Specific Principles of Kashmir Saivism

Specific Principle of Kashmir Saivism throws a clear light on the aspects of Trika Saiva philosophy that remain either untouched or not well-clarified in other schools. Starting with discussion of the theistic absolutism of the Trika system, B.N. Pandit guides us through abhinavagupta's critique of the primary cosmogonic theories of his time - the materialist realism of Samkhya, the momentary-idealism of Vijnanavadas, and the vivarta theory of Advaita Vedanta -en route to establishing the Kashmir Saiva theory of theistic reflectional manifestation as a unique and supremely logical cosmogonic system. Like the topic of cosmogony, several other important principles are unique developments of the Trika system. These topic include: Spanda, Saktipata, the classification of beings, aesthetics, the notion of Sabdabrahman, the relation of the five purana to the four states of consciousness, and Trika yoga. This book illuminates these topics on the basis of the writing of the primary masters of