36 Tattva-s of Trika Shaivism

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source: http://members.aol.com/trikshaiva/tattvas.htm

INTRODUCTION

The 36 Tattva-s (or divine principles) describe step-by-step how Supreme Consciousness makes itself appear to itself as limited consciousness stuck in a unconscious world and universe, and thus gets to experience the limited, conditional joys and sorrows of earthly existence, and then describes in a reverse step-by-step process, how that Supreme Consciousness then reveals its own true nature to itself, and thus experiences the outrageous joys of spiritual liberation.

4 PLANES OF EXISTENCE AND CONSCIOUSNESS

The 36 Tattva-s are divided into 4 groups representing the 4 stages of existence and creation, as well as the 4 states of awareness. These are:

The Physical Plane or Waking State: wherein we find the physical world, our physical bodies, and our waking state. Physical objects exist, change, and move around in a rigid structure defined by measurable time and space, according to the measured flow of energy as described in the rigid mathematically based laws of thermodynamics, all described in the rigid non-relativistic Newtonian Laws of Physics. This is the most superficial level of existence - a mere rigid shadow of the Subtle Plane of Existence

The Subtle Plane of Existence, and Dream State: made up of the world of thought and dream objects experienced in the dream state, or seen as thought images and objects in the mind during waking. It is also an entire plane of existence beyond the physical world whose objects are not limited by rigid laws governing change or movement in time and space. This is the realm of magic and dream where things change according to the power of one's will, desire, and need, and the only resistance is the power of one's own previous actions (Karma), or the will, desire, need or Karma of others. The Physical Plane of Existence is a mere rigid shadow of this level of existence.

The Causal Plane of Existence, and The Deep Sleep State: to the average person, this plane of existence and state of consciousness is experienced as a totally timeless, spaceless unconscious void - unconscious nothing. The average person experiences this every night during the deep sleep stage of sleep. To the conscious, it is experienced as completely totally void of any features or objects of consciousness, and they know it as the basic featureless unconsciousness "ground" from which all non-conscious objects spring that exist in the physical or subtle planes of existence. Thus this is the "non-conscious" ground from which the physical and subtle planes of existence continuously spring.

The Supracausal Plane , experience of Supreme Consciousness : unlimited consciousness - unlimited by time, space, thought, or any structures or processes. Has no features or characteristics except being just pure consciousness. This is the true nature of consciousness - unlimited and transcendent of all other planes of existence and the structures and processes they contain. This is the basic source of the creative energy from which the other three planes of existence spring.

The creation of the entire universe from pure cosmic consciousness takes place within the framework of these four planes of existence. This is described by 36 Principles (Tattva-s) of cosmic creation which are spread amongst the 4 levels as they describe the creative process as it flows down from Cosmic Consciousness to the physical level of creation. And it is these 36 Tattva-s that also describe the process of cosmic destruction, and the process of individual awakening that happens in human beings (Kundalini) when they come to know of this directly. These 36 Tattva-s also describe the process of Karma which determines the quality and nature of human life, of all life, and of the existence of the universe in the first place as it emerges from pure consciousness by the will and desire of God.

SUPRACAUSAL PLANE OF SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS

This is the basic level of existence - of pure Cosmic Consciousness - Parama Shiva - the totally unlimited Supreme Consciousness, that exists everywhere, is eternal, and from which everything is created, and will return to eventually. This Supreme Consciousness is completely devoid of objects, features, or anything else other than pure unlimited consciousness. But from this pure consciousness the entire world is created. This creativity is contained within two basic conscious principles:

1. Shiva: pure, unlimited consciousness itself.

2. Shakti: the unlimited creative power of Supreme Consciousness. Has 3 basic aspects through which it does the actual creating:

3. Iccha Shakti: the basic will or impulse to create.

4. Jnana Shakti: the basic knowledge or awareness of creation.

5. Kriya Shakti: the basic power to create.

CAUSAL PLANE OF CONSCIOUSNESS, & DEEP SLEEP STATE

The activities of the supremely creative Shakti creates a condition of extremely limited consciousness stuck in a seemingly infinitely vaste unconscious world or universe, and this is what we actually experience of our consciousness - where we feel like our consciousness is so fragile, and so tiny - that it is stuck inside our heads, totally at the mercy of outside conditions, easily eradicated in a split second, as we struggle to survive in a huge totally non-conscious world which is dwarfed into insignificance within the incomprehensively vaste non-conscious universe in which it wanders in endless circles until its inevitable fiery demise.

This sense of difference and distance and unconsciousness is actually only a creation of a veiling power of Supreme Consciousness - a Shakti called Maya. Maya works via 5 aspects of its veiling power. This cloaking of Supreme Consciousness which creates the experience of limited consciousness thus is the basis of basic individual consciousness - called The Purusha (#12).

