THE ŚAIVA-DARŚANA.
Certain, however, of the Máheśvara sect receiving the system of truth authoritatively laid down in the Śaiva Ágama,[112] reject the foregoing opinion that "the Supreme Being is a cause as independent of our actions, &c.," on the ground of its being liable to the imputation of partiality and cruelty. They, on the contrary, hold the opinion that "the Supreme Being is a cause in dependence on our actions, &c.;" and they maintain that there are three categories distinguished as the Lord, the soul, and the world (or literally "the master," "the cattle," and "the fetter"). As has been said by those well versed in the Tantra doctrines—
"The Guru of the world, having first condensed in one sútra the great tantra, possessed of three categories and four feet, has again declared the same at full length."
The meaning of this is as follows:—Its three categories are the three before mentioned; its four feet are learning, ceremonial action, meditation, and morality, hence it is called the great Tantra, possessed of three categories and four feet. Now the "souls" are not independent, and the "fetters" are unintelligent, hence the Lord, as being different from these, is first declared; next follows the account of the souls as they agree with him in possessing intelligence; lastly follow the "fetters" or matter, such is the order of the arrangement.[113] Since the ceremony of initiation is the means to the highest human end, and this cannot be accomplished without knowledge which establishes the undoubted greatness of the hymns, the Lords of the hymns, &c., and is a means for the ascertainment of the real nature of the "cattle," the "fetter," and the "master," we place as first the "foot" of knowledge (jñána) which makes known all this unto us.[114] Next follows the "foot" of ceremonial action (kriyá) which declares the various rules of initiation with the divers component parts thereof. Without meditation the end cannot be attained, hence the "foot" of meditation (yoga) follows next, which declares the various kinds of yoga with their several parts. And as meditation is worthless without practice, i.e., the fulfilling what is enjoined and the abstaining from what is forbidden, lastly follows the fourth "foot" of practical duty (charyá), which includes all this.
Now Śiva is held to be the Lord (or master). Although participation in the divine nature of Śiva belongs to liberated souls and to such beings as Vidyeśvara, &c., yet these are not independent, since they depend on the Supreme Being; and the nature of an effect is recognised to belong to the worlds, &c., which resemble him, from the very fact of the orderly arrangement of their parts. And from their thus being effects we infer that they must have been caused by an intelligent being. By the strength of this inference is the universal acknowledgment of a Supreme Being confirmed.
"But may we not object that it is not proved that the body is thus an effect? for certainly none has ever, at any time or place, seen a body being made by any one." We grant it: yet it is not proper to deny that a body has some maker on the ground that its being made has not been seen by any one, since this can be established from inference [if not from actual perception]. Bodies, &c., must be effects, because they possess an orderly arrangement of parts, or because they are destructible, as jars, &c.; and from their being effects it is easy to infer that they must have been caused by an intelligent being. Thus the subject in the argument [sc. bodies, &c.] must have had a maker, from the fact that it is an effect, like jars, &c.; that which has the afore-mentioned middle term (sádhana) must have the afore-mentioned major (sádhya); and that which has not the former will not have the latter, as the soul, &c.[115] The argument which establishes the authority of the original inference to prove a Supreme Being has been given elsewhere, so we refrain from giving it at length here. In fact, that God is the universal agent, but not irrespective of the actions done by living beings, is proved by the current verse[116]—
"This ignorant jívátman, incapable of its own true pleasures or pains, if it were only under God's direction [and its own merits not taken into account], would always go to heaven or always to hell."[117]
Nor can you object that this opinion violates God's independence, since it does not really violate an agent's independence to allow that he does not act irrespectively of means; just as we say that the king's bounty shows itself in gifts, but these are not irrespective of his treasurer. As has been said by the Siddha Guru—
"It belongs to independence to be uncontrolled and itself to employ means, &c.;
"This is an agent's true independence, and not the acting irrespectively of works, &c."
And thus we conclude that inference (as well as Śruti) establishes the existence of an agent who knows the various fruits [of action], their means, material causes, &c., according to the laws of the various individual merits. This has been thus declared by the venerable Bṛihaspati—
"He who knows the fruits to be enjoyed, their means and material causes,—
"Apart from him this world knows not how the desert that resides in accumulated actions should ripen."—
"The universe is the subject of our argument, and it must have had an intelligent maker,
"This we maintain from its being an effect, just as we see in any other effect, as jars, &c."
God's omniscience also is proved from his being identical with everything, and also from the fact that an ignorant being cannot produce a thing.[118] This has been said by the illustrious Mṛigendra[119]—
"He is omniscient from his being the maker of all things: for it is an established principle
"That he only can make a thing who knows it with its means, parts, and end."
