The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
4 Forms of Shakti whereby the natural perfections of Consciousness are limited. Thus, from all-knowing it becomes little-knowing; from being almighty, it becomes a little doer, etc. See “Garland of Letters”.
The term Sangkocha (contraction) expresses the same idea. The Devī is Sangkuchadrūpā through Mātri, Māna, Meya, and therefore so also is Shiva as Jīva (tathā shivo’pi sangkuchadrūpah).—Yoginīhridaya Tantra.
supreme changeless state (Parāsamvit)¹ is a unitary experience in which the “I” and “This” coalesce into a unity in which neither are perceived as such.
In the kinetic or Shakti aspect, as presented by the pure categories, experience recognises an “I” and “This,” but the latter is regarded, not as something opposed to and outside the “I,” but as part of a one self which has two sides—an “I” (Aham) and “This” (Idam). The emphasis varies from insistence on the “I” to insistence on the “This,” and then to equality of emphasis on the “I” and “This” as a preparation for the dichotomy in consciousness which follows.
The pure-impure categories are intermediate between the pure and the impure. The essential characteristic of experience constituted by the impure categories is its dualism effected through Māyā—and its limitations—the result of the operation of the Kanchukas. Here the “This” is not seen as part of the self, but as opposed to and without it as an object seen outside. Each consciousness thus became mutually exclusive the one of the other. The states thus described are threefold: a transcendent mingled “I” and “This,” in which these elements of experience are as such not perceived; a pure form of experience intermediate between the first and last, in which both the “I” and the “This” are experienced as part of the one self; and, thirdly, the state of manifestation proper, when there is a complete cleavage between the “I” and the “This,” in which an outer object is presented to the consciousness of a knower. This last stage is itself twofold. In the first the Purusha experiences a homogeneous universe, though different from himself as Prakriti; in the second Prakriti is split up into its effects (Vikriti), which are Mind and Matter, and the multitudinous beings of the
1 This is not counted as a Tattva, being Tattvātītā.
universe which these compose. Shakti as Prakriti first evolves mind (Buddhi, Ahangkāra, Manas) and senses (Indriya), and then sensible matter (Bhūta) of fivefold form (“ether,” “air,” “fire,” “water,” “earth”)¹ derived from the supersensible generals of the sense-particulars called Tanmātra. When Shakti has entered the last and grossest Tattva (“earth”)—that is, solid matter—there is nothing further for Her to do. Her creative activity then ceases, and She rests. She rests in Her last emanation, the “earth” principle. She is again coiled and sleeps. She is now Kundalī Shakti, whose abode in the human body is the earth centre or Mūlādhāra Chakra. As in the supreme state She lay coiled as the Mahākundalī round the Supreme Shiva, so here She coils round the Svayambhu Lingga in the Mūlādhāra. This last centre or Chakra and the four above it are centres of the five forms of Matter. The sixth centre is that of Mind. Consciousness and its processes through Shakti prior to the appearance of Māyā are realised in the seventh lotus (Sahasrāra-padma) and centres intermediate between it and the sixth or Ājnā Mind centre.
The Mantra evolution, which must be known if the Text is to be understood, is set forth with great clarity in the Shāradā Tilaka, wherein it is said that from the Sakala Shiva (Shiva Tattva), who is Sat-Chit-Ānanda, issued Shakti (Shakti Tattva); from the latter Nāda (Sadākhya Tattva); and from Nāda evolved Bindu (Īshvara Tattva),² which, to distinguish it from the Bindu which follows, is called the Supreme Bindu (Para-Bindu). Nāda and Bindu
1 These terms have not the ordinary English meaning, but denote the ethereal, gaseous, igneous, liquid, and solid states of matter. In worship (Pūjā) they are symbolised by the following ingredients (Upachāra): Pushpa (flower), ether; Dhūpa (incense), air; Dīpa (light), fire; Naivedya (food-offering), water; Chandana (sandal), earth.
Sachchidānanda-vibhavāt sakalāt parameshvarāt Āsīchchhaktis tato nādo nādād bindu-samudbhavah
(Ch. I.)
