayS, the duality^from the non-dual state. Since maya is the cause of activity, its removal naturally leads to the Reality which is throbless, vibrationless and free from deliberation, "caitanyam sbsvatam santam vyomatitam niranjonam ". Reality is santa, rather supra^antah*’, su­ premely tranquil in Advaita Vedanta. ^akti on the other hand makes the reality in the advaita Saivism ever vibrating, pulsating, manifesting, reflecting, expressing or deliberating. As the essence or ‘heart’ of the reality (hrdayam paramesthina^), Spada in con­ sciousness is the power of self-awareness, without which consciousness turns to be inert; asthasyad ekarupena vapusAcen mahe/varah/ W maheivaratvam samvilvam tadatyaksadghatadivat// This is the reflective awareness, the will or desire (iksitrtva or unmukhata) of consciousness, the throb (spanda) which manifests itself into the limited being and matter. Consciousness is not away from experience. This concludes that knowledge includes experience. Awareness is not merely a 'noun', but an action within a noun. Mark S.G.Dyczkoski writes in the Doc­ trine o f Vibration: 215 "In the transition fron^ experience to a concept of reality, we oniy carry with us ideas symbolic of the original experience. Philosophy from this point of view, can only serve a descriptive function. It is a systematic symbolism' which serves primarily to generate insight into the nature of reality.... Phi­ losophy is an elaboration of different kinds of spiritual experience. The Ob­ structions of high-grade metaphysics are based on spiritual experience and desire their whole value from the experience they symbolize. No metaphysi­ cal concept is entirely intelligible without reference to the spirit"’. In Indian philosophy, mysticism or experience and metaphysics or theory (of the reality) are blended into one. Theory is experience. It is unlike the Western philosophy where philosopher sits on an armchair just for imagination. That is why the English Dictionaries define ‘theory’ in con­ trast with practice*. Theory Is not siddh'anta as it is translated. Siddhanta is the end of siddha or accomplished act. It no more remains to be verified or observed. Siddhanta is not a saddhya, for activity is implicit in knowledge: "caitanyam atmano rupam siddham jnancnkriyatmakam"^.Thxxs^ when the prameya in Advaita Vedantii is quiscent, it is vibrating in Kashmir Saivism. 11.1.2. Inactivity and activity Owing to the doctrincs of maya and sakti^X\iQ two descriptions of the non-dual Reality forwarded by Advaita Vedanta and Sivadvaita^seem self­ contradictory to each other. It is because one is ni^calatva , suprahanta, A inactive and perfectly equipoised. The other is ever vibrating, pulsating, ac­ tive, manifesting etc. {sadd pancavidhakrtya-karilvam paramatmanah). Apparently though these seem contradictory, infact they are same. In Kashmir Saivism, the reality always pulsates with vibration. Still it is a perfect balance of the two ; prokasa and vimaria, light and delight. 21C Paramahva is blended in one reality which is perfectly harmonious and rests in an equilibrium state. Praka/a or vimar/a is not predominance of _ _ _ / one over other. Rather it i.s tattvatita or paradvaita. Vibration or Sakti de­ scribes the nature of consciousness. “svabhavamavabhasasya vimarsani biduh". The two are blended like the moon and the emitting of its light {candracandrikaoriva). Predominance of one over other causes dissolution and creation. Paramakiva in the state of full awareness is not a thought- construct, but full of experience. "Thought constructs are the products of the power of consciousness, and they are not the products of the objects they represent’’"’. Bliss manifests only when action continues, for creativity is the very Es­ sence of divinity. In the Upanisad this same thing is expressed "isa vasyatnidam sarvant '■ Vasyam " is the activity, the manifestation of the Lord. Action is in sacrifice 0^ / (visarga). It is a Yajna, "visargah karma sangitah’’" . Visarga is the vimarsa o/Siva. It is the abandonment, renunciation, relinquishment or sacrifice which connotes a karma. The action in visarga is bhutabhavodbhavakara— a cre­ ation of elements. It is the abandonment of all activity—sarvarambha parityagl. In the neo-vedanta it is action in relaxation and relaxation in ac­ tion— "karmani akarma and akarmani karma". Therefore, vasyam is the manifestation, or vimar/a of the Lord, who has the power of will {'iksitrtva), the supreme freedom or svatantryasakti. Since the manifestation of the Lord is His body, therefore any dross, dirt or blemish that appears in the action or speech taints his nature of consciousness. Nothing can be taken, nothing could exist, nothing could be extended outside his nature. So, nothing could be­ long outside one’s own consciousness, "ma grdhah kasyasvid dhanam” or tena sabdarthacintasu na savastha na yah sivah/ bhoktaiva bhogyarupena sada sarvatro samsthitah//'-. 217 According to the doctrine of mayavada, all problem arises out of ex­ cess (maya) which makes one restless. Restful condition (^antavastha) is achieved by calming down the excess, by throwing away the unbalanced ones. Thus restful condition or relaxation is obtainable through action. Just the carbon deposited on the plug is thrown away by pulling and pushing a pin into it, similarly the ni/calatattva or calm condition is obtainable by throwing away the tension through vital, physical and emotional activity i.e. by performing yogic postures, pranayatna etc^i.e. by bending the body, mehd- ing the mind and tending (observing) the breath. Action is the manifestatiohof the blissful consciousnessf'wo livah sakti rahito): matter reverberates vtfith energy. The same is also expounded in the kakti-vada. In the Spandavivarana / we find the role of Sakti playing for the cause of a total tranquility. Calm­ ness or permanent peace is the real state of consciousness, Supreme quietness is achievable by destroying the duality (maya) of mental distur­ bances. Such destruction is called liberation from restlessness. It is one’s own real state; “nirvanam nirvrttih dvaitapratyayalakTnaksobhapariksayad alyantiki prasantih samvidcih svasvabhavavyavasthitih'^ . / All the above discussion reveals that the Santabrahmavadin had to accept activity in order to attend the tranquil reality and the Spandasaktivadin had to accept “tranquility” for the ever vibrating supreme reality. The doctrine of spanda clarifies the throbless reality (nispanda tatl\>a) of the Vedantins as discussed in the last pages. The absolute calmness (supraianta or niscalatattva) of the ^anta^brahmaYadin is understood from the doctrine of maya.