Upayas - How to traverse the path
There's only ONE being with no second.
He is known by name "Shiva" - an ancient name.
"Cosmic dance of Shiva" is a play to "seemingly" leave his own nature so that he can find it again & enjoy his true nature of bliss - It's a joyous play!
There's NO OTHER in this game!
Nimesa (closing) is withdrawal of "Shiva" consciousness where Siva "loses" his natural state knowledge "seemingly" & conceals himself in his creation.
Unmesa (opening) is expansion of his "Shiva" consciousness -spiritual path
Both states reside in "Paramshiva" simultaneously!
How Shiva conceals his real nature?
Ans. He does so by "particularity"/ "individuality".
His real undifferentiated knowledge of self is replaced by limited differentiated knowledge of "particularity"/ "individuality.
Ignorance isn't "absence" of knowledge but it's "limited" knowledge.
Real knowledge is unlimited knowledge of Self which is undifferentiated (nirvikalpa).
It is identical with being in All-consciousness. It is essence of reality.
It is being Shiva himself!
Methods of traveling from limited individual consciousness to Shiva consciousness is PATH
Complete "Saivagama" consists of 4 pada (parts)
1. Kriya (Ritual)
2. Carya (Way of life)
3. Vidya (Philosophy)
4. Yoga (spiritual practices)
"Caitanyamatma/ Jnanam bandhah"
Awareness is reality of everything & differentiated knowledge is bondage - Shiva Sutra 1, 2
Shiva descends into limited knowledge of individuality through 9 states:
1. Prakriti- manifest world
2. Purusa- I-ness (individualized state of Shiva)
3. Kancukas- 5 coverings of Purusa- KAl, VidyA, KalA, rAg, NiyatI
4. mAyA- Glue between coverings & Purusa
Prakriti & mAyA are different.
mAyA is personified will of Shiva.
Prakriti is original source of material world.
Function of both is similar.
5. Suddhavidya- State of pure knowledge
6. Ishwara- State of pure knowledge & action
7. Sadashiva- Getting established in knowledge & action
8. Shakti- Universal energy
9. Shiva- Holder of universal energy
These are 9 states - "Navatma bheda"
But just as fire has intrinsic property of heat as well as light, both can't be separated from each other, so is Shakti & Shiva, with all these but manifestation of "Paramshiva".
This is theory of 9 states.
In theory of 9 shabda (words) these are:
h r ks m l v y na um
This is "Navatma mantra" & is basis of Mantra theory of realization.
Ref- Vijnana Bhairava sutra 1-6
All these theories form "Vidya" (philosophy) as background to start on "Yoga" (Path).
Agama- which has come from above - source - Shiva
Monistic Tantra is Bhairava Agama as forming "Trika" - Kashmir Shaivism
"Shaiva is higher than Veda
Vaama is higher than that
Daksina higher than Vaama
Kaul is higher than Daksina
Trika highest"
- Ksemraja
Bhaya sarvam ravayati sarvado vyapako khile
iti bhairava-sabdasya santatoccaranacchivah।।
१३० Vijnana Bhairava
Bhairava is ONE who with fear (bhaya) makes everything resound (ravayati) & who pervades the entire universe.
ONE who utters the word Bhairava UNCEASINGLY becomes Shiva.
Methods/Means to travel constitute actual Path.
With this background (Theory/ Philosophy) we proceed as per our capabilities. All known methods available are classified in 3-
1. Sambhavopaya (supreme)
2. Saktopaya (middle/ madhyam)
3. Anavopaya (lower)
- Abhinavgupta (Tantraloka)
All 3 methods are sequential but can lead to individual level Kundalini awakening if one wishes/efforts so.
Such Kundalini awakening gives 3 levels of realization.
However, Realization of true nature/Self-Shiva state is only True & final state of realization
The classic authoritative text is Vijnana Bhairava Tantra/Shiva Sutra which is Bhairava-Bhairavi Samvaad & is a treatise on all possible Upayas (means) without classification into 3 categories.
Buddhism has come out of 2nd-Saktopaya-Medium/Middle path
What determines which Upaya is suitable for Sadhaka?
The answer is in strength of awareness.
Firm strength means to possess power of subjective consciousness so that
Sadhaka's one pointed subjective awareness isn't overshadowed by either objective experience or by thoughts/ contemplation.
Act of thinking/perception typically overshadows the subject - Perceiver.
So that ONE is aware of only thinking/perceiving & NOT actual Perceiver!
So we live our lives completely in objective/cognitive worlds.
When I say - "I m seeing a tree"- I is eclipsed, "seeing tree" remains!
Subject is lost in act of perception.
I-consciousness is basis of all thought/perception.
It must be present for any such act.
Yet, it's so eclipsed that it's not a part of conscious awareness!
THIS part - knowledge of act is IGNORANCE - Being overshadowed by diverse individualities
1. Sambhavopaya (supreme)
Where aspirant enters (Samavesa) in Shiva state (Sambhava state) just by Grace of Guru/Shiva WITHOUT any process.
There's no aid to meditation like thought (Vikalpa) or Mantra.
Sadhaka maintains awareness in "Thoughtlessness" (Nirvikalpa)
All Paths culminate here.
Here Sadhaka must reside in subtlest state of awareness, just at starting point of perception.
