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Introduction to the system of 36 Tattvas - I

The non-dual tantrism of Bhairava and Kali, like the entire Kashmiri Shivaism in general, operates with a developed system of multidimensional symbols and related psychotechnics, knowledge of which is transmitted through the institution of spiritual mentoring. This approach allows us to go beyond the subjectivity of an individual sporadic mystical experience and provides the possibility, if not complete, then, at least partially, of their description and retransmission.

The method of research here is a complex study and analysis of philosophical texts of this and other traditions, an independent study of one's own consciousness and the world around, both with the help of logical constructions, and with the help of immediate experiences, data in sensations, meditation, and intuitive insights. The instrument of investigation is consciousness and direct experience, which in turn is observed and realized. That is, consciousness is at the same time what is being researched, the instrument of research and the researcher.

The psychotechnical aspect of the practice of the sakta upaya consists in the active contemplation of the higher self, using the creative abilities of the practitioner's mind, identified with the deep meaning of the existential meanings of the sacred symbols represented in the form of specific mantras, with the gradual identification of the mind with them. The purpose of this practice is to use the cognitive, creative and cognitive power of the mind under the influence of one's own mental constructions (vikalpa) to create a disidentification with them, with the subsequent formation of a "pure perception" of a source of any perception based on a positive vision. Philosophical reflection on such a concept as the "Absolute" clearly demonstrates that the Absolute, by its absoluteness, by definition assuming not conditionality and unlimitedness, is fundamentally outside the conceptual definitions and its description can not be reduced to either a single symbol or a system of symbols. Nevertheless, the system of symbolic models of the manifestation of the Absolute Consciousness plays a very significant role in doctrinal texts and the mystical practices described in them.

Turning to the consideration of the tattvas system 36, which stages-by-stage describes the stages of the immanent manifestation of the Absolute Consciousness, several explanations should be made. First, the concepts of "stage", "process", etc. are used here only conditionally. Although words like "creation", "manifestation" and the like presuppose procedurality and some "distance" between the two extreme states, their use is forced and conditioned by the linear nature of the language and thinking we use. In traditional texts it is constantly emphasized that any division here is only a logical device that helps to understand the nature of the described, and should not be understood literally. Confirmation of this is found in everyday everyday human activity. For example, physical activity always involves a certain sequence of actions, While the activity of consciousness (in the form of memory or imagination) does not need it. For example, if we built the building physically, the foundation would be the first, then the wall, the roof, etc. But if we build a building in the mind, then it can be imagined at once as a whole.

Here activity is inconsistent, because mentally we do not put bricks one after another. Secondly, the basis of systematization in this case is the identification of the basic principles underlying the processes and phenomena that form the Universum, and acting at all levels of being. These forming principles are located in a known ascending and descending order - from the particular to the general, from the individual to the collective, from the concrete to the abstract. Thus, the entire phenomenal world seems to be, as it were, one continuous chain, in which each link enters the next, than it is itself.

Hence it follows logically the ordering of the principles that form each "link" in a hierarchical order, where each higher level includes and contains the lower ones, which is reflected in stages in the 36 tattvas system. Further, the stages of the immanent manifestation of the Absolute Consciousness, expressed through the tattwa system 36, considered in this chapter, are based on a principled understanding of the unity of the macro and microcosm. Thus, the cosmogonic symbols constituting the tattwa system are at the same time symbols describing the structure of the individual consciousness and have a clear and well-traced relationship with the 4 aggregate states of consciousness. which is reflected in stages in the system of 36 tattvas.

Further, the stages of the immanent manifestation of the Absolute Consciousness, expressed through the tattwa system 36, considered in this chapter, are based on a principled understanding of the unity of the macro and microcosm. Thus, the cosmogonic symbols constituting the tattwa system are at the same time symbols describing the structure of the individual consciousness and have a clear and well-traced relationship with the 4 aggregate states of consciousness. which is reflected in stages in the system of 36 tattvas. Further, the stages of the immanent manifestation of the Absolute Consciousness, expressed through the tattwa system 36, considered in this chapter, are based on a principled understanding of the unity of the macro and microcosm. Thus, the cosmogonic symbols constituting the tattwa system are at the same time symbols describing the structure of the individual consciousness and have a clear and well-traced relationship with the 4 aggregate states of consciousness.

