TANTRALOKA THE LIGHT ON AND OF THE TANTRAS - VOLUME SEVEN: Volume Seven - Chapters Eleven through Fourteen, With the Commentary called Viveka by Jayaratha, Translated with extensive explanatory notes

The Tantrāloka by Abhinavagupta (c. 975-1050) is undoubtably one of the world's great classics. Treating the whole range of early Śaiva Tantras as part of the Trika Śaivism Abhinavagupta systematically and extensively presents, he draws from all of them to enrich his marvelous and uniquely profound exposition. The result of decades of research, Dyczkowski provides along with his translation of the text and its commentary by Jayaratha, extensive explanatory notes drawn from a wide range of Sanskrit and other sources. These volumes are a must for anyone who is studying Tantra in general and, in particular, the Trika Śaivism of Kashmir. Volume seven begins with chapter eleven and ends with fourteen. In chapter eleven Abhinava presents the five spheres of energies (kalā) and so completes the account of the first three Paths encompassing the realities that are the objects of denotation (vācya) to be purified (śodhya) (i.e., made one with consciousness), beginning with that of the worlds in chapter eight and the reality levels and their perceivers in chapters nine and ten. After briefly referring to the manner in which the Paths may be variously divided, Abhinava goes on relate the three Paths understood to be the spheres of objectivity, perception and the perceiver, with that of the phonemes (varṇa) as the energies of pure cognitive consciousness that represent the essence of the Paths of Mantra and its Parts, that together with the phonemes are the Paths of the denotators (vācaka) and purifiers (śodhaka). He goes on to discuss how phonemic consciousness is the ground of language, the aesthetic delight it evokes and the power that purifies the six-fold Path in and through perception. As usual, Abhinava concludes by explaining how everything is sustained within consciousness, he does it in this case by relating the two groups of Paths to one another as the sustained are to their sustainer, as is an image in a mirror or something seen in a dream to the dreamer. Śiva sustains and makes all things manifest within himself in this way. Chapter twelve teaches the application of the Path to fashion the cosmic body and how all things - deities, Paths, Time and Space - are one within it. Internal Kaula worship consists of making offerings to them, free of doubts and inhibitions. In chapter thirteen Abhinava goes on talk about Śiva’s grace in accord with the teachings of his Trika master Śambhunātha. He deals with the basic concepts and problems regarding the descent Śiva’s power of grace (śaktipāta). The highest grace is the liberation attained by the realization of one’s own unconditioned Śiva nature as the ultimate nature and source of all things. This takes place when Karma comes to an end. Abhinava tackles the main questions in relation to this doctrine to establish that Śiva is free to grace whoever he chooses whenever he likes. Although he agrees with the Siddhāntin that the occasion for this purifying grace is initiation, he refutes his view that it takes place when the postulant’s good and bad Karmas balance out or binding impurity ‘matures’ enough to be removed. If the occasions for grace where to be such, Śiva would be constrained to wait for them to arise. This, Abhinava points out, would imply that he is not free to act as he wishes and would be as constrained by causes and conditions as is any fettered soul. For Śiva to be Śiva, that is, free, complete and unconditioned, he cannot be confronted with some other alien reality that could limit him. Thus, ultimately, we must admit that it is Śiva who both illumines and obscures himself.