EPISODE 95: LET THERE BE LIGHT

Welcome,

As my reader will know, I periodically become obsessed with Shaivism. This is one such phase. Last year it was with the help of the work of Peter Wilberg (and I may well turn to him again); for the moment I’m being entertained by K.C. Pandev’s book on Abhinavagupta and ‘Encyclopaedia of the Śaivism, Volume 1’ by Swami Parmeshwaranand.

Since first coming across Shaivism in 1977, my experience has been much the same. I read about it and as I read part of my being vibrates and I feel I’m on the edge of understanding something. That understanding never seems to deepen much and then drifts away and when months or years later another phase commences that understanding still hasn’t matured. And as Swami P points out, ‘It is quite relevant to say that real conviction regarding the truth does not arise or shine forth until it spontaneously manifests in one’s own real nature.’

This later forage into the agamas actually resulted from a desire to explain analogy to someone. I remembered then a particular analogy from shaivism, called bimbapratibimba, which I have, for many years, be meaning to explain to myself. In the process of googling bimbapratibimba, I came across Swami P’s writing and, as if often the case with Shaivism, became struck by the language as well as the concepts.

We live in a world of isolation separated from one another by the creation of walls of distinction of fanes and riches, of position and status, and we live on the island of the ego. But when by the grace of the guru we are able to see the light - the light which unifies all, which brings all into the embrace of the Divine, we realize oneness and the singleness of Light within.

In order to see the light we do not need to go any further. It is near, it is everywhere. But first we should realize the light, recognizing it to be the very essence of ME as I. Then it occurs to the aspirant that everything is made of light. It has emerged from it, and is made from it

To realize that everything that is known as idam, the object, is really Brahman, but differentiation, the variousness, the divisions, the nanatva, is unreal. The reality is one singleness but multifariousness is also real which shows itself by the dynamic pulsation of the Divine, dancing in the rhythmic play of delight. The Divine is nothing but the one harmonious uniflavouredness of the experience of joy.

Whatever shines is divine in essence. The objects that appear externally and that shine as pleasure or pain internally, when seen in their essence they are nothing but light. But this light is not a simple light that floods everything and then obliterates but it such a light that not only makes the body of all appear as one’s own body but it pulsates as the very life of everything. Everything that shines is composed of this light. Everything that manifests is simply this glory. It is an all pervasive light encompassing all, which unifies all with the Divine by demolishing the barriers of separation.

I would copy and paste a whole lot more but copyright won’t allow it, so you are spared. I have been complaining about having to handwrite a copy of what I’m reading before reprinting it here but it occurs to me now what an effort and a bother it must have been writing down these things in the first place back in the 8th century.

In Chapter Three of the Anthology, ‘The Presence of Light: Divine Radiance and Religious Experience, there is a wonderful exposition of Abhinavagupta’s theories of light in a piece entitled, ‘Luminous Consciousness: Light in Tantric Mysticism’ by Paul Muller-Ortega. He says:

The light is one and its nature is freedom

The light is self-illuminating.

The light pulsates with power.

The light is self-concealing

Objective reality arises as the congealing of light

The light is triadic: fire, sun and moon

The Tantric Mystic inwardly enfolds his individual consciousness into the light and perceives it as nothing but the light

The Tantric Mystic outwardly melts the objective outer reality into the light and perceives that it too is nothing but the light.

Only the light is.

Bimba Pratibimba Nyaya: The Theory of an Object and Its Reflection, is an analogy much used by shaivites to explain…well, what it explains we may see. My reason for wanting to look at it is that I have never found it very satisfying emotionally or intellectually. Why this is, I don’t know. It tends to arise in relation to arguments with Vedanta which has similar model of Self but considers the objective universe to be unreal.

Shaivism believes the microcosm is the same as the macrocosm in a holographic universe and that by studying man one can see the Divine replicated, or, reflected. What man does in a limited way, consciousness does in an unlimited way. So while the ultimate reality of the world is perhaps secondary to one’s experience of it, our philosophic attitude to reality might affect how we interact with it, and how we relate to it.

‘A reflection appears in a mirror on a clear surface. The mirror and the object reflected are different from each other, although they do not appear to be so. Even if a large object is reflected in a small mirror, the mirror does not undergo any change; its size remains the same. Moreover, even if many objects are reflected in a mirror, they do not intermingle with one another. For example, even though fire and paper may be reflected simultaneously, the paper in the mirror does not burn. When a cow and a tiger and reflected in a mirror, the cow is not afraid of the tiger and the tiger does not attack the cow. Since only the forms of objects are seen in the mirror, they do not intermingle with one another. Moreover, for there to be a reflection, the reflecting surface must be clear. The clearer the surface it, the clearer the reflection will be.

There is another requirement. If something is to be reflected, there must be an object, and that object must have form. Formless space cannot be reflected.’ (Muktananda: Secret of the Siddhas.)

At this point I’m stopping. My brain can’t deal with it. Muktananda says ‘Bimba Pratibimba is one of the most beautiful principles of Shaivism. Clearly, I haven’t grasped it yet. Here is a more succint version of the whole analogy:

'As in the orb of a mirror, pictures such as those of a town or village shine which are inseperable from it and yet are distinct from one another and from it, so from the pure vision of the supreme Consciousnessthis universe though void of distinction, appears distict part from part and distinct from that vision.'

Is that clearer? No?  Then let us go back to the ever pellucid light.

‘Being self-luminous

You cause everything to shine

Delighting in your form

You fill the universe with delight

Rocking with your own bliss

You make the whole world dance with joy.’

(Shivastotravali: Abhinavagupta)