1. The state of wakefulness (jagrat) is characterized by a focus on external objects and sensations, such as taste, color, smell, etc. At the macrocosmic level, the state of Vaishnavara corresponds to the world of dense, tangible forms that is observed in everyday life. This is the usual state of wakefulness, i.e. perception of external objects as a result of contact with them of the senses.

2. The state of sleep with dreams (svapna), the state of the tajjas (lit. "fiery", "radiant") is compared with fire, due to its plasticity and variability similar to the tongues of the flame. Most clearly, this state is experienced during the so-called. "Color dreams," hallucinations, all kinds of altered, transient and out-of-body states of consciousness, when consciousness is completely enveloped in the content of the mental tools: mind (manasa), intellect (buddhi) and ego (ahamkara) and internal reflections of perceptual perceptions of the senses. Here the objects of perception are the creations of the consciousness itself, from which the world of dreams and dreams is inseparable. Macrocosmic correspondence to the status of the tajjas is the intermediate world of subtle forms (antariksh).

3. The unconscious state of dreamless sleep, the state of deep sleep or fainting (sushupti), where in the absence of perceived objects, their correlate is the experienced state of bliss (ananda).

4. The "fourth", transcendental state of consciousness (turya), transcendental to all previous ones, waking and sleeping, deep sleep without dreams and bliss - it is fundamentally indeterminate and is characterized only as a witness of everything.

These four states of consciousness are considered in the microcosmic and macrocosmic aspect and correspond with the four mantras, phonetic elements that make up the sacred syllable OM.

As O. Erchenkov said: "The cosmogonic model of absolute consciousness is the general for the Shivaite agamas the doctrine of 36 tattvas. The supreme reality of the Absolute Consciousness is the source of the immanent world-manifestation, formed by the totality of the modal elements - tattvas, entering the completeness of the 36 "modes of being" described in the agamas, hierarchically manifesting from the light being of Paramashiva, as phenomenal projections of its internal potential energies - Shakti. It is interesting to note that numerologically, the number 36 is the sum of a series of natural numbers from one to ten, thus symbolizing the "completeness of things".

36 "modes of being" or 36 modes of self-consciousness are divided into 3 categories, or 3 orders: suddha ("pure" tattvas or "pure" order), suddha-ashuddha ("pure-unclean" tattvas or "transit" order), ashuddha ( "Unclean" tattvas or "unclean" order). The characteristic of the states of the "pure" order is the dominant self-sufficiency of the "I-consciousness", the experience of integrity, the fact that the object is not different from the subject. Shiva consciousness, although it projects the world as "this" (idam), but realizes that "this" is its own projection and therefore it is one with it. The presence of an object in itself is not an ignorance; object can be the result not of ignorance, but of conscious self-projection. Ignorance consists in feeling that the object is different from the subject. The further development of the process of "downward" projection leads to the emergence of states of self-consciousness, characteristic of a "purely unclean" order. Here self-sufficiency of consciousness, which was preserved in the previous stages, is gradually reduced and self-limitation occurs in different spectra (maya, kanchuka). This leads to the emergence of a limited perceiving subject, dominated by Maya and 5 Kanchuka, defining the scope of his experience. Then follows the "impure" order of the "narrowed" self-consciousness: there appears prakrti in the state of equilibrium of the three gunas and its subsequent derivatives up to prithvi - inanimate, self-conscious matter. defining the scope of his experience. Then follows the "impure" order of the "narrowed" self-consciousness: there appears prakrti in the state of equilibrium of the three gunas and its subsequent derivatives up to prithvi - inanimate, self-conscious matter. defining the scope of his experience. Then follows the "impure" order of the "narrowed" self-consciousness: there appears prakrti in the state of equilibrium of the three gunas and its subsequent derivatives up to prithvi - inanimate, self-conscious matter.

