Banner photo: Srinagar, where abhinava Gupta lived with the sacred hil of Sik parvata inthe background ‘This isa follow-up post to "Who was Abhinava Gupta? (http://www.tantrikstudies.org/blog/2015/12/20/who-was-abhinava-gupta)" In this post | discuss some of Abhinava's major writings, after presenting a new translation of his Fifteen Verses on Awakening (Bodha-paricadasika).I translated from the critical edition prepared by Christopher Tompkins, as well as borrowing a few fe ‘ous phrases from his translation (though we differ on some points). ‘There is a radiance that remains undimmed through all moments of light and darkness; the One within, the end of all light and all darkness. 1 That One is the Highest Divinity, the innate essence ofall beings and states; for all that comes into being is nothing but the expression ofits sovereign Power. || 2 The Goddess (Energy) never wants to be separate from the One who holds Her; they are eternally one Being — as inseparable as fire and its heat. 3, That Lord is none other than Bhairava (http://www tanteikstudies.org/blog/2015/12/20/the-divine-name-bhairava- tantraaloka-195-100), whose role is to sustain (bhr) the world; for through his Power, everything exists asa reflection in the mirror ofthe Sel. 4 ‘That Supreme Goddess (Para Devi (http://www.tantrikstudies.org/blog/2015/7/31/light-on-tantra-tantrloka-11-21)) is none other than his longing to be intimately aware of his own nature, whose fullness & perfection in all beings is neither trifling nor significant. || 5 This God is eternally eager for the sweetness of love-play with this Goddess; [through it] the Lord simultaneously accomplishes the wonderfully varied creations and dissolutions [of all the objects of our experience]. || 6 vr of Recognition /! comprenenflOURERETREPARINRDhiioropny & Practice /! Apr! Sept 2017 « p about) Sign up here to stay connected. (C sown) > arene D—Autio bok Tack | Blogpage RSS (http://www tantrikstudies.org/blog/? format-rss) PogineseenitiThis Absolute [Consciousness] which accomplishes what seems impossible has autonomous sovereign awake awareness as its nature. ||7 It is said that the defining feature of insentience is a limited power of illumination; so Awareness is distinct from insentience by the fact that it is unlimited, || 8 Thus, (the cycles of] creation and dissolution are innate [to Awareness], existing as subdivisions of its inmate power of Freedom; as expressions ofits true nature. || 9 For within these [cycles] there exist an infinite variety of painful and pleasurable worlds: higher, lower, and parallel [to this one] ~ [all] aspects of this [unrestrained power of freedom to create]. || 10 The state of being ignorant of allthis is itself a construct of that Freedom. The cyclical flux [ofthis autonomous Being] is indeed terrifying to those who are unconscious. || 11 By what means [does one overcome ignorance]? Through His grace? Through the power of a mantra? Through the testimony of your guru? Or through the scriptures of the Supreme Lord? || 12 Recognition of the nature of reality is divine liberation. That state of fullness experienced by the awakened ones is taught to be jivanmukti (living liberation). | 13 (Commentator adds: Liberation is the manifestation of one’s innate freedom, bursting with wonder at the experience of the sense of ‘I encompassing, everything, ie. recognition of the nature of reality as unsurpassed consciousness.) These two states — bondage and liberation — both derive from the nature of the Highest Divinity; they are indivisible — one implies the other — for there can in reality be no division within the Highest Divinity. || 14 Thus one should cultivate & cherish Bhairava (http://www.tantrikstudies.org/blog/2015/12/20/the-divine-name-bhairava tantraaloka-195-100), dwelling within the trident-and-lotus-throne whose prongs are the powers of Willing, Knowing, and Acting. || 15 (For notes on the critical edition see below.) WHO WAS ABHINAVA GUPTA? part two -- HIS WRITINGS Abhinava lived in the cosmopolitan capital city of Srinagar (then called Pravarapura). When his disciples and friends entreated him to write the Tantrdloka (http://svww.tantrikstudies.org/blog/2015/7/20/tantrik-philosophy-for-the- layman-what-is-the-cause-of liberation), he agreed and accepted their invitation to move out of the capital to a quieter village in the valley, a village where all the inhabitants were faithful devotees of Shaivism (http: //svww.tantrikstudies.org/blog/2015/7/15/what-is-shaivism) (Yeven children and cowherds render service to God in this place,” he enthused). In this, unnamed location, in a house provided by a former government minister who had retired to devote himself to religion, Abhinava composed his great work, securing for himself a place in the world of Tantrik spirituality as prominent and significant as that of St. Thomas Aquinas in medieval Christianity. The purpose of writing the work, he said, was to “teach the truth of the Tantra tag=the+reco; awakening (/blog? ‘agra awakening) (/blog? (Peleg shaivism ee 108 ivism) chakra (/blog? tag=chakra) samskaras blog? tag=samskaras) tantra illuminated (/blog? tag=-tantra+illuminat tantra (/blog? tag=tantra) Liberation (/blog? tag=Liberation) emotions (/blog? tag-emotions) Spiritual philosophy Oblog? tag-Spiritual+philos May 2015 (/blog? month=May-2015) The Recognition Sitras (Ublog/2015/5/22/recognitionsutras) June 2015 (/blog? month=June-2015) definition ofthe word TANTRA (blog/2015/6/10/definition- of the-word:tantra) A10-cakra system from an 800-year od text (blog/2015/6/14/20- cakra-system-for- musicians) The 10-cakra system fromthrough logic and revelation. By attaining the light (dloka) of that system, people ‘may engage in all their actions joyously.” The Tantraloka (http://www.tantrikstudies.org/blog/ 2015/7/31/light-on-tantra- tantrloka-11-21) is a monumental explication of Tantrik practice and philosophy in over 5,800 verses. It is encyclopedic in its scope though not organized like an encyclopedia, for instead of just enumerating theories and practices, it brings them all into a coherent framework in which everything has its place and everything ‘makes sense in relation to the whole. Its, then, an awesome work of synthesis, which presents to the reader a vision of Saiva Tantra (http://swww.tantrikstudies.org/blog/2015/8/2/what-Is-tantea-setting,the-record straight) as a unified syste far-reaching in its scope, powerful in its cohesion, and complex yet clear in its interrelations. To accomplish this synthesis, of course, he has to explain apparent contradictions amongst the scriptures, which were originally addressed to differing audiences in varying periods. He does so by creating 2 hierarchy of understanding. For example, he explains that dualism is a valid view of reality at one level of understanding and development and that, therefore, God compassionately revealed the dualistic scriptures for those who could not yet comprehend or relate to nondualism. Nondualism, then, is both a higher understanding and experience that one can progress to. However, Abhinava argues that his own view is that of paramadvaya or “supreme nondualism.” This is the view that simultaneously encompasses and subsumes both dualism and nondualism, the view that goes completely beyond the notion of “levels of understanding,” Itis the inexpressible experience of the totality of reality in which no perspective is excluded, for each is seen as fitting into the pattern of a greater whole. However, itis very clear that in Abhinava’s view, one must carefully ascend through ever more refined levels of understanding in order to reach that all- inclusive state of no-levels. One cannot attempt to leap straight to that realm, lest all understanding decay into incoherent relativism. The Tantraloka was such a significant work that Abhinava chose to rewrite it twice, for the benefit of those who were less highly educated in the complexities of Indian philosophy. The first rewrite was The Essence of the Tantras (Tantrasara), a work mostly in prose with key summary verses at the end of each chapter. The main purpose of the Tantrasira is to summarize the Tantraloka, but the ever-fresh ‘Abhinava also adds some new material. would argue that the Tantrasira is a more important work for those with a practical interest in the Tantra, for by mostly leaving aside the discourse of intellectual logical debate that we see in the Tantraloka, Abhinava was able to write in a more tightly focused and powerful ‘manner, with (in my experience) every phrase resonating with Truth, The tone of the work is precisely what one would expect if, having discovered that the ‘Tantraloka was too difficult for most people, Abhinava thought to himself, “Okay, let's get down to the essence (sira) of what really matters here.” The result feels ‘more like a transmission than a dissertation, 1am happy to announce that I will publish the Tantrasara in my own translation in 2017. Following the Tantrasira, Abhinava composed the shortest recension of this, ‘material by taking just the summary verses of the Tantrasdra and giving a short commentary on each. This work is called the Tantroccaya. None of these works is "Jewel-mine of Music" Part 20f2 (Pblog/2015/6/16/the-10- cakra-system-fromjewel= smine-of music part2-of- 2 The purpose ofthe spiritual life (taint what yathink). Part One (Ublog/2015/6/24/the- purpose-of-the-spiritual- ife-part-one) July 2015 (/blog? month=July-2015) The purpose ofthe spiritual life PART TWO (Ublog/the-purpose-of- the-spiritual-life-part- two) Definition of spiritual (blog/2015/6/10/the simplest definition of being-awake-bodha) Do we really have the power of choice? Part ne. (/blog/2015/7/8/40- wwe-really-have-the- power-of choice-part one) owe really have the power of choice? Part Two. (blog/2015/7/8/do-we- really-have-the-power- of-choice-part-to) Whats Shaivsm? (blog/2015/7/15/owhat i-shavism) Tantrik philosophy for the layman: what is the cause of liberation? ((blog/2015/7/20/tantek- philosophy-for-the- layman-what isthe cause of liberation) “The Power of the Word: double meanings in Tantraaloka 1.1 (Wlog/2015/7/28/the- power-of-the-word= double-meanings-in-the