4 Forms of Shakti whereby the natural perfections of Consciousness are limited. Thus, from all-knowing it becomes little-knowing; from being almighty, it becomes a little doer, etc. See “Garland of Letters”.
The term Sangkocha (contraction) expresses the same idea. The Devī is Sangkuchadrūpā through Mātri, Māna, Meya, and therefore so also is Shiva as Jīva (tathā shivo’pi sangkuchadrūpah).—Yoginīhridaya Tantra.
supreme changeless state (Parāsamvit)¹ is a unitary experience in which the “I” and “This” coalesce into a unity in which neither are perceived as such.
In the kinetic or Shakti aspect, as presented by the pure categories, experience recognises an “I” and “This,” but the latter is regarded, not as something opposed to and outside the “I,” but as part of a one self which has two sides—an “I” (Aham) and “This” (Idam). The emphasis varies from insistence on the “I” to insistence on the “This,” and then to equality of emphasis on the “I” and “This” as a preparation for the dichotomy in consciousness which follows.
The pure-impure categories are intermediate between the pure and the impure. The essential characteristic of experience constituted by the impure categories is its dualism effected through Māyā—and its limitations—the result of the operation of the Kanchukas. Here the “This” is not seen as part of the self, but as opposed to and without it as an object seen outside. Each consciousness thus became mutually exclusive the one of the other. The states thus described are threefold: a transcendent mingled “I” and “This,” in which these elements of experience are as such not perceived; a pure form of experience intermediate between the first and last, in which both the “I” and the “This” are experienced as part of the one self; and, thirdly, the state of manifestation proper, when there is a complete cleavage between the “I” and the “This,” in which an outer object is presented to the consciousness of a knower. This last stage is itself twofold. In the first the Purusha experiences a homogeneous universe, though different from himself as Prakriti; in the second Prakriti is split up into its effects (Vikriti), which are Mind and Matter, and the multitudinous beings of the
1 This is not counted as a Tattva, being Tattvātītā.
universe which these compose. Shakti as Prakriti first evolves mind (Buddhi, Ahangkāra, Manas) and senses (Indriya), and then sensible matter (Bhūta) of fivefold form (“ether,” “air,” “fire,” “water,” “earth”)¹ derived from the supersensible generals of the sense-particulars called Tanmātra. When Shakti has entered the last and grossest Tattva (“earth”)—that is, solid matter—there is nothing further for Her to do. Her creative activity then ceases, and She rests. She rests in Her last emanation, the “earth” principle. She is again coiled and sleeps. She is now Kundalī Shakti, whose abode in the human body is the earth centre or Mūlādhāra Chakra. As in the supreme state She lay coiled as the Mahākundalī round the Supreme Shiva, so here She coils round the Svayambhu Lingga in the Mūlādhāra. This last centre or Chakra and the four above it are centres of the five forms of Matter. The sixth centre is that of Mind. Consciousness and its processes through Shakti prior to the appearance of Māyā are realised in the seventh lotus (Sahasrāra-padma) and centres intermediate between it and the sixth or Ājnā Mind centre.
The Mantra evolution, which must be known if the Text is to be understood, is set forth with great clarity in the Shāradā Tilaka, wherein it is said that from the Sakala Shiva (Shiva Tattva), who is Sat-Chit-Ānanda, issued Shakti (Shakti Tattva); from the latter Nāda (Sadākhya Tattva); and from Nāda evolved Bindu (Īshvara Tattva),² which, to distinguish it from the Bindu which follows, is called the Supreme Bindu (Para-Bindu). Nāda and Bindu
1 These terms have not the ordinary English meaning, but denote the ethereal, gaseous, igneous, liquid, and solid states of matter. In worship (Pūjā) they are symbolised by the following ingredients (Upachāra): Pushpa (flower), ether; Dhūpa (incense), air; Dīpa (light), fire; Naivedya (food-offering), water; Chandana (sandal), earth.
Sachchidānanda-vibhavāt sakalāt parameshvarāt Āsīchchhaktis tato nādo nādād bindu-samudbhavah
(Ch. I.)
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