In this recording of the Sangha, we explored two profound teachings of Kashmir Shaivism: pratibimba (reflection) and svātantrya (absolute freedom).

The following excerpts from Swami Lakshmanjoo's teachings on Abhinavagupta's Bodhapañcadaśikā reveal how the universe is understood as a reflection in the mirror of Consciousness, brought forth through the absolute freedom of Lord Shiva.

SVĀTANTRYA ŚAKTI IS THE CAUSE

So, in the reflection of the universe, the substitute cause of this reflection, is His [Lord Shiva’s] free svātantrya śakti. By His free will, this

reflection has taken place in the mirror of Consciousness, but there is not any reflected object (bimba), because everything is in the mirror of

Consciousness. This kongari (fire pot) is in the mirror of Consciousness, and the reflection of this kongari is also in the mirror of Consciousness –

this and this, both. So everything, whatever exists in this universe, is only a reflection in the mirror of Consciousness.

And by the attribution of inserting the reflection – pratibimba – He becomes one with the reflection (the reflected becomes one with the

reflection).

So, in the mirror of Consciousness, the reflection takes place by His own sweet will, not by the grace of any reflected object, but by the force

of His own svātantrya śakti. When a sādhaka [aspirant] feels that this whole universe, which is expanded variously in the universe, then, he sees, he observes, that this

whole universe which is expanded, fully, completely, is only a reflection in one’s own consciousness.

For instance, if he observes this whole universe as the reflection in the mirror of consciousness, he experiences at the same time that this whole

universe is my own nature from Śiva to earth; all these thirty-six elements are one with me, and this whole universe to be only one body, one body of

his Conscious Being. By this process of contemplation he becomes viśveśvara, he becomes

the master of universe.

So, Lord Śiva has put forth the explanation of the mode of pratibimba (reflection), and the mode of darpaṇa (mirror), just for this purpose that

our mohaḥ (our illusion) will disappear.

Bas, here ends the Pratibimabavāda.

[ END OF CHAPTER FOUR ]

Extracts from Bodhapañcadaśikā

(fifteen verses of wisdom)

by Abhinavagupta 

स एव भैरवो देवो जगद्भरणलक्षणः ।

स्वात्मादर्शे समग्रं हि यच्छक्त्या प्रतिबिम्बितम् ॥४

sa eva bhairavo devo jagad-bharaṇa-lakṣaṇaḥ /

svātmādarśe samagraṁ hi yacchaktyā pratibimbitam  // 4 //

This whole universe is created by God in his own nature, i.e., just as you find the reflection of the universe in a mirror. So this whole universe is created just like as the whole universe you feel in a mirror. It is just the reflection of Lord Śiva. This whole universe is just pratibimba [reflection], it is not in such a way created that it is separate from Lord Śiva. It is created as a city is found in a mirror.

BRUCE P: But there is no city separate from the mirror; there is only the city on the mirror?

SWAMIJI: City on the mirror, there is no separate city. 

In place of a separate city there is svātantrya, by ‘his freedom’ he has created this whole universe in his own nature.

JOHN: Just like a reflection in a mirror.

SWAMIJI: Yes. 

 And that which gives reflection is not the universe, it is the svātantrya of Lord Śiva. By svātantrya he has created this universe in his own nature.

Do you understand sir?

So this outside universe is created just for the sake of realizing his own nature. That is why it is called Śakti. This whole universal state is called Śakti, this is the means to realize ones own nature.

BRUCE P: But without Śakti, Śiva did not realize . . . ?

SWAMIJI: Śiva cannot be realized. 

Śakti is the source to realize Śiva!

BRUCE P: Yes, but you said that, “this was created so that he could realize his own nature.” Before creation what was he? 

SWAMIJI: No, the knowledge was there, but it was centralized in his own nature. But he wants that nature to be recognized by himself, yes. 

So how can he recognize? 

He must become ignorant first, then he can recognize.

BRUCE P:  Why should he want to recognize . . . why should he want to?

SWAMIJI:  It is svātantrya [Lord Śiva’s independent freedom]. 

Because if he does not recognize it, what is the fun of the universe? Universe is created just to recognize his own nature.

JOHN: Just for fun.

SWAMIJI: Just for fun, yes . . . it is svātantrya.

This is why in Shaivism this is svātantrya vāda [theory of svātantrya] everywhere.

If he were only Śiva . . . he was there, he was in his full splendor of God consciousness, but when fullness has overflowed, you know what happens afterwards?

He wants to remain incomplete, he wants to appear as incomplete, just to achieve completion. 

So this is the svātantrya, this svātantrya has created this whole universe. 

So in the universe there is ignorance, and for ignorance you want to get rid of that ignorance. And there is a way, there is a way, that in the activity of the world you will meditate and bas, reach the state of God Consciousness.