"When you fix your awareness at 1st start (prathamabhasa), when desire is about to flow out, it hasn't flown out yet, it's just about to flow out - THAT is Sambhavopaya"
-98 Vijnana Bhairava
Just at start of thought/perception, before it has become determinate, Sadhaka remains aware of/ maintains thoughtlessness just by WILL & watches stages of cognition on manas-patal of Antahkaran.
He doesn't get absorbed in act of perception!
Yogi just needs to maintain thoughtlessness.
Residing in thoughtlessness state is means & end.
He has nowhere else to go.
He simply WILLS & he's there residing in thoughtlessness, maintaining continuity.
He's standing at gate of universal consciousness.
Why Yogi's efforts can only lead him to DOOR?
Answer- Yogi's manifested as Jiva (limited being) from Maya ("personification" of "unlimited WILL"/"svatantrya shakti" of Shiva).
Since Jiva is limited manifestation of & dependent on Shiva, he cannot force that unlimited reality to reveal.
It's ONLY by Grace of Guru/Shiva (Shaktipata), True state can be revealed.
Samavesha in Sambhavopaya (also called icchopaya) makes him capable/ eligible of receiving Grace - No more..No less!
Efforts of Jiva culminate here.
Onward "journey" is automatic.
2. Saktopaya (middle/ madhyam)
Prakriti (material world) is manifestation of diverse individualities.
Experience of these particularities by Jiva (individual) can only be achieved on ONE at-a-time basis.
So thought perceptions arise & fall in quick succession with peak in between.
Most of Buddhist philosophy (Abhidharma/Abidhamma) is based on Saktopaya & so are more than half of Shiva Sutras!
Most important is understanding that, in between end of 1 thought/perception/event & start of another there's a Gap!
In this moment, bhavanga citta vibrates as light of Shiva!
Saktopaya has more practical/ definable techniques to help Sadhaka to achieve absorption in Shiva-Consciousness by concentrating on this Shunya (Gap/void) also called Sandhi (junction).
Sadhaka has to mentally catch hold of this Sandhi-sthala & reside there in continuity.
This requires firmness of awareness.
This is called Madhyam dhyatva (Centering):
1. Concentrate on that center.
2. While concentrating on that center, Be established in that center.
3. While making yourself established in that center, the reality of Shivaconsciousness is revealed
How you make urself established in center?
Answer: By firm resolve to maintain CONTINUITY of UNBROKEN awareness.
Unable to maintain the continuous intensity of awareness makes Sadhaka eligible for only Anavopaya.
If Sadhaka is capable of residing in Saktopaya then all practices (which essentially are Anavopaya) become Saktopaya.
When firmly established in continuous awareness then he's said to reach feet of Guru/Shiva - The DOOR!
3. Anavopaya (lower)
It's considered lower than other two & is named so because it concerns with "anu" (individual soul).
Sambhavopaya needs only WILL of Yogi.
In Saktopaya Yogi needs only one-point as support.
In Anavopaya he needs all the support & help 2 Focus, Maintain & Strengthen his awareness
Yogi may choose any or mix of following:
1. Concentrate on breath (uccara)
2. Concentrate on experience through particular sense organ (karana)
3. Meditative contemplation (dhyana)
4. Concentrate on particular place (sthana prakalpana)
5. Other innumerable practices
Uccara
Concentration on flow of breath with emphasis on point of Gap/ Junction between incoming & outgoing breaths.
Yogi should try to maintain unbroken awareness & try to establish himself/ his awareness in the gap.
It's fundamental element of practice in Anavopaya.
Karana
Maintain ONE pointedness through any particular sense organ.
eg. Gaze an object without blinking & try to maintain an unbroken chain of awareness.
When that perception vanishes, as it will when he enters into the vastness of center, then this practice is complete/ achieved.
Dhyana (Meditative contemplation)
Dhyana is to meditate (without involving gross 5 sense organs but actually using 6th-mind door)
on PLACE (within mind) like picture of Guru or Vigraha.
OR
on MEANING of Mantras like So'ham, Shiva....& to try maintain unbroken awareness.
Sthana prakalpana
Concentration on some IMAGINED particular place.
This is of 2 types:
1. Ordinary/ Lower form: Body parts, of which 3 are advisable: Lotus of heart, Kantha, between eyebrows.
2. Refined/ Superior form: Try see vastness of universe in span of breath.
Out of other innumerable practices, 2 are worth noting.
1. Cakrodaya
2. Ajapa Gayatri
Both incorporate Uccara, Dhyana, Contemplation with Mantra & Karana, meaning 1-pointedness through sense of sight.
If advised by Guru then Sthana Prakalpana may also be included.
In both, Uccara is main element.
Yogi follows movement of breath, seeking to become aware of center/Gap between breaths while also be aware of flow of total breathing cycle.
However, importance is given to beginning & ending point of each breathing cycle.
Again, in both, Yogi mentally recites the Mantra given by Guru.
But both differ in one aspect though.
In Ajapa gayatri, Yogi maintains slow & SILENT movement of breath, while in Cakrodaya, he maintains slow movement of breath with SOUND of breathing.
Through strengthening of awareness in Anavopaya, Yogi enters in center between 2 breaths.
Here this practice becomes Saktopaya.
Eventually, when he enters into absorption (samavesha) of Saktopaya, he attains realization of Sambhavopaya as per Grace of Shiva!
An article by GS
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