________

PURE ORDER - I

1 - Shiva;

2 - Shakti;

Although Shiva and Shakti are listed as two in the hierarchy of thirty-six categories, they are one and the same. They are two - figurative; in the conceptual description they are one reality - the reality of the existence of Shiva-Shakti. This state of self-awareness (aham, or "I am") without any object (to the Aham idam, or "I am this"). Here the question of understanding the world is not worth it, since the world is not yet in any form. Shakti is the "I-consciousness" of Shiva, his power to create, the active aspect of the one, from which all the subsequent manifestation takes place. At the stage expressed by the Shiva-Shakti tattva, the principle of anuttara (single, undivided), taking the position of pramiti (without knowledge, knowledge without subject-object relations), the cognizing (pramata), cognition (pramana) and the cognized (prameya), exercises an internal manifestation, which is pure awareness. The state of undivided knowledge of the universe, the absolute identity of Shiva / Shakti, is the essence of reality (anuttara-chit) in the aspect of knowledge. Here the anuttara contains within itself - in the emptiness of the primordial absolute consciousness - and in its identity with itself all its potential self-manifestations.

Consciousness as such is always determined by its ability to be aware. Consciousness that can not be aware is nonsense. In this case, knowledge (awareness, knowledge as a function of consciousness) is realized by consciousness in it.That is, the phenomena of "knowledge" and "consciousness" are defined through each other in a manner similar to "light" / "illumination". Light is a phenomenon, the basic characteristic of which is lighting. Lighting is a property that defines light. In other words, the terms consciousness and cognition (as a function of consciousness) describe different aspects of the same phenomenon.

The term consciousness reflects the aspect of statics, and the term cognition is an aspect of dynamics.Cognition is the activity of consciousness. The Supreme Reality ("Shiva / Shakti") is both static and dynamic in nature. In the terminology of the school, the nature of the Higher Reality is "Prakasha / Vimarsha" which is conditionally translated as "light / lighting" or "consciousness / knowledge". Prakasha - Shiva, the empty space of the absolute consciousness of the Higher Reality, having the nature of the light of consciousness (luminous in nature), because has the ability to cognize (illuminate, reveal).

Vimarsha - Shakti, the dynamic aspect of the Higher Reality, its inherent function of cognition (illumination, detection), the original activity of consciousness. How can the emptiness of the primordial absolute consciousness (nonexistence) project multiple manifestations (being)? Ordinary physical space participates in a generally accepted common sense dichotomy between existence and non-existence. Objects exist, but physical space is "nothing", non-existence. "Nothing" in this sense can not be the reason for anything else.

However, even the usual ideas about space in some respects can be fundamental. This possibility is clear for the physical space, since we usually feel that it is definitive in the sense that it exists even if there are no objects there. The converse is not true, since objects "depend on" the presence of space. Moreover, even in the case of perceived space, where the perception of space as opposed to "things" is a single process (two aspects complementary to each other), there may be some kind of "space" that is essential and necessary for the perception of presence and absence in general has taken place. Obviously, an object that is "here" has emerged from the past state of empty space, needs space to be here, and gives way to the future state of again empty space - "non-existence." That is, even in the ordinary sense, space is projected into space.

The experience of a pure undivided "I" is a voidness, generated by the absence of any objects. From this level, where there are no restrictions, and which is a state of absolute freedom (svatantraya), the infinite forms of manifestations that are limited to any degree spontaneously and freely flow out. Thus, he is also transcendent, i.e. is superior to them, and immanent, i.e. is inherently present in them, since in its absence as the basis of their reality, they would all be unenlightened and, therefore, non-existent. From the point of view of the 36 categories (tattvas), the original Shiva-Shakti, surpassing all Creation, is the source of all Creation. From the point of view of energy, it is cheat-ananda, which is the nature of Reality. From the point of view of the process of external projection, this is a void by its very nature reality,

__________

The world of pure tattvas in the system of 36 tattvas - III

PURE ORDER - II

(3) Sadasiva-tattva

In order for the process of external projection (the creation of the world of manifested forms) to be possible in principle, a "rupture" of the equilibrium unity of the two principles of Shiva / Shakti, which at the time of the "rupture" is designated as "pushing and repulsing," being the prototypes of cause and effect.