So this is the fun of svātantrya.

And at the moment he realizes his nature from ignorance to knowledge, he experiences at that very moment that, it was already there! This is the proof, this is the proof of his being already filled with knowledge, in ignorance also! 

In ignorance also, when this ignorance vanishes from that individual, he experiences and this memory comes in his mind, “that it was already there, it was already there.” This memory comes at the time of knowledge, at the time of existence of God Consciousness.

ERNIE: So there was never really any separation at all?

SWAMIJI: No, there was never . . . separation seems to be by svātantrya [His independent free will]. 

 And only Lord Śiva can just ignore his own nature totally, altogether, by his own svātantrya.

For instance, see in a rock, “where is the existence of Lord Śiva?”

In a rock there is nothing, it is just a rock.

BRUCE P: That is what he sees?

SWAMIJI: Yes, he wants to disconnect his God Consciousness altogether in his creation, and see that it is not disconnected. Although it is disconnected, it is not disconnected. In real sense it is not disconnected. 

If you are life-full, how can you become without life?

You cannot!

But he can, Lord Śiva can become without life; altogether just disconnected totally from God Consciousness – He can do it!

So it is atidurghaṭa kāritā is attributed to Lord Śiva only.

And it is a supreme way of acting . . . this kind of drama is a super-drama. 

For instance, you can play parts – but with life – you cannot play the part of a rock. 

Can you play a rock in that drama, in that screen?

In that screen you cannot play the part of a rock.

BRUCE P: No.

SWAMIJI: Lord Śiva can become a rock. So he is, etadeva svātantryam, so he is perfectly independent, perfectly glorious, and perfectly intelligent. 

This is the intelligence!  

Intelligence is not that you will play the part of lady. Intelligence is, you will play the part of a rock, you will play the part of a tree – this is intelligence! 

And this kind of intelligence is found only in the state of Lord Śiva and nowhere else.

This is the reality of Kashmir Shaivism as explained by Abhinavagupta.

एवमस्य स्वतन्त्रस्य निजशक्त्युपभेदिनः ।

स्वात्मगाः सृष्टिसंहाराः स्वरूपत्वेन संस्थिताः ॥९

evam-asya svatantrasya nija-śakty-upabhedinaḥ  /

svātmagāḥ sṛṣṭi saṁhārāḥ svarūpatvena saṁsthitāḥ  // 9 //

So, asya svatantrasya, this Lord Śiva who is svatantra, ‘all round independent’; this variety of creations (sṛṣti) and the variety of destructions (saṁhāra) are existing in his own nature (svarūpa), and at the same time existing in its own way, which is ignorance. In the field of ignorance, the field of ignorance is also there.

And at the same time, it is why our masters have explained to us to meditate; ‘to meditate to find out what a rock is’. When you meditate, then a rock will become universal; then there is nothing, there is no problem. When there is only a rock there is a problem, when there is only Bruce there is a problem, when there is only John there is a problem. When John will come to know that he is Universal, there is no problem. 

It is why meditation is produced for realizing the reality of God Consciousness in Shaivism.

So this sṛṣṭi-saṁhāra, this ‘creation’ and ‘destruction’,  is done in two ways, i.e., creation in the cycle of knowledge and creation in the cycle of kriyā – it is ‘in action’.

BRUCE P: But what is the purpose of action?

SWAMIJI: It is svātantrya, it is play.

BRUCE P: To realize himself?

SWAMIJI: No, it is just his own play.

So it is a trick, it is a trick – it is not destroyed at all – it is a trick to appear as if it is destroyed.

ERNIE: This is the play.

SWAMIJI: This is the trick, this is play. 

He is tricky – Lord Śiva!

ERNIE: But, you know, so many people in the west have an idea that God is compassionate, and all-loving, and all-understanding. But if you have an idea that God creates and destroys your ignorance, and if you are suffering because you are ignorant, for whatever reasons, then that position is not able to . . .

SWAMIJI: No, when it is realized then there will be no difference; you won’t feel any difference in being compassionate and in the absence of compassion.

JOHN: But there’s nobody for God to be compassionate to . . .

SWAMIJI: No . . .

JOHN: . . . only to himself?

SWAMIJI:  . . . at that moment. He transcends; these limited boundaries of dualistic ways of thought, he transcends at the time of knowledge. When once you realize that experience of the true position, then there is no . .

ERNIE: . . . no problem.

SWAMIJI:  For instance, if there is only ‘One Being’ . . . if there is only one Being – if you once realize there is only one Being in the universe – they are not separate beings; if they are not separate beings where there is the problem?

ERNIE: Yes, but I am in ignorance and I don’t realize that, then I have a problem.