"Well," our opponents may say, "we concede that God is an independent maker, but then he has no body.[120] Now experience shows that all effects, as jars, &c., are produced by beings possessed of bodies, as potters, &c.; but if God were possessed of a body, then he would be like us subject to trouble, and no longer be omniscient or omnipotent." We, however, deny this, for we see that the incorporeal soul does still produce motion, &c., in its associated body; moreover, even though we conceded that God did possess a body, we should still maintain that the alleged defects would not necessarily ensue. The Supreme Being, as he has no possible connection with the fetters of matter, such as mala,[121] action, &c., cannot have a material body, but only a body of pure energy (Sákta),[122] since we know that his body is composed of the five hymns which are forms of Śakti, according to the well-known text: "The Supreme has the Iśána as his head, the Tatpurusha as his mouth, the Aghora as his heart, the Vámedeva as his secret parts, and the Sadyojáta as his feet."[123] And this body, created according to his own will, is not like our bodies, but is the cause of the five operations of the Supreme, which are respectively grace, obscuration, destruction, preservation, and production.[124] This has been said in the Śrímat Mṛigendra—
"From the impossibility of its possessing mala, &c., the body of the Supreme is of pure energy, and not like ours."
And it has also been said elsewhere—
"His body is composed of the five mantras which are subservient to the five operations,
"And his head, &c., are formed out of the Ísa, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Váma, and other hymns."
If you object to this view that "such passages in the Ágamas as 'He is five-faced and fifteen-eyed,' assert prominently the fact that the Supreme Being is endowed with a body, organs, &c.," we concede what you say, but we maintain that there is no contradiction in his assuming such forms to show his mercy to his devoted servants, since meditation, worship, &c., are impossible towards a Being entirely destitute of form. This has been said in the Paushkara—
"This form of his is mentioned for the preservation of the devotee."
And similarly elsewhere—
"Thou art to be worshipped according to rule as possessed of form;
"For the understanding cannot reach to a formless object."
Bhojarája[125] has thus detailed the five operations—
"Fivefold are his operations, creation, preservation, destruction, and obscuration,
"And to these must be added the active grace of him who is eternally exalted."
Now these five operations, in the view of the pure Path, are held to be performed directly by Śiva, but in that of the toilsome Path they are ascribed to Ananta,[126] as is declared in the Śrímat Karaṇa[127]—
"In the Pure Path Śiva is declared to be the only agent, but Ananta in that which is opposed to the One Supreme."
It must here be understood that the word Śiva includes in its proper meaning "the Lord," all those who have attained to the state of Śiva, as the Lords of the Mantras, Maheśwara, the emancipated souls who have become Śivas, and the inspired teachers (váchakas), together with all the various means, as initiation, &c., for obtaining the state of Śiva. Thus has been explained the first category, the Lord (pati).
We now proceed to explain the second category, the soul (paśu). The individual soul which is also known by such synonyms as the non-atomic,[128] the Kshetrajña, or knower of the body,[129] &c., is the Paśu. For we must not say with the Chárvákas that it is the same as the body, since on this view we could not account for memory, as there is a proverb that one man cannot remember what another has seen. Nor may we say with the Naiyáyikas that it is cognisable by perception,[130] as this would involve an ad infinitum regressus. As has been said—
"If the soul were cognisable, there would need to be again a second knower;[131]
"And this would require another still, if the second were itself to be known."
Nor must we hold it non-pervading with the Jainas, nor momentary with the Bauddhas, since it is not limited by space or time. As has been said—
"That object which is unlimited in its nature by space or time,
"They hold to be eternal and pervading,—hence the soul's all-pervadingness and eternity."
Nor may we say with the Vedántin that it is only one, since the apportionment of different fruits proves that there are many individual souls; nor with the Sánkhyas that it is devoid of action, since, when all the various "fetters" are removed, Śruti informs us of a state of identity with Śiva, which consists in intelligence in the form of an eternal and infinite vision and action.[132] This has been declared in the Śrímat Mṛigendra—
"It is revealed that identity with Śiva results when all fetters are removed."
And again—
"Intelligence consists in vision and action, and since in his soul
"This exists always and on every side, therefore, after liberation, Śruti calls it that which faces every way."
It is also said in the Tattva-prakáśa—
"The liberated souls are themselves Śivas, but these are liberated by his favour;
"He is to be known as the one eternally liberated, whose body is the five Mantras."
