hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
This notion of mokṣa can be said another way - uttanaṃ lakṣyaṃ. These words are offered by bhairava (śiva) found in the vijñāna bhairava tantra
( 34th kāraka). What do these words mean?
uttamaṃ lakṣyaṃ = the higest, most elevated (uttama) + mark (lakṣya) = the Supreme goal. We can also say it is 'aimed consciousness' - more on this later.
The kāraka ( verse or śloka) says it this way: lakṣayet-lakṣyaṃ-uttamaṃ or the Supreme Lord is revealed. Yet what occurs to get to this condition?
We look to the works of abhinavagupti-ji and his tantrāloka as he offers the ~process~:
Note for the theme of this string it is not a one-stop approach. There is a process involved.
- cittaviśrānti - resting of the mind
- cittasambodha - awakening of the mind
- cittapralaya - disolution of the mind
Some would use another term for cittaviśrānti and call it arrested mind. Mind held a bay, managed. The word most used ( recognized)
is nirodhaḥ - suppression , destruction ; some prefer stilling, cessation, restriction. This is fine, yet it comes with time and the ~process~
of cittaviśrānti + cittasambodha + cittapralaya usually occurs. We as humans with intelligence and awareness can practice these approaches
or upāya-s¹.
How may ~ways~ are there? The vijñāna bhairava tantra calls out 112 ways; These approaches are simple and some a bit more robust,
yet all lead to lakṣayet-lakṣyaṃ-uttamaṃ over time.
Many say I wish to have a mantra . This is fine, noble and a rational approach. Well then how many are there is a reasonable question, no?
If we look to a most notable book of the trika system of śaiva darṣana called the māinīvijayottara tantra it says ,
In this world where beings have come down from brahmā to a clump of grass, 35 million mantras appointed by śiva are sufficient.
Other tantra's call out seven koṭi-s (saptakoṭayaḥ) = 7 X 10,000,000 = 70 million.
What I find extremely interesting and I have yet to explore the depths of this wisdom to my satisfaction,
the mantra's referred to here are the total sum ( or denotes) śiva + śakti + vidyā-s¹ + vidyeśvara-s¹. All these combined
are the sum total of all the mantra's.
There are many tools at hand, no? Yet they all begin with cittaviśrānti - resting of the mind .
praṇām
words
- upāya-s - approach, technique; that by which one reaches one's aim , a means or expedient
- vidyā - a skill, knowledge, way of thought, insight
- vidyeśvara - higher beings; of a class of emancipated beings
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
Let me if I may advance this idea just a bit more. Abhinavagupti-ji offered the 3 points quoted above.
- cittaviśrānti - resting of the mind
- cittasambodha - awakening of the mind
- cittapralaya - disolution of the mind
Yet one asks, resting of the mind from what? From vikalpa. This vikalpa is defined as mental occupation, thinking, but is more specific then that .
It is the occupation of distraction, variation , combination , variety , diversity , manifoldness that occurs in our minds all day long. This is vikalpa.
And what do we rest it to? nirvilkapa, defined as not admitting an alternative , free from change or differences. What is another name for this ?
It is viśvottirṇa avasthā. This means the state (avasthā¹ of transcendence (viśvottirṇa¹.
Now this avasthā viśvottirṇa is a very beautiful word, yet many just call it turīya ( the 4th). This is where one finds uttamaṃ lakṣyaṃ =
the higest, most elevated (uttama) + mark (lakṣya) = the Supreme goal ( from post 12 above).
Some say one goes from mind to Cosmic Mind when experiencing the turīya ( the 4th). Svāmī lakṣman-jū says its unminding the mind.
It is important to note that our discussion has been the inward stoke of awareness, that which lies within , with eyes closed.
This is called nimīlana samādhi (closed eyes + one-pointed absorption).
So in this post we briefly pointed to the idea of the viklapa ( an occupied or diverse mind) to that of the 4th the transcendental state.