The "break" here actually means that a single whole indivisible "divides" into two opposite principles: Shiva (non-being, non-existence, non-manifestation) and Shakti (being, existence, manifestation, what "happens").

At the same time, the very possibility of "existence" or "manifestation" of anything assumes the existence of a perceiving "witness" (witnessing consciousness), since if nothing / no one can attest that something "happens", it can not be either provable , nor refuted.

In this way, Obviously, the presence of a conscious subject is a necessary condition and basis for the realization of the process of cognition. It is also obvious that the perception by the subject of any object is not possible without the initial presence of perception of himself, that is, without knowledge of his existence. "I know something" in itself already implies that I know that I exist, "I-consciousness." Thus, the presence of "I-consciousness" is the basic basis that is present in any act of awareness. The cognizing subject in this sense is the original constant universal subject of all experience, the subject of "par excellence", absolute and transcendental, since there is nothing else that could make him the object of his perception, as there is nothing else that could act as a subject , its perceiving. The pulsation of the emergence and disappearance of the original "I-consciousness" is denoted by the term "spanda".

Spanda is the power of awareness, the essential nature of both the original subject and the empirical individual, the basis of the psychological subject. The original subject pervades all possible states of consciousness. He connects them together in the stream of experiencing that "I am the same person who rejoices and suffers, or then gets addicted." All these states are in him, independent of all transient (temporary) experiences.

Undoubtedly, there is a difference between being and becoming. Our perception is tied to the heterogeneity of objective forms. Forms appear and disappear, but being, i.e. the underlying, pure, self-luminous universal consciousness is invariably and forever. The original knowing subject for the knowledge of beingness of himself does not need objects and he himself does not become his own object, that is, he knows himself subjectively. Unlike the usual subject-object method of cognition, which consists in comprehending, grasping the object, the method of subjective cognition is self-illumination (svayamprakaśa).

Just as light does not make itself an

object, however it illuminates itself, the original subject knows himself directly subjectively. In addition, the "self-consciousness" is self-evident and self-sufficient, since it does not require any other evidence than self-evidence.

An approximate illustration of a state like the one described can be the experience that a person experiences at the first moment after a sudden sharp awakening, when suddenly there is a "turning on" of consciousness, and he does not yet realize where he is or who he is. This moment of a spontaneous outburst of consciousness can be described as a direct, whole, spontaneous experience of one's beingness, a certain "I" suddenly "turns on". This non-conceptual experience (the inclusion of the "I") is integral and self-evident, that is, does not need additional proofs of confirmation of one's being.

Since we are talking about the transition from the sphere of nonexistence to the sphere of being, it is obvious that such a transition can not have any reason, for any reason is related to the sphere of being. For the same reason, it can be argued that this transition is not colored by the manifestation of neither sequence nor simultaneity, since it occurs outside of time, which is a being-being phenomenon. On the principle possibility of such transitions from one extreme state to another and about their "extra-temporality", Plato's reasoning is interesting: "Transitions from being to nonexistence and back, just like transitions from rest to movement and back, are extreme transitions.

How can such transitions be possible in principle? For while something is moving or at rest, it is in time, but when it passes from rest to movement, at the moment of transition it does not move, and does not rest ... After all, there is no time during which something could immediately and do not move, and do not rest ... So when does it change? After all, and not resting, and not moving, and not being in time, it does not change ... In this case is it not strange what it will be at the moment when it changes? "If moving or resting, something is in time , then at the moment of transition from motion to rest it is not in time.

What then is "in what" is it at the moment of transition? It is, according to Plato, timeless "suddenly." This "suddenly" means something that begins with which a change takes place in one direction or the other: "Indeed, change does not begin with rest, until it is rest, or with movement, while motion continues; but this strange by its nature "suddenly" lies between motion and rest, being completely outside of time, but in the direction towards it, and proceeding from it changes the moving, passing to peace, and at rest, moving to the movement.