Now the souls are threefold, as denominated vijñánákaláḥ, pralayákaláḥ, and sakaláḥ.[133] (a.) The first are those who are under the influence of mala only, since their actions are cancelled by receiving their proper fruits, or by abstraction, contemplation, and knowledge, and since they have no "fetters" in the form of enjoyments, such as kalá, &c. (which fetters would, however, be the cause of cancelling actions by bringing about their proper fruit). (b.) The second are those who are under the influence of mala and karman, since in their case kalá, &c., are destroyed by mundane destructions, hence their name pralayákala. (c.) The third are those who are bound in the three fetters of mala, máyá, and karman, hence their name sakala. The first class are again subdivided into samápta-kalusháḥ and asamápta-kalusháḥ, according as their inherent corruption is perfectly exhausted or not. The former,—having received the mature penalties of their corruptions,—are now, as foremost of men and worthy of the privilege, raised by Śiva's favour to the rank of the Lords of Knowledge (the Vidyeśvaras), Ananta, and the rest. This ogdoad of the Lords of Knowledge is described in the Bahudaivatya—
"Ananta, and Súkshma, and Śivottama,
"Ekanetra, and again Ekarudra and Trimúrttika,
"Śríkaṇṭha and Śikhaṇḍin,—these are declared to be the Vidyeśvaras."
The latter Śiva, in his mercy, raises to the rank of the seventy million Mantras.[134] All this is explained in the Tattva-prakáśa.[135] Similarly Soma-Śambhu has said—
"One class is named vijñánákala, the second pralayákala,
"The third sakala,—these are the three whom the Śástra regards as objects of mercy.
"The first is united to mala alone, the second to mala and karma,
"The third are united to all the tattvas beginning with kalá and ending with 'earth.'"[136]
The Pralayákaláḥ are also twofold, as being pakvapáśadvaya or not, i.e., those in whom the two remaining fetters are matured, and those in whom they are not. The former attain liberation, but the latter, by the power of karman, are endowed with the puryashṭaka[137] body, and pass through various births. As has been said in the Tattva-prakáśa—
"Those among the Pralayákalas whose karman and mala are immature,
"Go, united with the puryashṭaka body, into many births by the power of karman."
The puryashṭaka is also thus described in the same work—
"The puryashṭaka is composed of the internal organ, thought (dhí), karman, and the instruments."
This is thus explained by Aghora Śiva Áchárya, "the puryashṭaka is a subtile body apportioned to each individual soul, which continues from the creation until the close of the kalpa, or until liberation: it is composed of the thirty[138] tattvas beginning with 'earth' and ending with kalá." As has been said in the Tattva-sangraha—
"This set of tattvas, commencing with 'earth' and ending with kalá, is assigned to each soul,
"And wanders by the law of karman through all the bodies produced by the world."
The following is the full meaning of this passage:—The word "internal organ," which properly includes "mind," "intelligence," "egoism," and "reason,"[139] includes also the seven tattvas which enter into the production of enjoyment [or experience], viz., those called kalá, time, fate, knowledge, concupiscence, nature, and quality;[140] the words "thought" (dhí) and karman signify the five cognisable gross elements, and their originators, the subtile rudiments. By the word "instruments" are comprehended the ten organs of sense and action.
"But is it not declared in the Śrímat Kálottara that 'The set of five, sound, touch, form, taste and smell, intelligence, mind and egoism, these constitute the puryashṭaka?'"
How, then, can any different account be maintained? We grant this, and hence the venerable Ráma Kaṇṭha has explained that sútra in its literal meaning [i. e., as puryashṭaka, is derived from ashṭa, "eight">[, so why should we be prolix in the discussion? Still, if you ask how we can reconcile our account with the strict nominal definition of puryashṭaka, we reply that there is really no contradiction, as we maintain that it is composed of a set of eight in the following manner:—(1.) The five elements; (2.) the five rudiments; (3.) the five organs of knowledge; (4.) those of action; (5.) the fourfold internal organ; (6.) their instrument;[141] (7.) nature [prakṛiti]; and (8.) the class composed of the five, beginning with kalá, which form a kind of case.[142]
Now in the case of some of those souls who are joined to the puryashṭaka body, Maheśvara Ananta having compassionated them as possessed of peculiar merit, constitutes them here as lords of the world; as has been said—
"Maheśvara pities some and grants them to be lords of the world."
