Summary of class 1 - Essential Spanda: The Heart of Trika Philosophy

“Pulsation, vibration, spontaneity, freedom, autonomy … are the words that best describe the philosophy of Spanda.”

During the first lecture of the "Essential Spanda: The Heart of Trika Philosophy" course, Ācāryajī gave his first class on Spanda.  Spanda is a branch within Kashmir Śaivism, a school of non-dual teachings derived from the Āgamas.  In this first class, Ācāryajī laid out the framework of the course by explaining Spanda’s connection with Advaita Vedānta, its relation to Śakti (Dynamic Universal Energy), important Spanda texts and their commentaries, and the practicality of Spanda in everyday life.  Acharyaji also explains key concepts and terms like Vimarśa, Prakāśa, Purnāhaṃtā, and Viśvātmā, which are central concepts in Kashmir Śaivism and Śākta philosophy.

Spanda and Advaita Philosophy

Spanda describes the nature of consciousness as free and pulsating.  Consciousness continuously vibrates in a folding and unfolding, projection, and internalization of awareness. This consciousness is described as a single luminosity, and in its singularity, it is similar to the Advaita (non-dual) Vedānta philosophy of Ādi Śaṅkara.  However, when describing the nature of consciousness, Spanda and Śaṅkara’s Advaita take two separate paths.  In Advaita Vedānta, consciousness does not have self-recognition; however, in Spanda, it does.  This self-recognition is called “Vimarśa,” which is an important characteristic of Śakti.

Śakti

Śakti or Dynamic Consciousness has two main characteristics, Prakāśa and Vimarśa.  Prakāśa describes consciousness as pure light, and Vimarśa describes its ability to be self-aware and free.  In Spanda, Shakti plays a primary role, and this traces its roots back to Krama and Mahārtha, the radical philosophy of the Divine Feminine that is described as Kālī.  The practitioners of this path would come to these realizations from their everyday meditations, which ultimately connect Tantrik philosophy to its practice.

Spanda also explains how the luminous flow of Śakti gives rise to the 36 categories or tattvas.  In this, the process and the goal are one.  The vibration of Spanda is expressed poetically in the texts through the unmīlina (opening) and mīlina (closing) of the eyes of Śiva, where the eyes are used as a metaphor of consciousness.

Spanda Texts and Commentaries

The Vedas explain that the Absolute pulsates, and through referencing this, various Ācāryas have written commentaries on the philosophy of Spanda.  Rājānaka Rāma says that there is the real and unreal; however, that gives rise to a dualistic approach.  Utpaladeva says that the various modes of experience represent the transformation of the absolute into materiality.  In this course, we will be following the commentary of Kshemaraja and the Spanda Kārikā text.

Concepts within Spanda Philosophy

To better understand Spanda, we must have a firm understanding of the various terms that describe the nature of consciousness in Kashmir Śaivism:

Vimarśa: Vimarśa comes from the root words of Vi or Vividha Rupa (in the manifold way) and Mrś, which refers to touch in the manifold forms.  Vimarśa recognizes its fullness.  It is a tactile flow of consciousness that realizes its nature as Ānanda, which is known as bliss, but in this context, Ānanda refers to consciousness’s nature as fullness.  

Prakāśa: is light/luminosity.  From this, the triadic structure of Jñāna (knowledge), Kriyā (action), and Icchā (willpower) Shakti emerges.  In Spanda, Jñāna is an active mode of consciousness which has agency; it is not a static process without agency, like in Advaita Vedānta. 

Purnāhaṃtā:  Full, complete “I am-ness”.  It is a category that helps the Ācāryas explain liberation and bondage.  We are bound due to limited knowledge and agency.  We think our pain is different from others, but the more one is boundless and complete, others’ pain and pleasures become ours, and we experience compassion.

Pratibimba: refers to a reflection, in how dynamic Consciousness reflects itself into the material world.  

Ābhāsa: In Śaṅkara’s philosophy, concepts of Ābhāsa (an appearance or manifestation) and Pratibimba are interpreted to mean that the material world is an illusory and fallacious semblance of consciousness.

Pratibhijñā - Process of recognizing one’s true nature. This is a process of mirroring Śiva or reality.

At the end of the discourse, Ācāryajī explains that the goal is to experience the concept of viśvātmā, which is the totality of existence where we experience ourselves as Spanda or pure, dynamic, luminous vibration completely as Śiva.

Tune in this Sunday at 11:00am EST for lecture number two on Spanda: The Heart of Trika Philosophy.  To register, click the link below:

https://www.vimarshafoundation.org/challenge-page/spanda