6. Maya: Basic veiling power of Supreme Consciousness creating the experience of limited Consciousness (Purusha) from unlimited consciousness. This is accomplished through 5 aspects of its power:

7. Kalaa: veils Kriya (unlimited power to act) to create the sense of limited power and abilities, and helplessness.

8. Vidya: veils Jnana (unlimited knowledge of supreme creation) to create the experience of limited knowledge and understanding.

9. Raga: veils Iccha (basic supreme will to create) to create a sense of a fragile, limited, weak will power.

10. Kaala: veils the experience of the single supreme infinite moment to create the sense of the limited sequential flow of time.

11. Niyati: veils the experience of all-pervasiveness to create the sense of limited existence in one place stuck amongst vaste areas that are different and separate from you.

12. Purusha: thus is formed the basic experience of individuality separate from everything else; limited, helpless, relatively powerless, and limited in knowledge and understanding of so much that makes up the surrounding unconscious, mostly inaccessible world.

Thus is created the base level illusion of tiny limited consciousness existing insignificantly within an endless non-conscious expanse. That basic level of non-conscious expanse is called Prakriti (#13). But at this level, there is nothing to be conscious of - no worlds, or bodies, or even time or space. Thus thus stage is experienced as Void - non-conscious Void because all there is is the basic state of limited individual consciousness without any instruments or organs to sense with, in a non-conscious expanse without any objects or features or characteristics to be conscious of.

13. Prakriti: the basic condition of other - of something separate and different from one's own individual consciousness, which, thus is non-conscious.

SUBTLE PLANE & DREAM STATE

From the featureless ground of the Causal Plane (Prakriti), springs endless objects created out of pure consciousness by the Shakti-s of will, knowledge, and creative impulse. These objects by definition are limited and separate from each other - each and every characteristic moving and changing in time and space. These limitations are formed by the powers of limitation of the Shakti Maya (Kalaa, Vidya, Raga, Kaala, and Niyati).

First created, are the basic instruments of will and knowledge which direct the implementation of the instruments and organs of perception and action. Then from this are created the insturments and organs of perception and action, and then finally come the subtle and physical objects.

The Antahkarana (instrument of understanding, sense of identity, and other mental operations) which operates both in dreams and waking consists of 3 parts:

14. Buddhi: the instrument of detachable, abstract reasoning that can see and understand objects and processes being outside and different from oneself.

15. Ahamkara: sees everything only in relation to oneself. It assembles, understands, and believes in the limited, powerless identity of oneself

16. Manas: the basic thought process of the mind wherein thoughts come and go before the consciousness like a movie. All of these thoughts consist of (1) Buddhi understanding, (2) Ahamkara understanding, or (3) memories of objects.

These instruments of mental functioning then employ limited powers of knowledge and perception (Jnana Indriya-s) which operates both in dreams and waking:

17. Srotra: limited power of hearing.

18. Tvak: limited power of feeling by touch.

19. Chakshu: limited power of seeing.

20. Jihva: limited power of tasting.

21. ghrana: limited power of smelling.

The instruments of mental functioning also employ powers of limited action (Karma Indriya-s) which operate both in dreams and waking:

22. Vak: limited power of speech.

23. Pani: limited power of grasping and handling.

24. Pada: limited power of locomotion.

25. Payu: limited power of excretion.

26. Upastha: limited power of creation (procreation to be exact).

Here are the Subtle Elements (Tanmatra-s) that make up subtle dream objects, that are perceived and acted upon by the Jnana Indriya-s and Karma Indriya-s.

27. Shabda Tanmatra: sound-as-such.

28. Sparsha Tanmatra: touch-as-such.

29. Rupa Tanmatra: color-as-such.

30. Rasa Tanmatra: taste-as-such.

31. Gandha Tanmatra: smell-as-such.

GROSS PHYSICAL PLANE & WAKING STATE

Here are basic physical elements that make up physical objects (Bhuta-s) that are perceived by the powers of perception (Jnana Indriya-s), and acted upon by the powers of actions (Karma Indriya-s). This includes not only outside objects like cars and rocks, but also our bodies and the organs of perception and action by which we interact with those physical objects.

32. Akasha: space.

33. Vaya: air or gas.

34. Agni: fire

35. Ap: liquids

36. Prithivi: solids

SADADHVAN (6 Paths)

The 36 Tattvas are the principles of creation. These principles actually are part of a larger descriptive framework that includes lists of the worlds that are actually created according to these principles, and the subjective process by which these worlds arise from cosmic consciousness..

[Inderpal1994]

This is beautiful. 

Thank you.

[GurjantGnostic]

13 hours ago, Inderpal1994 said:

This is beautiful. 

Thank you.

You'd probably like lester levenson then. 

[Inderpal1994]

6 hours ago, GurjantGnostic said:

You'd probably like lester levenson then. 

Who's that?

[GurjantGnostic]

8 hours ago, Inderpal1994 said:

Who's that?

American physicist who discovered the above information directly.