The class called sakala is also divided into two, as pakvakalusha and apakvakalusha. As for the former, the Supreme Being, in conformity with their maturity (paripáka), puts forth a power agreeable thereto, and transfers them to the position of the hundred and eighteen Lords of the Mantras, signified by the words Maṇḍalí, &c., as has been said—
"The rest are denominated sakala, from their connection with Kalá, &c., seized by time whose mouths are days;
"The Supreme of his own will makes one hundred and eighteen of these the Lords of the Mantras.
"Eight of these are called Maṇḍalins; eight again are Krodha, &c.;
"Víreśa, Śríkaṇṭha, and the hundred Rudras,—these together are the hundred and eighteen."
In their case again, the Supreme, having assumed the form of a teacher, stops the continued accession of maturity and contracts his manifested power, and ultimately grants to them liberation by the process of initiation; as has been said—
"These creatures whose mala is matured, by putting forth a healing power,
"He, assuming the form of a teacher, unites by initiation to the highest principle."
It is also said in the Srímad Mṛigendra—
"He removes from that infinitesimal soul all the bonds which previously exerted a contrary influence over it."[143]
All this has been explained at great length by Náráyaṇa-Kaṇṭha, and there it is to be studied; but we are obliged to pass on through fear of prolixity.
But as for the second class, or those called apakvakalusha, the Supreme Being, as impelled by the desert of their respective actions, appoints them, as bound and endued with infinitesimal bodies, to enjoy the rewards of their previous actions.[144] As has been said—
"The other souls, bound [in their material bonds] he appoints to enjoy their various deserts,
"According to their respective actions: such are the various kinds of souls."
We now proceed to describe the third category, matter (or páśa). This is fourfold, mala,[1] karman, máyá, and rodha-śakti.[145] But it may be objected, "Is it not said in the Śaiva Ágamas that the chief things are the Lord, souls, and matter? Now the Lord has been shown to mean Śiva, 'souls' mean atoms (or beings endowed with atomic bodies), and matter (or 'bond') is said to be the pentad,[146] hence matter will be fivefold. How then is it now reckoned to be only fourfold?" To this we reply as follows:—Although the vindu or nasal dot, which is the germinal atom of máyá, and is called a Śiva-tattva, may be well regarded as material in comparison with the highest liberation as defined by the attainment of the state of Śiva, still it cannot really be considered as matter when we remember that it is a secondary kind of liberation as causing the attainment of the state of such deities as Vidyeśvara, &c. Thus we see there is no contradiction. Hence it has been said in the Tattva-prakáśa—
"The bonds of matter will be fourfold."
And again in the Srímad Mṛigendra—
"The enveloper-controller (mala), the overpowerer (rodha), action, and the work of Máyá,
"These are the four 'bonds,' and they are collectively called by the name of 'merit.'"
The following is the meaning of this couplet:—
(1.) "Enveloping," because mala exceedingly obscures and veils the soul's powers of vision and action; "controlling," because mala, a natural impurity, controls the soul by its independent influence. As has been said—
"Mala, though itself one, by manifold influence interrupts the soul's vision and action;
"It is to be regarded as the husk in rice or rust on copper."[147]
(2.) The "overpowerer" is the obscuring power; this is called a "bond" [or matter] in a metaphorical sense, since this energy of Śiva obscures the soul by superintending matter [rather than by itself partaking of the nature of matter].
Thus it has been said—
"Of these I am the chief energy, and the gracious friend of all,
"I am metaphorically called páśa,[148] because I follow desert."
(3.) Action [or rather its consequences, karman] as being performed by those who desire the fruit. It is in the form of merit or demerit, like the seed and shoot, and it is eternal in a never-beginning series. As has been said in the Śrímat Kiraṇa—
"As Mala has no beginning, its least actions are beginningless:
"If an eternal character is thus established, then what cause could produce any change therein?"
(4.) "Máyá," because herein as an energy of the Divine Being all the world is potentially contained (máti) at a mundane destruction, and again at a creation it all comes (yáti) into manifestation, hence the derivation of the name. This has been said in the Śrímat Saurabheya—
"The effects, as a form of the Divine energy, are absorbed therein at a mundane destruction,
"And again at a renovation it is manifested anew in the form of effects as kalá, &c."[149]
Although much more might be added on this topic, yet we stop here through fear of extending this treatise too far. Thus have the three categories been declared,—the Lord, the soul, and matter.
A different mode of treating the subject is found in the Jñánaratnávalí, &c., in such lines as—
"The Lord, knowledge, ignorance, the soul, matter, and the cause
"Of the cessation thereof,—these are collectively the six categories."
But our readers must seek for full information from the work itself. Thus our account of the system is complete.
E. B. C.