Basic Vocabulary

Tripurā: The goddess who stands for all that can be conceptualized, that is visible, and the absolute, pure consciousness, that transcends the world that is manifest in the triadic structure of the subject, object, and cognition.

Rahasya: Esoteric teachings. The teachings that are shared in private.

Samvit, citi, caitanya: Consciousness, pure consciousness.

Jñāna: realization, recognition.

Māhātmya: Glory, narratives to contextualize the teachings.

Arcā: Worship.

Prakāśa: Light, illumination, consciousness.

Vimarśa: Reflection, reflexivity, realization, dialogue.

Śrī Cakra: The geometric design for the visualization of Tripurā and her emanations.

Dīkṣā: Initiation

Synonyms of Tripurā: Lalitā, Tripurasundarī, Śrī Vidyā, Kāmeśvarī.

Pūrṇa Ahantā: Complete I-amness; the consciousness that envelops all that exists.

Pratyabhijñā: Recognition; the realization that there is no difference among the world, the God, and the individual self.

Glossary

Created by Yuri D. Wolf

abhāsa: appearance, fruit of Consciousness' power (māyā) to shine as object and multiplicity, manifestation of incompleteness (apūrṇatā) in a bonded, incomplete, not-full point of view. Or else, the shining of pure Consciousness itself, as the foundation of all experience in the form of the triad (objects, the means of their cognition, and the cognizer).

aham: literally, "I" or "I-consciousness". One of the supreme mantras of non-duality, comprising all the Sanskrit alphabet, from A (the first vocal) to HA (the last consonant) and the bindu (Ṁ) the unity that fuses both prakāśa (illumination) and vimarśa (reflexivity), two modes of Consciousness that allows it to be self aware, and that are fused in nara (the individual self). This triangle is the foundation of all experiences.

ānanda: bliss, the state of joy that is innate to Consciousness and does not depend on any external object (like usual happiness).

anavasthita tarka: unstable reasoning destituted of discernment/insight. Which has no point, objective, final positioning, nothing to defend. Pure vandalism (vitaṇḍā), not to prove anything, but applied only to reject everything.

anāśvāsa: lack of faith that leads to doubt (of the truth manifested in one's reality) and opposite cognition (negation) of that reality. Condition that keeps people bonded, away from realizing their true nature.

anupādana: a synonym to autonomy. It is the capacity of Consciousness not to require any material or instrumental cause for actualizing something.

aparokṣa: "not indirect awareness" direct apprehension of consciousness, when the adept is able to observe the different states of his/her own consciousness.

arcām: worship. In this context, the worship of Tripurā Sundarī. Worship of Pure Consciousness by Pure Consciousness by the means of Pure Consciousness, with the single purpose to recognize one's own true nature while still enjoying being engaged in the world.

astitā: "isness", being, the self-manifestion of the luminosity of Consciousness.

atarka: the abandoning of reasoning. A product of the misuse of tarka, when one abandons the proper reasoning given by the Divine Grace and closes the windows of rationality.

ātmā: the very self of all the living beings.

avasthā: "descending [of the Consciouness in its pristine form] to a specific location", a term do designate the different states of consciousness. The way the dynamic aspect of the Consciousness engages itself in the manifold (while still the foundation of all of them). The analysis of avasthā is one of the most important pillars of the Tripurā studies and is the base to the apprehension of the very nature of Consciousness, which is the same as the Self. It is itself Tripurā.

avidyā: ignorance.

bhānam: following its use in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (1.2.4), the inner reflexive mode of illumination, the very illuminating power of Consciousness.

bhāvana: visualization, construction, a constitution of reality. It is not used to create something new, but applied to confront the illusion of diversity, of intrinsic contradictions among entities. It is the exercise of exploring the horizons of the imagination, which is the power of constituting reality.

bhedābheda: term that describes the capacity of Conciousness to comprise difference (bheda) and non-difference (abheda) at the same time.

buddhi: intellect.

cakras: centers of energy in the subtle body. They can be constructed freely according to the darśanas or to the specific practices selected by the adept. It is a process of constitution by means of fantasy (bhāvana).

camatkāra: the wonder or amazement of consciousness' self-savoring.

citi: the very pure Consciousness, spoken of as feminine; a synonym to mahāsattā.

cit-śakti: the Divine power of Consciousness.

deity yoga: visualization of the very image of the Goddess. Can be done in three different levels. Apara (non-supreme), in iconic form (the infinite variety of visualizations). It is the beginning of creating orientedness of Consciouness to visualize abstract things. Parāpara (intermediate), in which the adept uses his own body as the template for the Deity's body, with the mantras, phonemes, geometric designs and so on. And para (supreme) or cinmātra (consciousness only), envisioning Consciousness as the self and the self as Consciousness.

deśakrama: unfolding/sequence in space. Spacial sucession. (See also ṣaḍadhvan).

dhyānam: meditation, visualization, to pay attention to something, to reflect, to contemplate upon something.

