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PRACTICES
freedom to create, maintain and destroy the universe pertaining to iva himself. It is considered that iva, above
any restriction or conditioning, creates the universe of
his free will as a playful expression of his spirit (lila).
Here the kaulas are unlike Advaita and Veda, where there
is the conception that maya (cosmic illusion) is superimposed upon the brahman (absolute), inducing a sort
of illusory creation. Here, creation is considered real,
and the will to create is considered free and unfettered.
Svatantrya is identical to Ananda (bliss) and vimara (reexive consciousness/auto-consciousness).
3 Practices
2.4
Guru
Similarly to other tantric schools, Kaula chooses a positive (armative) approach: instead of prescribing selflimitations and condemning various actions, it embraces
such actions in a spiritual light.[29] Thus, sexuality, love,
social life and artistic pursuits are considered vectors of
spiritual evolution. The main focus in Kaula is on practical methods for attaining enlightenment,[30] rather than
engaging in complex philosophical debate. Whatever is
pleasant and positive can be integrated in its practice.
3.2
Physical practices
ence).
3.1
Group practice
3
due to the activity of the spiritual energy (akti) and may
be called tantric body alchemy (see internal alchemy).
Starting from the expanded consciousness of the self (atman), the body (and in the end, the exterior reality too)
is infused with the experience of non-duality.[52]
The non-dual, experienced initially only in consciousness,
is extended to the whole body. The kaula adept will discover kaulika the power (siddhi) of identication with
the Universal Consciousness experienced in the physical body,[53] generated spontaneously, without any effort (formal meditation, postures asana, concentration
Dharana and other forms of exertion in yoga).[54] This
process is described as the descent of the energy of the
non-dual consciousness into the physical.[55] Then consciousness manifests as a free force, entering the senses
and producing extroverted samdhi. At this point, consciousness, mind, senses and physical body are dissolved into oneness, expanded into the spiritual light of
consciousness.
The Kaula sacrice is reserved for the few, the elite who
can maintain a state of Bhairava (spiritual illumination)
in sexual union.[62] Other couples, even if they reproduce
the ritual to the letter (as perceived from outside), if they
4
do not attain Bhairava consciousness, are merely engaging in a sexual act.
In Kashmir Shaivism, Supreme Consciousness (Cit, identical to Akula) is considered to be the substrate of manifestation. Consciousness is the ultimate principle, the
monad of the universe, always present as substrate in every external object, be it gross (physical), subtle (mental)
or subtlest (relating to the causal body or soul). Thus external world, body, mind and soul are considered kindred
parts of the whole, concretisation of the supreme consciousness.[81] From this perspective, Kula is the totality
of manifestation, in gross, subtle and supreme form.[82]
Even if Cit is not directly involved in the process of manifestation (as it is said to be unmanifest),[83] it is always
present in every possible facet of manifestation.[84] Thus,
it is said to be the substantial cause of manifestation (manifestation is made of Cit, like pots are made of clay) and
also the ecient cause (like the potter is the ecient
cause in the activity of creating pots).[85]
A closely related concept is Kaulika, the binding force of
the Kula. The term literally means sprung in Kula".[86]
Kaulika is another name for Shakti, the spiritual energy.
Shakti, as described in Kashmir Shaivism, does a paradoxical thing she creates the universe, with all its diversity and at the same time remains identical to Shiva, the
absolute transcendent. Thus, Kaulika is an energy both of
spirit and matter. Bridging the two, Kaulika creates the
path of evolution for consciousness from ego to spirit.
5
The manifestation of Kaulika proceeds from the absolute (anuttara) in the process of cosmic creation (mahasristi).[87] Thus Kaulika should not be seen as mere energy,
or just the link between matter and spirit, but also identical to the absolute. Even if she is the dynamic aspect
of the absolute, she does not rank lower than Shiva, her
divine consort.
Texts
While Kaula is primarily an oral tradition and does not [14] Dupuche 2003, p. 182
place a high value on the creation of texts, there are some
texts associated with the tradition. Muller-Ortega, fol- [15] Dupuche 2003, p. 104
lowing Pandey, summarizes the literature of the Kashmiri [16] Dupuche 2003, p. 183
school as follows:[88]
[17] Muller-Ortega 1989, p. 59
Siddha-yogevar-mata-tantra
Rudra-ymala-tantra
Kulrava-tantra
Jnrava
Nity-oaika-arava
Svacchanda-tantra
Netra-tantra
Tantrarja-tantra
Klkula
See also
Shaktism
Kundalini energy
Kurumbranad
Nair
Tantrism
Shiva
Notes
EXTERNAL LINKS
8 References
Dupuche, John R. (2003), Abhinavagupta: The
Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the
Tantrloka, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, ISBN
81-208-1979-9
Flood, Gavin D. (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
ISBN 0-521-43878-0
Lakshmanjoo, Swami (1988), Kashmir Shaivism:
The Secret Supreme, SUNY Press, ISBN 0-88706575-9
Muller-Ortega, Paul (1989), The Triadic Heart of
Siva, Albany: State University of New York Press,
ISBN 0-88706-787-5
Pandit, Moti Lal (2003), Trika Saivism of Kashmir,
New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, ISBN 81-2151082-1
Singh, Jaideva; Swami Lakshmanjee, Bettina
Baumer (2005), Paratrisika Vivarana by Abhinavagupta: The Secret of Tantric Mysticism, Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers (Pvt. Ltd), ISBN 81-2080472-4
9 External links
Kaula
10
10.1
10.2
Images
10.3
Content license