Part 12 - Uniqueness of reflection (pratibimba)

Pratibimba-vāda

All five reflections viz., sound, Touch, Form, Taste and Smell, are experienced individually in all of the organs (ear, skin, eye, tongue and nose) in the presence of Supreme Śiva Consciousness. Awareness needed is found in consciousness and not in the organs. Normally reflections are just like the reflection in a mirror which take place individually. All five reflections are not available at once, only one thing is reflected in each. A mirror will only reflect form and not Touch, Taste, Smell or Sound.

Reflected and the reflection are one

The universe is reflected in the mirror of consciousness, not in elements having no capacity of reflecting. Consciousness exhibits only the reflected thing (Bimba) which is Svātantrya and not anything that is reflected. This whole universe is the reflection in Śiva consciousness of Svātantrya. Svātantrya Śākta is one with Śiva Consciousness. There are no two elements such as the mirror and the object which is reflected in the mirror. The reflected and the reflection are one. The mirror, which is the absolutely independent will of Śiva (Svātantrya), is Śiva Consciousness. There is no object existing outside of this world that He reflects in His nature. The outside element, which is reflected, is only Svātantrya. The infinite variety which is created is only the expansion of Svātantrya.

Mirror of Śiva Consciousness

There is the Material cause which in Sanskrit is called Upādāna kāraṇa. This cause travels with the effect and is not separated from the effect. Secondly,the Formal cause called Nimittakāraṇa does not travel with the effect. In the ordinary worldly course the reflected object (bimba) seems to be the cause of the reflection (pratibimba) because the reflected object cannot exist without that which is reflected. In manifestation, however, all reflection is really a reflection in Śiva consciousness. In Saivism nothing can exist outside of Śiva Consciousness. No other agency which is separate from Śiva Consciousness travels with the cause, because if it is separate from Śiva Consciousness and hence, the effect, it would not exist. If the object reflected were to remain outside Śiva Consciousness then it would not exist. Therefore there is nothing outside to be reflected in the mirror of Śiva Consciousness. There is only the mirror. There is no external cause which has gone into the reflection which is the effect. There is only the mirror of Śiva Consciousness.

Svātantrya is the formal cause

The cause of this reflection is Svātantrya, the absolute independent will of Śiva. Svātantrya is the mirror. It is the cause of this effect-the reflection. Unlike ordinary reflection which is experienced in the world, wherein an object can be distinguished as being the cause of that reflection, in Śiva Consciouness only the reflection exists and not anything that is separate and reflected (bimba). In this causality, the effect of which is the reflection, Svātantrya is the formal cause (nimittakāraṇa) not the material cause (upādānakāraṇa). It is His free will that He wills and what He wills appears in the mirror of His Consciousness. It is simply His will (Svātantrya). In reality only the reflection exists and not anything that is reflected.

Svātantrya is the seed of everything

Thus the universe, is found in the reflector of God Consciousness, through His Svātantrya, where the universe is contained in a seed form and not through the agency of anything of which it is a reflection (bimba). Svātantrya is the seed of everything. Everything exists in the mirror of God Consciousness with Svātantrya as its cause.

Practice of Pratibimba

Advanced disciples see that all of actions move in their Supreme Consciousness, when they are doing all of these various actions. Their limited perception becomes unlimited. The mode of their actions becomes absolutely unique. They see each and every action in their Śiva Consciousness. They exist in the state of Sadāśiva. Each and every action of their life becomes glorious. This is the awareness that comes from the practice of Pratibimba.