Gāyatrī: vedic goddess which personifies speech (vāk). Usually identified as an expression of Sarasvatī. In this context, Tripurā is recognized as Gāyatrī to make sure the adept recognize the oneness between the speech and Tripurā, to allow us to recognize the mantric structure of the Goddess.

grahaṇa: the process of cognition

grahya: object of cognition.

grāhaka: the subject.

icchā śakti: divine power of volition, will.

jagrat: waking state of consciousness. Attentive mode of consciousness. It is characterized by cognition of gross (sthūla) external objects, which causes diferentiation. Always-fresh awareness.

jñāna śakti: divine power of cognition.

kālakrama: unfolding/sequence in terms of time. Temporal succession. (See also ṣaḍadhvan).

Kāmeśvarī: Goddess of Desire, depicted in the text with many characteristics, like the 5 arrows in the form of flowers (that represent the 5 senses) and the bow in the form of a sugar-cane (representing constant seeking of the mind for something sweet). She also bears a rope (paśa), to tie the individual soul in this endless cicle, until the constant external flux of the mind is reverted and then she becomes the Goddess of Liberation that guides the adept beyond.

krama: unfolding, sequence, the fruit of freedom (svātantrya), that gives the Consciousness the urge to find its sequence.

kriyā śakti: divine power of action, motivation, movement.

kulayāga: the recognition of one's body as the cosmos, as pure Consciousness, as both subject and object. Is it the beginning and completion of visualization practice.

levels of speech: i) vaikharī, the externalized" level, uttered, scattered words. ii) madhyamā, "in between", intermediate level, the internal construction of speech, before articulation. Objectified, but not yet externalized. When we are aware of the speech before it is externalized. iii) paśyantī, "visionary", the parāparā level, where the speech sees itself (self-aware), without full objectification, but with some sort of object. It is seen by means of intuition. No clear cut difference between the word and its reference. iv) parā, "supreme" level, wherein Consciousness and Speech are no separate entities. No speech per say, no articulation, because it cannot be seen (in the sense of how our organ faculties see the objects), it is only the act of see. The basis for all expressions.

mahāsattā: the primordial universal being, the essence of everything that exists. It is the capacity of being that all beings have. The core of being, unfragmented in all the myriad forms of becoming. That's the very being, which is endowed with the absolute autonomy. The Goddess that is called Parameśvarī, she who is the supreme ruler, who is capable of doing everything.

maṇḍala: geometric constructions that represent the Deity and its energies. It serves as a transition between the Deity image and the phonemes (mantras).

māyā: the magical power of the Divine that manifests the multiplicity and which impedes the adept to apprehend his/her own true form (svatmānam).

moha: delusion, a product of avidyā mixed with unstable mind.

nirvikalpa samādhi: state of absorption, free from all mental constructions.

niyati: power of the Divine that drives/controls all the manifold.

nyāsa: practice of recognizing the body of the Deity in our own body, by means of installation/imposition of distinct phonemes in specific parts of the body of the adept.

parāciti: Supreme Consciousness, spoken of as feminine. (See also citi).

Parameśvara vibhu: the All-Permeating one, which is akrama (non-sequencial) and which his own freedom is based on finding his own paradoxical nature of sequence.

prakāśa: pure illumination, the essence of Consciousness.

pramatṛ: the subject.

prameya: the object of cognition.

pramāṇa: means of cognition/knowledge, like many the examples perception, inference, verbal testimony, analogy, negation, an so on, as per given in śāstras.

pratibimba: reflection/mirroring. The reflexion of Consciousness in the mirror of its own luminosity, the Divine play of prakāśa and vimarśa.

pratyāhāra: the withdrawal of the sensory faculties, for purification of the mind, returning from its external orientation.

pratyavijñāna: the recognitive mode of consciousness, when the subject comes to full awareness of all states (avasthā). The recognition of the Consciousness in assuming the manifold, becoming the diversified multiplicity, while still retaining its pristine form. This is the absolute autonomy of Consciousness, the base of Tripurā visualizations, which allow the adept to trace Consciousness back to its foundationg by means of its creative power and its actions.

prāṇāyāma: control of the vital breath.

pūrṇatā: fullness/completness/plenitude. What we are all seeking in all moments of satisfaction, and which is found in the recognition of the source of the satisfaction: the very Self (pure consciousness, free of conditions, endowed with the powers of will, cognition and action).

ṣaḍadhvan: the sixfold path of the universe and liberation, divided in two groups of three: varṇa (phonemes), pada (words) and mantra (sentences) in the path of time (kālādhvan); kalā (enclosures), tattva (elements) and bhuvana (worlds) in the path of space (deśādhvan).

sādhaka: the adept, practitioner.

sādhanā: means to siddhi, practices to lift up the individual consciousness to a higher reality which is already there.

śaktipāta: literally "falling of Powers", usually translated as grace, in the form of reflexive turn to one's own true essential nature. Happens when the potencies one holds are turned inwards instead of seeking for realization outside. The constant flow of energies from the Divine Collectiveness (Śiva) that give individuals the will to reflect back their completeness and start questioning who they really are.

