Part 6 - The Categorization of the Universal Creation

Śaivite theory about creation is centered on the categorization of all the objects into 36 principles.^[1] It is not a novel idea for many earlier systems like Sāṅkhya have already induced these principles which are conceived for the making of the universe. The whole thing done by Śaivism is the addition of 11 principles to the Sāṅkhya categories.^[2] These levels of manifestation has a hierarchy in itself; as the manifestation becomes more and more grosser, so the separation between the seed and the point of being or the object becomes greater.

Śiva and Śakti are the first two categories in which the voluntary movement starts. The power of being, ‘Cit’, is free from all the impurities and predominates in the level of Śiva. The experience in this state is pure ‘I’^[3] and in the second category, which follows Śiva, experience is ‘I am’. Ānandaśakti predominates in this category. Sadāśiva-the third category, is predominated by the power of Icchā,^[4] is a faintly affected state of the supreme self. The experience of beings in this category is ‘I am this’, where the ‘this’ represents the universe, the cause of affection. Power of jñāna predominates in the next level known as Sadāśiva. The experience is ‘this am I’. 

These two levels each other are having a close relationship as pointed out by K. C. Pandey, 

Just as in the case of balancing beam, held straight, from the scientific point of view, one end is lower than the other, so the difference between the experiences between the Sadāśiva and Īśvara levels, is due to the predominance of the subjectivity in the former and that of the objectivity in the latter.^[5]

Idam (thisness) in the Īśvara level takes the form of idamevāham (‘this am I’). Since the existence of the idam (object) and aham (subject) related each other it indicates the predominance of Jñānaśakti in this level. Sadvidyā or Śuddhavidyā is the next category with a predominance of power of Kriyā and the experience is ‘I am this’.^[6] Śuddhādhvan (the pure order) of manifestation ends with this category the predominance of the aforementioned five Śaktis in the five categories in their respect is the view held by Abhinavagupta.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Abhinavagupta deviates from this thought by conceptualising 37th category called Anuttara or Paramaśiva.

[2]:

The thirty six categories are broadly classified into two sections viz., Śuddhādhvan (Pure order) and Aśuddhādhvan (Impure order); Former constitutes the first five tattvas and the later includes the remaining principles controlled by the power of Māyā.

[3]:

Refer to Bhās, Vol. 2, p.211.

[4]:

The power of will is conjoined with the Sadāśiva category; Similarly Jñāna with Īśvara and so on.

[5]:

K. C. Pandey, Op.cit., p.368.

[6]:

Tantrālokaviveka, VI. 50, Bhās, Vol. 2, p.233; Īśvarapratyabhijñāvivṛtivimarśinī, Vol. 3, p.329.