4.1. Upāyas for Mokṣa in Pratyabhijñā

Mokṣa being the ultimate goal of life, philosophical systems suggest certain methods to be followed to attain this state. Aṣṭāṅgamārga of Bauddhas and Aṣṭāṅgayoga of Yoga philosophy are some typical examples. Other philosophical systems also share some notions of Aṣṭāṅgamarga and Aṣṭāṅgayoga. Even though both Pratyabhijñā and Advaita accept that the liberation is only though knowledge, both suggest some means for this ultimate knowledge.

In Pratyabhijñā, Upāyas are the divine ways or means of realization of one’s own nature as Maheśvara. Several rituals and observances to be performed uttering various Mantras are instructed in Tantra and Agama texts for the attainment of liberation. Following the Agamas, Pratyabhijna also has put forward some Upayas for liberation, but the importance is given to the mental activities rather than the physical.

1. Śāmbhavopāya

Śāmbhavopāya is the highest divine method and a specialty of Kashmir Śaivism. Non-duality or undifferentiated knowledge is the main characteristic feature of this Upāya. It is free from all mental ideation.

Bettina Baumer has remarked on this Upāya thus:

“Śāmbhavopāya transcends mind and all practices of mental contemplation. It is a regular practice in direct realization of the true nature and characters of one’s real self and by the self, not aided by any mental apparatus.”^[1]

It is known as Iccāyoga or Iccopāya, because it is being conducted through the exercise of the power of will, i.e. Iccāśakti.

In Malinīvijayatantra the Śāmbhavopāya is described as the consciousness of the individual absorbed through the teachings of Guru, when the individual is free from thoughts.

akiñciccintakasyaiva guruṇā pratibodhataḥ |
jāyate yaḥ samāveśaḥ śāmbhavo'sāvudīritaḥ || ^[2]

It is known as Nirvikalpopāya or Abhedopāya, because here there is no dual knowledge (Vikalpa).

Utpala has referred this Śāmbhavopāya in his work thus:

vikalpahānenaikāgryāt krameṇeśvaratāpadam |^[3]

This Upāya results in a self-awared pure consciousness freed from all mental practices. In this the individual self gets the state of oneness through the merging of the finite into infinite omnipotent, omniscient eternal soul Śiva. Abhinavagupta also explained this Śāmbhavasamāveśa in his Tantrāloka.^[4] According to Abhinavagupta this Śāmbhavasamāveśa itself is Jīvanmukti.^[5] The first section of Śivasūtra of Vasugupta is named as Śāmbhavopāya. The Śāmbhavopāya is free from all imaginations, conceptions, contemplations and concentrations. Both the elements of mental doing and knowing are pushed to the background in its practice and the element of will to shine in one’s pure being attains prominence in it. In this means sudden emergence of Siva consciousness resulted in intense meditation on Paramaśiva. The Śāmbhavopāya is considered as an effect of Śaktipāta. Śaktipāta is defined as the grace (Anugraha) of Guru or the descent of Divine Śakti. Śaktipāta is bestowed, and not obtained.^[6]

2. Śāktopāya

Śāktopaya is the practice of reflecting upon one’s divine essence while objectively knowing the world. Utpala describes Śāktopāya as the realization of one’s identity with the universe and knowing that all that is manifested is simply his glory. Then also he remains as the highest Lord even when the determinate cognitions are still arising.^[7] Śāktayoga, Jñānayoga, Jñānopāya, Bhāvanopāya and Mantropāya are the synonyms of Śāktopāya. The characteristic feature of this is dual cum non-dual. The knowledge plays a major part in this Upāya. The practice of Śuddhavikalpa is Śāktopāya. Śuddhavikalpa is the idea and belief that ‘I am the met-empirical, transcendental self; that the universe is an expression of my power, etc.’^[8] In Śāktopāya the guiding principle is Śakti or power which assumes the form of Mantra or mystic syllables.

Mālinīvijayatantra gives definition to Śāktopāya Thus:

uccārarahitaṃ vastu cetasaiva vicintayan |
yaṃ samāveśamāpnoti śaktaḥ so'trābhidhīyate || ^[9]

The individual who has succeeded in the Āṇavopāya becomes the practitioner of Śāktopāya. This Upāya consists of subjective meditation. In this the element of knowing becomes more important, because it consists of practices in imagining and in forming correct conceptions of the exact reality. The imagination of ‘ everything is Paramaśiva himself; he is in everything and everything is in him, all this is the manifestation of his own powers’ is called as Śāktopāya. The winner of this Yoga can practice the next Upāya, Śāmbhavopāya. In this the individual meditates on the self as ‘ Śivohaṃ.’ The Second section of the Śivastūtra of Vasugupta is named as Śāktopāya.

3. Āṇavopāya

The individual selves, who depend upon the duality, are standing in the path of Āṇava. It is called Āṇava, because it starts from individual or limited empirical self known as Aṇu. It is the lowest path dominated by the thoughts of different objects in the surrounding world.