Yet what was not addressed was cittasambodha - awakening of the mind. That is, in post 12 above I mentioned 'aimed consciousness'.
This is the subject matter cittasambodha and needs discussion. I will address this in the next post.
praṇām
words
- avasthā - state , condition , situation; to go down into ( this is a word where avasthā is slightly more profound
then avastha , without the long ā ).- viśvottirṇa = viśva+ uttirya + ṇa
- viśva = all-pervading or all-containing , omnipresent; this is the funamental root of viṣṇu
- uttīrya = having crossed, or landed
- ṇa = ascertainment; this magnificnent sound is also = to nirvṛti ; this is a main root for the etymology of kriṣṇa
nirvṛti = nir+vṛti or without covering , meaning without bounds, infinite or viśva
Last edited by yajvan; 19 May 2012 at 08:36 AM.
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namast
Yet some would say, when the mind is no more then what occurs? Here is a question to śrī nisarga-datta maharāj , a fully realized being:Some would use another term for cittaviśrānti and call it arrested mind. Mind held a bay, managed. The word most used ( recognized)
is nirodhaḥ - suppression , destruction ; some prefer stilling, cessation, restriction. This is fine, yet it comes with time and the ~process~
of cittaviśrānti + cittasambodha + cittapralaya usually occurs. We as humans with intelligence and awareness can practice these approaches
or upāya-s.
Q: do you see and hear as we do ?
A: Yes, I appear to hear and see and talk and act but to me it just happens. Just as your digestion, or hair growth or perspiration just happens. The body- mind machine looks after it ( these functions) but leaves me ( SELF) out of it. Just as you have no need to worry about growing hair , so I need not worry about words and actions. They just happen. In my world nothing ever goes wrong.
praṇām
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
Seems like the same issue people seem to take over achieving "ego loss", perceiving the ego as a negative / harmful thing.
It's just the character brahman's choosing to play. Without it, there wouldn't be a character at all!
If you found out that you were god, dreaming a life for yourself, and that you were identical with the external world, you would ask yourself: "So, what would I have happen to me in my life? what would be my perfect drama?":cool1:
You died, and death was complete freedom from suffering - bliss. But it very quickly got lonely and repetitive in bliss, so you decided to be born once more. You've been doing this forever.
I apologize in advance for this silly post.
I have a room. It is beautifully designed but unfortunately I don't maintain it very well at all. After I pick up all the clutter, open the windows to allow fresh air and rearrange what is displaced, is it a different room, or still the same room as before?
Johans if i come to you and ask you in that cluttered defiled room where your mala was...could you find this?
Consider sadhana to be a spiritual Spring Cleaning of sorts.
Yes room is a room despite its state of cleanliness...but in the end think about what happens if a room is left extremely dirty, as those ones on Hoarders. Rooms left in such a state, rot...decay...and become unusable.
Are two identical rooms the same if one is filthy...defiled?
If they are...then would you have a problem sleeping on the floor of the one which has become so dirty that rats have nested in rotting holes in the gypsum board?
Sure you could sleep in both...but which one is more suited for dwelling?
I noticed a couple people in this post refer to their "teachers". I don't know if the relationship between teacher and student is to sacred to discuss but I imagine it could do a lot of us beginners a lot of good and provide a lot of inspiration to hear about your teachers, where you found them and their teachings. If there is not already a thread dedicated to it. In which case a link would be great. I searched for it but didn't find it. Thanks.
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté shays860
I have used the term teacher on multiple posts. I do not talk much of my teacher for many reasons. There have been some on HDF over the years that have taken exception with or towards various teachers, muni-s and the like. To hear any ill-willed words towards my teacher or tradition is unwelcomed on my ears. So a way to avoid this is to not write about it. Hence it has been by choice , to avoid any wrangling (jalpa) altogther as it is beneath the dignity one pays to their teacher. Others may differ.
praṇām
Last edited by yajvan; 21 June 2012 at 09:32 PM.
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
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