SWAMIJI: Yes, you have to perform rituals, you have to perform good character, conduct, and all the rules and regulations of śāstras.

When once you realize that, when you come to that point of realization – then you are ignorant, and at the same time you are not ignorant.

ERNIE: I have both these qualities?

SWAMIJI: There, at the point of knowledge.

ERNIE: Knowledge, yes.

SWAMIJI: Then the problem is solved. Because everything is good there. Because at the place of God Consciousness, at the state of God Consciousness, everything is good, everything is divine, there is nothing bad.

Bad is only created to feel the goodness, to get a good taste of goodness.

ERNIE: Contrast.

SWAMIJI: Yes.

BRUCE P: So, a little bad is good for one?

SWAMIJI: Yes, in some place. Because from that goodness everything has come out . . .  bad, good, and everything has come out. 

At the place of God consciousness, at the state of God consciousness, everything is good, everything is divine, there is nothing bad. It is the embodiment of goodness, embodiment of purity, embodiment of divinity.

THE CYCLE OF BONDAGE AND LIBERATION

But in fact these two cycles of bondage and liberation; the cycle of bondage is concerned with that 'not knowing cycle'; that is when you don’t know what you are doing, when you don’t know where you are established – that is the cycle of bondage.

And that the cycle of knowledge, liberation (what is that?), when you come to understand that it is only a trick, it is the play of Lord Śiva and nothing else. Nothing has happened, nothing is lost, nothing is gained. 

When nothing is lost, nothing is gained, there is nothing right . . . and in that cycle you must understand that, you should not attach that kind of understanding in this cycle, in the cycle of ignorance.

Do you understand what I mean? 

This is Shaivism!

But you must come to understand this, because it is misunderstood by many people. This theory of Shaivism is misunderstood and you begin to [imagine you have] become Śiva. 

And this misunderstanding also too . . .

ERNIE: Is a trick!

SWAMIJI: . . . is found in the divinity of Lord Śiva.

ERNIE: But, what is misunderstood about Shaivism, in this point?

SWAMIJI: No misunderstood that, “I am Śiva.”

ERNIE: But I don’t understand, that’s what . . . ?

SWAMIJI: No, you don’t understand . . .

ERNIE: Yes, I don’t understand that?

SWAMIJI: . . . you don’t understand that you are Śiva, so you are not Śiva! 

But according to the theory of Shaivism you are Śiva! 

Then you come to this conclusion “that you are Śiva!”

ERNIE: Where is the misunderstanding?

SWAMIJI: Because you are not actually Śiva, you have not achieved that state.

DENISE: So it is a mistake to think that you are Śiva, if you haven’t actually realized you are Śiva?

SWAMIJI: No, if you have not actually realized Śiva.

DENISE: You shouldn’t go around thinking that you are Śiva . . . is that right?

SWAMIJI: No. You should always elevate yourself, you should always think “that you are Lord Śiva”, but don’t boast of this.

DENISE: Don’t tell anybody

SWAMIJI: If you tell anybody, it means that you are not Lord Śiva.

So you should not announce! 

Announcing shows, proves, that you are not actually Śiva.

ERNIE: So if you don’t announce, but let us say you keep it a secret to yourself?

SWAMIJI: No, you must understand . . . (laughs . . .), you must actually understand it, not till then. Till then it is all a joke.

ERNIE: No, but I am trying to figure out how does one know?

SWAMIJI: Huh?

ERNIE: How does one know when one is fooling oneself and when one is real?

SWAMIJI: You will come to know yourself. Because you will be blissful, you will be always blissful.

kairliṅgaistrīṅguṇān . . . (Bhagavad Gīta 14.21) 

When something bad happens to you, you won’t get worried; when something good happens to you, you wouldn’t get excited – then – if you realized it.

BRUCE P: In pain you will be blissful?

SWAMIJI: In pain also you will be peaceful.  And you must come to know, and you have to see in yourself that, ‘you are situated in this way.’ 

If you are not situated in this way and say that, “I am Lord Śiva, I am Lord Śiva,” someone will slap you and make you understand that you are not Lord Śiva, you are just . . . with one slap.

ERNIE: This is a big problem?

SWAMIJI: This is a big problem. 

And you have to find out yourself, where you are situated.

ERNIE:  Or with masters guidance?

SWAMIJI: Yes.

It happens by the grace of Lord Śiva, or by the grace of master, or by the grace of śāstras.

[ END OF EXTRACT ]

This article is adapted from a recent Saturday Sangha discussion on pratibimba (reflection) and svātantrya (absolute freedom) from Swami Lakshmanjoo's teachings on The Secret Supreme. If you would like to explore these teachings in greater depth, including questions and discussion from participants, you can watch the full recording here: https://www.lakshmanjooacademy.org/free-weekly-sangha