The perfect absorption into the vital divine self achieved through the utterance, Meditation, etc. is known as Āṇavopāya:

uccārakaraṇadhyānavarṇasthanaprakalpanaiḥ |
yo bhavettu samāveśaḥ samyagāmava ucyate || ^[10]

Vasugupta describes this Upāya in the third section, named Āṇavopāya, of his treatise. ‘Cittam Ātma’ is the first Sūtra for discussing the Āṇavopāya. The support of the Citta is sometimes Buddhi, gross Prāṇa, subtle Prāṇa known as Varṇa, the body known as Karaṇa or some external objects known as Sthānakalpana. This Upāya is practiced by limited soul or individuals. It is also known as Kriyopāya. Other two ways are higher than Āṇavopāya. In this Upāya one has to concentrate his mind on an objective element and to see it as the divine Absolute with the help of a contemplative meditation. Then he has to see a unity between the object, the Absolute and his own self. Through such practice he becomes merged into the absolute reality and feels himself to be the Absolute. The meditation and mental activity attain prominence in Āṇavopāya.^[11] In this Upāya, the seeker uses his own senses, Prāṇas, rituals, worships of images Japa, etc.

4. Anupāya

Anupāya is the spontaneous recognition of self devoid of any particular effort or it is the method-less method in Pratyabhijñā philosophy. It is the state of being Śiva and the whole world is also having the same status. There is no difference between the individual and god, mind and matter and matter and matter, etc.

Swamy Sankarananda observes,

“Anupāya is not so much a high state in the sense of intoxication; it is rather a state that is profoundly balanced and integrated. It is human as well as divine. It is present and luminous.”^[12]

This Anupāya is also hinted in the following Śivasūtras. The Sūtras are:

1. śivatulyo jāyate (A Yogi becomes like Śiva),
2. śarīravṛttirvratam (Remaining in the bodily activities is all his observance of a pious act),
3. kathā jalpaḥ (His conversation constitutes muttering of power),
4. dānamātmajñānam (Knowledge of self is the gift that he disseminates),
5. yo'vipastho jñānahetuśca (He, who is established in the group of Śaktis, serves as an agency of wisdom),
6. svaśaktipracayo'sya viśvam (The universe is the unfoldment of his power).^[13]

The efficient practitioner of the Śāmbhavopāya can reach this highest of Upāyas known as Anupāya. Utpala calls the Pratyabhijñā as the new path and this newness is due to this Anupāya. It doesn’t need any Yogic practice, mental or physical.^[14] It prescribes intuitive knowledge for the attainment of the goal of life, without any resource of any other systems.

Abhinavagupta says thus:

tato'pi paramaṃ jñānaṃ upāyādivivarjitam |
ānandaśaktiviśrāntaṃ anuttaramihocyate || ^[15]

It seems the similar Upāya is mentioned by Śaṅkara in his verse japo jalpaḥ śilpaṃ sakalamapi mudrāviracanā…. | in Saundaryalaharī.^[16]

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

PUSB, 1.16.

[2]:

Māṇḍūkyakārikā-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 2.19.

[3]:

Kaṭhopaniṣad, 1.2.5.

[4]:

Devanandan, Paul David, op. cit., p. 91.

[5]:

Urquhart, W.S., The Vedānta and Modern Thought, Oxford, 1928, p. 51; quoted by Devanandan, Paul David, op. cit., p. 91.

[6]:

yatparamārthasadadvaitaṃ māyayā bhidyate hyetattaimirikacandravadrajjuḥ sarpadhārādibhirbhedairiva | Māṇḍūkyopaniṣad, 3.19.

[7]:

Vide supra, p. 126.

[8]:

The Concept of Māyā, Lutterworth Press, London, 1950, p. 9.

[9]:

śaktimāneva śaktiḥ syāt | Śivadṛṣṭi, 3.5.

[10]:

bodhātmanaḥ māyāśaktyā | Īśvarapratyabhijñā-kārikā, 3.1.6.; māyāśaktirvimohinī nāma vibhoḥ vijṛmbhate | Īśvarapratyabhijñākārikā-vṛtti, 3.1.8.

[11]:

sarvajñasyeśvarasya māyāśaktiḥ prakṛtiriti | Brahmasūtra-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 2.1.14; avyaktnāmnī parameśaśaktiḥ | Viveka-cūḍāmaṇi, 110; prakṛtirīśvarasya vikārakāraṇaśaktistriguṇātmikā māyā | Bhagavadgītā-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 13.19.

[12]:

māyāśaktyā svātmarūpaṃ viśvaṃ bhedenābhāsyate | Īśvarapratyabhijñākārikā-vṛtti, 1.5.18; sarvam avabhāsajātaṃ māyā | Īśvarapratyabhijñā-vimarśini, Bhāskarī, Part I, p. 281.

[13]:

avidyākalpite nāmarūpe…saṃsāraprapañcabījabhūte sarvajñasyeśvarasya māyāśaktiḥ prakṛtiriti | Brahmasūtra-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 2.1.14; avidyādyanekasaṃsārabījamantardoṣavat māyākṛtādi śabdavācyatayā | Bhagavadgītā-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 12.3; kāryakāraṇa-kartṛtvena saṃsārasya kāraṇaṃ prakṛtiḥ | Bhagavadgītā-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 13.20; mama svabhūtā madīyā māyā triguṇātmikā prakṛtiryoniḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ kāraṇam | Bhagavadgītā-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 14.3.

[14]:

Devanandan, Paul David, The Concept of Māyā, p.107.

[15]:

avivekakhyātilakṣaṇāyāḥ avidyāyāḥ satvaṃ bandhaḥ | Bhāmatī, 1.4.3.

[16]:

mithyājñānanimittaśca bandhaḥ | Brahmasūtra-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 4.2.8; avidyākṛtatvādbandhasya vidyayā mokṣa upapadyate | Brahmasūtra-śāṅkara-bhāṣya, 3.2.29.