tanteloka) ght on Tantra Tantraloka 13-21 (blog/2015/7/31/light- on-tantra-tantrloka-L1 2) August 2015 (nine?avanaoie yet in engusn apart irom tne 1ancrasara, wnien nas been recenuiy published by Rudra Press. The first five chapters of the Tantriloka are published in a good French translation (by Andre Padoux) and the whole work in a flawed Italian translation by Raneiro Gnoli, We expect an English translation from Pandit Mark Dyczkowski soon. Abhinava’s final major works of Tantrik philosophy were his commentaries on Utpala Deva’s Stanzas on the Recognition ofthe Lord mentioned earlier, Abhinava also composed a number of exquisite devotional-cum-philosophical poems, such as the Hymn to Bhairava and Fifteen Verses on Awakening (the poem that began this post). Finally, we should note that Abhinava was quite a renowned philosopher of aesthetics, writing a number of works on what makes art beautiful and affecting, works that were (for the most part) separate from his spiritual writings. He specialized in the study of poetry, and his most important work in that area was his commentary on Light on the Theory of Suggestion (Dhvanyaloka), an earlier work of profound significance in the study of aesthetics. In Abhinava’s erudite and thoughtful commentary, he analyzes the nature of aesthetic experience in terms of how it comes about, what it signifies, and what are its various dimensions. His exposition of the nine rasas or “flavors of aesthetic experience” has become quite famous. Indeed, his work in this area is better known amongst academic Sanskritists than is his spiritual material. (Notes to the Bodhapaficadasika: Verse 2 accepts the Ed’s reading -bhavanam in pada a; verse 4 accepts the reading svatmadarse in pada c; verse 5 translates in such a way as to avoid deciding between the readings yasya (Ed.) and yasya (KSTS); verse 10 retains the reading yat from the KSTS over the Eds hi, and ret over the Ed's 163, but accepts the Ed's reading sukhadubkham iti bhavet in pada d; verse 11 accepts the Ed's readings of svatantryopakalpitam in pada b, and jadanam ‘yas tu bhisanah in pada d; verse 12 accepts the Fd’s reading prasidavasad in pada a and upayatah in pada d; and verse 15 accepts the Ed's read of icchakrya- in pada a.) Tikes < Share COMMENTS (2) Newest First Subscribe via e-mail Rick Harter ayearago ‘We look forward to your translation of the Tantrasara that there are two existing English translations of this work. The first was published in 2012 by Rudra Press (Portland OR). The translation i attributed might point out to Pandit 1. N. Chakravarty, who passed away prior to its publication. It was, brought to editorial fruition by Boris Marjanovic, who worked on it in collaboration with Pandit Chakravarty for several years prior to his passing. vost mont! 2015) ugust- (on Bondage and Liberation: Tantraloks 122.51 (blog/2015/8/1/on: bbondage-and-Iiberation 12-51) What is Tantea?: Seting the record straight (blog/2015/8/2/what-is- tantra-setting-the- record straight) “The Nature of Reality Tantraloka 152-57 (blog/2015/8/3/the- nature-of-reality- tantrloka-i52-57) The mind: t's not what ‘you think tis (Ublog/2015/8/24/the- smind:its not-wkat-you- thinkst-s) September 2015 (/blog? month-September- 2015) “The Nature of God: Tantraaloka 159-69 (Pelog/2015/9/1/the- nature-of god-tantrloka 159.69) Deity Yoga a Tantrik ‘Technology (iog/2015/9/3/deity ‘yoga atantrik technology) “The transmission of Tant areesh (Part 1 of 3) (Ublog/2015/2/2/the- transmission of tantra an interview with an interview with: hareesh-part-1-of-) The transmission of Tantra: an interview with areesh (Part 20f 3) ((blog/2015/2/9/the- transmission-of tantra part-2) “The transmission of Tantra: an interview with areesh (part 3 of 3) ((log/2015/2/15/the- an interview-with: bareesh-part-3-of-3) The Nature of Goddess: ‘Tantraaloka1.70-81ncompassing almost 2vv pages, It nas an extensive incroguction ana many of the verses have Exposition by the translator and editor. ‘The second was published in 2015 by Tndica Books/Indian Mind (Varanasi) as Abhinavagupta Tantra Series #8, The translator is Gautam Chatterjee, who is attributed as Editor. This almost 600-page work includes transliteration of the verses. PS: We are also looking forward to your translation of the Pratyabhijna- hhridayamn .. Is that still on your to-do list? hareesh@mattamayura.org. Ayearaso Hi Rick, thanks for this info, I have included the Rudra Press edition of the Tantrasara in the blog post, though I will ignore the Chatterjee translation until 've seen it. Ithis is the same Chatterjee who did ‘Tantraloka for Indica Books, then I should mention that the latter was the worst attempt at a translation I've ever seen, from any language to any other. It is worse than no translation at all, and 1 strongly recommend not looking at it doubt his Tantrasara is any better. Yes, the Pratyabhijfid-hrdayam is coming out in 2016! best, CW (H) ‘Newer Post Older Post The Divine Name: Bhatrava ‘Who was Abhinava Gupta? 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