Pratyabhijna and Shankara’s Advaita (comparative study)
by Ranjni M. | 2013 | 54,094 words
This page relates ‘Various Schools of Kashmir Shaivism (Introduction)’ of study dealing with Pratyabhijna and Shankara’s Advaita. This thesis presents a comparative analysis of two non-dualistic philosophies, Pratyabhijna from Kashmir and Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta from Kerala, highlighting their socio-cultural backgrounds and philosophical similarities..
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4. Various Schools of Kashmir Śaivism (Introduction)
Kashmir Śaivism is well known in the name of Trika Philosophy. The term Trika is used in several senses. The word Trika literally means a triad. It is used in the sense of Triad of three principles, Āgamas, system of thoughts and methods. Abhinavagupta in his Parātriṃśikāvivṛti mentions the triad as Nara, Śakti and Śiva.[1] Some other important concepts of triad are: Śiva, Śakti and Aṇu; Pati, Pāśa and Paśu; Para, Apara and Parāpara; Siddha, Mālinī and Namaka; Śāmbhavopāya, Śāktopāya and Āṇavopāya.[2] There is a controversy among scholars on the number of various schools of Kashmir Śaivism. R.K. Kaw had viewed that there are three schools viz. Āgama, Spanda and Pratyabhijñā.[3] J.C. Chatterji, Swamy Sankarananda, Kupetz and Subodh Kapoor share the same opinion.[4]
Attesting the same view L.N. Sarma opined on the basis of K.C. Pandey’s account that there are three clear distinct branches of thought within the Kashmir Śaivism, i.e. Krama, Kula and Pratyabhijñā.[5] As the Āgamas are the foundation of the system, it is not necessary to consider them as a separate school and thus it is easy to conclude that the schools of Kashmir Śaivism are four in number viz. Krama, Kula, Spanda and Pratyabhijñā. As these schools are closely connected, a brief account of them is given below.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
naraśaktiśivātmakaṃ trikam | Parātriṃśikāvivṛtī, Kashmir Sanskrit Texts and Studies, XVIII, p. 2.
[2]:
For details vide Kaw, R. K., Doctrine of Recognition, p. 1.
[3]:
Ibid., p. 251.
[4]:
Chatterji, J.C., op.cit., p. 9; Swami, Sankarananda, The Yoga of Kashmir Śaivism, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2006, p. 43; Kupertz, Steven Jeffrey, The Non-dualistic Philosophy of Kashmir Śaivism: An Analysis of the Pratyabhijñā School, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Minnesota, 1972, p. 15; Subodh Kapoor, op.cit., p. 304.