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  1. #1
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    siddhi ...

    hari o
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    If we look to the first 1st śloka of the pratyabhijñāhṛdayam¹, it says,


    citiḥ svatantrā viśvasiddhihetuḥ |
    (citiḥ svatantrā viśva-siddhi-hetuḥ )

    this says,
    the completely independent (svatantrā¹) intent (or will) of the Supreme is the cause (hetuḥ¹) for the siddhi of the universe (viśva).

    When one looks at this, it would be easy to think siddhi = perfection as that is a definition that it holds. Some too equate siddhi with
    special skill or any unusual skill or faculty or capability.
    It also holds a more popular definition of ~special~ powers. Some call out 6 e.g. aṇimā ,laghimā , prāptiḥ , etc. yet many more are mentioned in patañjali’s yogadarśana.

    So, people generally gravitate to these few definitions of siddhi: perfection (success) and special powers, special skill, perfection, etc. We can see how perfection may apply to this śloka that has been mentioned. Yet siddhi also has other definitions that fit this sūtra quite nicely . Let me offer it.

    Siddhi also means :
    • establishment , substantiation , settlement , demonstration , indisputable conclusion
    • preparation , cooking , maturing , maturity
    • becoming clear or intelligible
    • settlement , liquidation
    • accomplishment , performance , complete attainment , fulfillment
    If we boil some of these ideas down to a few ideas we can come up with creation, maintenance, and dissolution :
    • creation = establishment of viśva
    • maintenance = cooking and maturing of viśva
    • dissolution = the settlement and liquidation, the indisputable conclusion of viśva
    Yet too this idea of making the universe 'becoming clear or intelligible ' also suggests the beginning stages of the Supreme beginning to form the notion of sending the universe forth, this is the notion of an 'impulse', the idea of creation.

    Hence the potent use of the word 'siddhi' offered by Kṣemarāja. His 20 sūtra-s are the condensation of utpaladeva-ji's Īśvarapratyabhijñā (which consists of 199 sūtra-s). These works are part of the trika scriptures within the framework of advitīya (~ non dual~, without a second) kaśmir śaivism.

    iti śivaṁ

    words
    • pratyabhijñāhṛdayam = re-recognition (pratyabhijñā ) + heart (hṛdayam). This is 'code' for re-recognition of one's own
      Self.
    • svatantrā - self-dependence , independence , self-will , freedom ; it too is another name for śakti.
      • The Supreme is the only completely independent ~Being~ that exhibits the complete and perfect freedom.
    • citi is rooted in cit and means to aim at , intend , design ; to have consciousness
    • hetu is impulse; my teacher always used this word to define the cosmic forces in the universe.
    यतसà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤‚ शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṠśivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  2. #2
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    Re: siddhi ...

    hari o
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    Quote Originally Posted by yajvan View Post
    words
    • pratyabhijñāhṛdayam = re-recognition (pratyabhijñā ) + heart (hṛdayam). This is 'code' for re-recognition of one's own
      Self.
    This word pratyabhijñāhṛdayaṁ can be viewed as praty+abhi+jñā+hṛdayaṁ

    • praty = prati = back , again , in return
    • abhi = a prefix to verbs and nouns , expressing to , towards , into , over , upon - some say 'close at hand'
    • jñā = to know as , know or perceive that ; yet it also means to recognize as one's own
    • hṛdayaṁ = hṛdaya = the heart or center or core or essence or best or dearest or most secret part of anything; In this use it is 'essence' of everything - pure consciousness
    Hence this pratyabhijñāhṛdayaṁ is returning back again (prati) towards (abhi) one's own (jñā) essence (hṛdayaṁ).
    The knowledge that informs one how to return back to one's own essence or the Self.

    There is more to this story - and we will look at it in the next post.

    iti śivaṁ
    यतसà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤‚ शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṠśivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  3. #3
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    Re: siddhi ...

    hari o
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    pratyabhijñāhṛdayam = re-recognition (pratyabhijñā ) + heart (hṛdayam). This is 'code' for re-recognition of one's own
    Self.
    Why is this word of great import within the framework of advitīya (~ non dual~, without a second) kaśmir śaivism ? Because it is
    the notion that the aspirant is not aligning him/her self to know śiva but to recognize one is śiva.

    In human form śiva has throttled Himself down by His own free will (svātantrya¹). In this human state His:
    • sarva-kartṝtva or omnipotence becomes kalā or the limited agency of creative ability.
    • sarvajñātva or all knowing (omniscience) becomes that of vidyā - knowing a few things.
    • pūrṇatva or wholeness and fullness becomes rāga or the desire for abundance.
    • nityatva or being perpetual, continuous , being without any time constraint, becomes one of kāla - time metered out.
    • vyāpakatva or infinite presence ( some call omnipresence) becomes niyati or ordinary, or limited by space and time.
    So, if one wishes to get comfortable with a basic premise of trika darśana, it's that one is not so much a fallen being, but śiva who needs to remember once again His/Her status.

    What does the have to do with siddhi ? Recall from post 1 above, that siddhi = becoming clear or intelligible. When we are 'clear' we have
    come to establish our true lineage one more time.

    iti śivaṁ

    words
    svātantrya is from sva-tantra - the following one's own will , freedom of the will , independence
    Last edited by yajvan; 02 May 2013 at 02:15 PM.
    यतसà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤‚ शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṠśivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

  4. #4
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    Re: siddhi ...

    hariḥ o
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    re: siddhi
    If we boil some of these ideas down to a few ideas we can come up with creation, maintenance, and dissolution :
    • creation = establishment of viśva
    • maintenance = cooking and maturing of viśva
    • dissolution = the settlement and liquidation, the indisputable conclusion of viśva
    The notion of ~creation~ within advitīya (~ non dual~, without a second) kaśmir śaivism is a bit different by definition. When we think of creation, say of a pot maker, the potter gets the materials and he forms the pot. He ~creates~ the pot from some raw materials. This is not the same with śiva.

    We recognize the function of ~creation~ as sṛṣṭi. This word is rooted in sṛj which is defined as 'to emit , pour forth , to let go' . It is śiva that lets go, pours forth all of creation. How can this be ? Because of the quality of pūrṇatva or wholeness and fullness + svātantrya ( absolute free will). Because of this fullness , He lacks for nothing. And his free will allows Him to act and 'bring forth' as he likes, when he likes.

    Within kaśmir śaivism we recognize 36 tattva-s. All these are contained within paramaśiva. All of the known and unknown levels of creation come from these 36 tattva-s. All the laws of nature for every level of creation and awareness reside within Him. They are emanations from paramaśiva. He needn't ~create~ anything because all things are contained in Him to begin with.

    The same goes for ~destruction~ . Many see śiva as the destroyer. All well and good, yet the optics on this needs some adjustment. The term used in kaśmir śaivism is saṁhāra. Saṁhara (without the long ā ) is defined as 'drawing together , contracting '.
    Saṁhāra (with the long ā ) is defined as 'fetching back, drawing in ' and we use the term
    re-absorption as a single word.

    So goes the process of sṛṣṭi and saṁhāra. And the balance between the two is sthihi which means 'standing , staying , remaining , abiding , stay , residence' , 'continuance in being , maintenance of life , continued existence'.

    This sthihi is the balancing act. It allows the right amount of ~creation~ to continue and the proper amount of re-absorption
    to proceed that allows all of creation to properly unfold in a timely manner.


    iti śivaṁ
    यतसà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤‚ शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṠśivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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