But is not it also the case with other changes? When something passes from being to death or from non-being to emergence, its becoming occurs between a certain movement and rest and it does not have either being,So, the "I-consciousness" of the original subject, his first and main activity, consists in witnessing the transition of "myself" from non-being to being. This phenomenon of transition from the extreme to the extreme can be described as "there was - and suddenly became," that is, as a timeless "suddenly" for Plato, which has no cause and is not subject to any law or rule. That is, the original "I-consciousness" of the absolute subject is not mediated indirectly, or rather indirectly, by "nothing." It should be noted that the term "nothing" here is more like what modern physicists call a quantum or physical vacuum. As S. Alemanov says: "The very concept of " physical vacuum "appeared in science as a consequence of the realization that vacuum is not an emptiness, it is not" nothing ".

He represents an extremely essential "something" that generates everything in the world, and sets the properties of matter, from which the surrounding world is built. It is a "space" of virtual particles that do not have any manifestations, that do not possess any properties, that is, they are in a special, "zero" state. It's hard to imagine. After all, if something does not manifest itself in this world, then it does not exist. But at the same time the vacuum constantly "boils", that is, the virtual particles all the time appear for a moment, that is, they appear from nothing and then disappear ... At the present time it is already known that the substance is due to the origin of the vacuum substance and all the properties of the substance are given by the properties physical vacuum.

Science penetrates deeper into the essence of the vacuum. The fundamental role of the vacuum in the formation of the laws of the material world has been revealed. It is no longer surprising that some scientists, that "everything from the vacuum and everything around us is a vacuum". Summing up, the absolute consciousness, which has the nature of being and not being, called in the tradition of Shiva, is the source and basis of any manifestation. His power of awareness is called Shakti. The first and main activity of absolute consciousness is the realization of the transition from non-being to being and back, through witnessing this transition.

It would seem, to think that consciousness, which in its true nature is a subject or "knowing", can become an object is an internal contradiction. How can the "I" become the object of my knowledge? If I make myself the object of my knowledge and say "this is me," then I'm not "this" but the one who knows. Trying to recognize yourself as an object is like trying to see your eyes. The eyes will always be "seers", they can never be "visible." If I point to the reflection of my eyes in a mirror or try to separate my eye as an object and say, "This is my eye," this reflection or a separate "eye" is not a true eye; what is a seeing reflection or seeing a separate eye is the true eye.

In a moment, when the eyes become an object, they cease to be eyes. Similarly, Consciousness, or I ceases to be I at the moment when it becomes an object. Reality, which is I, because it is consciousness, it is a subject, not an object. Although the subject can not become an object, yet in the experience of sleep, we find that the subject also becomes an object. A careful analysis of the experience of sleep will show that here the "I" is the one who sees, or the one who sleeps, and not what is seen, or what is dreaming. And yet it is true that the object of sleep is my own projection and, therefore, it is true that the "I" has also become the object of sleep.

This aspect of the experience of sleep clearly indicates three things: a) that the subject can project, or become an object, b) that the projected object is essentially one with the subject, since the substance or material of the object of sleep is nothing other than consciousness, and c) that the subject, even after projecting himself in the form of a dream object, remains a subject as one who sees a dream. In this way, the experience of sleep reveals a very important and significant truth that the subject, while remaining a subject, simultaneously becomes an object, i.e. projects an object.

There is no logical contradiction between the logical truth that I, or the subject, ceases to be I if he becomes an object, on the one hand, and the fact that the subject becomes an object in a dream, on the other. Concerning dreams, it is said that the object is one with the subject not in the sense that the "visible" is "seeing," but in the sense that the substance of the object of sleep is the same consciousness as the substance of the subject is. The object of sleep is not made from material substance, but from the mind or consciousness.

The object of sleep is not "real", but "ideal". It is made of ideas, or mental substance, which is nothing but Consciousness. An object is a reflection, or projection, of a subject and, consequently, in essence, he is one with the subject. Of course, in the sense of the "knowing", and not in the sense of substance or matter, the subject remains a subject even in a dream and never becomes an object. Thus, it is perfectly correct to say that the subject remains a subject and yet, at the same time, becomes also an object.