śāktopāya: one of the 4 means of self-realization (as organized by Abhinavagupta). In this, considering that the adept is dealing with the external movement of consciousness flowing and grasping the objects, and also considering that the mind merges and mixes itself with the externals, it receives the qualities of them. So, in order to reach Consciousness' most pristine form, this upāya comprises the practices that regard purification of the mind in a gradual progression towards dynamic pure Consciousness.

samādhi: as defined in Tripurārahasya, it is the highest state of consciousness, characterized as nirvikalpaka (free of conceptualizations), the absence of the reflexive mode of consciousness (vimarśa).

saṃvid: consciousness.

saṅkalpa: correct determination. Required for the adept to cultivate his/hers own pure/free will, that allows him/her to go deeper and deeper in the process of self inquiry. When it is strong enough, it is called satya saṅkalpa and also overcomes any deviation that niyati could have reserved for him.

sañkoca: contraction, limitation, the opposite of blossoming. When all the Divine powers/potentials have been retrieved from their active mode, which characterizes the individual soul. It is the movement Consciousness executes by means of its magical power (māyā) due to its absolute autonomy/will (svātantrya) in its processes of manifesting itself as of the manifold.

sat-tarka: valid, correct, conductive reasoning, which is the source of true śraddhā.

satsaṅga: the first step for the yogic journey, the company of good/virtuous/like minded people, that inspire and instruct the adept in the self reflection.

siddhi: perfection, the ascertainment of the self. First separating/negating external objects, body, mind, ego, until the essence of being is reached. After that, everything is reaffirmed as different aspects of the Universal Consciousness.

Śiva: the very auspicious, pacific, serene state. The essence of all living beings (ātmā).

spanda: universal vibration, inner pulsation (higher order) of Consciousness, the core of experience.

śraddhā: faith in the sense of a positive inquiry which implicates tremendous surrendering to the Truth, that it is rationally derived in form of tarka (the superior reasoning).

śreyas: glory, achievement, absolute satisfaction, liberation.

Śrīyantra: geometric composition for the visualization of the triadic structures, in 9-fold cycles (or layers): 3 corresponding to sṛṣṭi (creation), 3 to sthiti (sustenance) and 3 to saṃhāra (submergence). Internal variations of this geometric structure occur according to different saṃpradāyas (tradition).

suṣupti: deep sleep state of consciousness. Experience of the I without objectivity. Dissolution of mind. No discrimination (viveka). The great void (mahāśūnya). It is characterized by nāsti (nothing is revealed), or what reveals is a pure negation of any manifestation.

svabhāva: inherent nature of Being.

svapna: dreaming state of consciousness. Internal constructions, no separations between the thoughts and objects.

svātantrya: absolute freedom/autonomy of Universal Consciousness. The capacity of acting without depending on anything else. It is not the effect of anything, but the cause of all things. The core of all potentialities inherent to Consciousness, what makes it non-objectifiable, beyond conceptualization. It is the power that Consciousness has to constitute the manifold (the One to become many). So, it is what makes possible for the only subject to become many subjects and objects. What allows the intersubjective engagement by means of speech and also enjoyment/bliss of recognizing of one's presence in the world.

tapas: ardour in practices, austerities to control impulses.

tarka: rational inquiry, superior reasoning, which leads the adept to liberation. According to āgamas, It is one of the main limbs of Yoga, above to all practices.

Tripurā: "she who is beyond the triads" (as in the triad of subject/cognizer, object/cognized and cognition/the act of cognizing). Or "she who manifests in the form of the triads" (which means she is both immanent as the manifold manifestation, and transcend, Pure Consciousness, with no begging or end).

upāsanā: “sitting near”, this term is used to assemble a set of practices. In this context specifically, it is the visualization of meditative discourses.

upāya: means to correct one's orientation towards the truth and to develop inner reflexive consciousness, which leads to liberation.

vairagya: dispassion. The required curbing of one's driving away from the external orientation.

vicāra: rational inquiry. Is a product of total surrender to the Divinity (one's own Pure Consciousness).

vijñāna: cognition endowed with image (sakara) or devoid of image (nirākara).

vikalpa: thought construct, which gives rise to knowledge of the manyfold.

vimarśa: reflexing mode of Consciousness, when it cognizes itself (self-awareness); being conscious of our own consciousness.

viśranti: the resting of Consciousness in its own true nature, its own pristine form. It is the opposite way of manifestation.

viveka: discerning insight. What makes possible to control destructive emotions (like anger and hatred), and what allows the begging of the quest for self realization.

Some extra vocabulary connected to the Goddess' visualizations:

akṣamālā: counting beads

antaḥstha: literally, 'located within'. A term generally used in visualization descriptions.

cinmudrā: gesture with the hands that represent consciousness.

ḍamaru: drum

gadā: mace

kamandalu: water pitcher

kapalam: skull

mṛga: deer

pankajatam: lotus flower

paraśvadha: axe

śaṅkha: conch

śara: arrows

sudarśana: the Divine discus

śulam: spear

varamudrās: hand gesture of granting boons