Further, predetermining the possibility of implementing the process of external projection, the "rupture" of the Unified and Indivisible - is impossible without the presence of the original potency (impulse) to this "rupture". No exercise is possible without the presence of force (potency, will, desire) for this realization. Thus, the creation at this stage (sadasiva) is represented by its absolutely potential form, representing the pure potential of any possible creation, and not the actual realization of a creation of any kind. K.

Mishra says: "This state is described as" unity-in-difference "(to the Aham idam -" I am this ") ... It is analogous to the homogeneous liquid medium of a peacock's egg where the variety of colored peacock feathers is completely immersed in a homogeneous unity of the egg, although the difference there potentially contained. In this state, the desired object exists so far only in the form of a single Consciousness ... The difference between the world (vachaka) and the object (vachya) has not yet manifested, they both exist in an undivided form. The consciousness of the object (idam) has already given germs, but it still remains nondifferent from the subject (aham). " At this stage of the whole undivided perception of everything that one wants to know, there is no consistency and there is no division into words and referents.

A condition corresponding to this level can be experienced in strong emotional states, with a sudden memory of an urgent matter; suddenly encountering something that infuses terror; unexpectedly meeting someone; between thoughts. This is that as a thread connects thoughts, then that exists before their manifestation. they both exist in an unshared form.

The consciousness of the object (idam) has already given germs, but it still remains nondifferent from the subject (aham). " At this stage of the whole undivided perception of everything that one wants to know, there is no consistency and there is no division into words and referents. A condition corresponding to this level can be experienced in strong emotional states, with a sudden memory of an urgent matter; suddenly encountering something that infuses terror; unexpectedly meeting someone; between thoughts. This is that as a thread connects thoughts, then that exists before their manifestation.

( of the three gunas. Then - the remaining derivatives before prithvi - inanimate (lacking self-awareness) matter.

4 - Ishvara;

5 - Shuddhavidya

(4) Ishvara-tattva : The second step in the process of external projection (creation) could be described as "representation" or "imagination", where the future creation, that is, the world of knowable objects, is only a thought-image. This state is idamakham - "this is I". It is still in the general framework of unity-in-difference, but here the difference (idam, or "this") is emphasized, since the difference is more evident.

The subject has fully imagined the object, but the object continues to exist in the subject as a thought-image. Here, there is a perception of integrity when demonstrating the difference between a word and a referent.

No thought is formed without combining it with some verbal way.These words-images are present in consciousness as ideas-seeds of phenomena and are the essence of conscious or unconscious processes of thinking. Thoughts, words-images and objects, cognized by means of words-images - the three elements that make up the process of thinking.

That is, this is the level of consciousness, through which the processes of thinking and understanding are realized, tk. it at this level contains the word-image, the meaning of the word and the single idea of both of them, shining inside consciousness.

(5) Shuddhavidya-tattva

In this state of consciousness, the world is fully realized, or clothed in an external form. The object is projected from the subject and becomes, as it were, on a level with the subject. Therefore, this state is described as "I am, and It is" (aham idam cha). The difference is completely obvious, so much that it seems to be independent of the unity that the knowledgeable (subject) is. But, although it seems independent of the knowing I, yet I (Shiva) know that it is not different from Him.

K. Mishra says: "The very existence of idam is not ignorance; Idam can be the result not of ignorance, but of conscious self-projection.Ignorance is the feeling that the idam is different from the subject. "

At this level, there is a clear distinction between the word and its referent. This unity in difference, where the difference is manifested as a formed image, formalized speech, with the help of which information is exchanged. That is, it can be perceived and pronounced. The further development of the process of descending projection leads to the emergence of a state in which the self-sufficiency of consciousness that was preserved in the previous stages is gradually reduced (maya, kanchuka), self-limitation occurs in different spectra.

This leads to the emergence of a limited perceiving subject, dominated by Maya and 5 Kanchuk, defining the scope of his experience. Then prakriti appears in the equilibrium state of the three gunas. Then - the remaining derivatives before prithvi - inanimate (lacking self-awareness) matter.

( S. M. Jayadhar, A. M. Jayadhar )

Artist: Ekabhumi Ellik

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