[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Those who truly do so will exercise power not onlywithout wrong, but with that compassion (Karuna) for all beings which is so beautiful a feature of theBuddha of northern and Tantrik Buddhism.For in them Shakti Herself has descended.This isShaktipata, as it is technically called in the Tantra Shastra; the descent of Shakti which Western theologycalls the grace of God.But grace is truly not some exterior thing, though we may pictorially think of itas 'streaming' from above below.Atma neither comes nor goes.To be in grace is that state in which mancommences to realize himself as Shiva-Shakti.His power is, to use a Western phrase, "converted".It isturned from the husk of mere outwardness and of limited self-seeking, to that inner Reality which is thegreat Self which, at base, he (in this doctrine) is.The principles of Shakta doctrine, which will vary according to race, are a regenerating doctrine, givingstrength where there is weakness, and, where strength exists, directing it to right ends."Shivo' ham," "Iam Shiva," "Sha' ham," "I am She (the Devi)," the Tantras say.The Western may call It by some othername.Some call It this and some that, as the Veda says."I am He," "I am She," "I am It," matters not tothe Shakta so long as man identifies himself with the 'Oversoul,' and thus harmonizes himself with itsBeing, with Dharmic actions (as it manifests in the world) and therefore necessarily with Its true ends.Inits complete form the Shakta doctrine is monistic.But to those to whom monism makes no appeal, theShakta will say that by adopting its spirit, so far as the forms of their belief and worship allow, they willexperience a reflection of the joy and strength of those who truly live because they worship Her who isEternal life -- the Mother who is seated on the couch of Shivas (Mahapreta), in the Isle of Gemshttp://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/sas/sas15.htm (22 of 23)07/03/2005 16:03:15 Chapter Fifteen: Maya-Shakti (The Psycho-Physical Aspect of the Universe)(Manidvipa), in the "Ocean of Nectar," which is all Being-Consciousness and Bliss.This is the pearl which those who have churned the ocean of Tantra discover.That pearl is there in anIndian shell.There is a beautiful nacre on the inner shell which is the Mother of Pearl.Outside, the shellis naturally rough and coarse, and bears the accretions of weed and parasite and of things of all kindswhich exist, good or bad as we call them, in the ocean of existence (Samsara).The Scripture leads manto remove these accretions, and to pass within through the crust, gross, though not on that account only,bad; for there is a gross (Sthula) and subtle (Sukshma) aspect of worship.Finally it leads man to seek tosee the Mother of Pearl and lastly the Pearl which, enclosed therein, shines with the brilliant yet softlight which is that of the Moon-Cit (Cicchandra) Itself.Next: Chapter Sixteen: Matter and Consciousnesshttp://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/sas/sas15.htm (23 of 23)07/03/2005 16:03:15 Chapter Sixteen: Matter and ConsciousnessSacred-texts Tantra Index Previous NextChapter SixteenMatter and ConsciousnessThe subject of my lecture to-day is Consciousness or Cit, and Matter or Unconsciousness, that is, Acit;the unchanging formlessness and the changing forms.According to Shakta Advaitavada, man isConsciousness-Unconsciousness or Cit-Acit; being Cit-Shakti as regards his Antaratma, and theparticularized Maya-Shakti as to his material vehicles of mind and body.The reason that I have selectedthis subject, amongst the many others on which I might have addressed you, is that these two ideas arethe key concepts of Indian Philosophy and religion.If they are fully understood both as to theirdefinition and relations, then, all is understood so far as intellect can make such matters intelligible to us;if they are not understood then nothing is properly understood.Nor are they always understood even bythose who profess to know and write on Indian Philosophy.Thus, the work on Vedanta, of an EnglishOrientalist, now in its second edition, describes Cit as the condition of a stone or other inert substance.Amore absurd error it is hard to imagine.Those who talk in this way have not learnt the elements of theirsubject.It is true that you will find in the Shastra, the state of the Yogi described as being like a log(Kashthavat).But this does not mean that his Consciousness is that of a piece of wood; but that he nomore perceives the external world than a log of wood does.He does not do so because he has theSamadhi consciousness that is Illumination and true Being itself.I can to-night only scratch at the surface of a profound subject.To properly expound it would require aseries of lectures, and to understand it in its depths, years of thinking thereon.I will look at the matterfirst from the scientific point of view; secondly, state what those concepts mean in themselves; andthirdly, show how they are related to one another in the Samkhya and the Mayavada and Shaktivadapresentments of Vedanta doctrine.The Shaktivada of which I deal to-night may be found in the Tantras.It has been supposed that the Agamas arose at the close of the age of the Upanishads.They are Shastrasof the Upasana Kanda dealing with the worship of Saguna Ishvara.It has been conjectured that theyarose partly because of the declining strength of the Vaidika Acara, and partly because of the increasingnumber of persons within the Hindu fold, who were not competent for the Vaidika Acara, and, for whomsome spiritual discipline was necessary.One common feature distinguishes them; namely, their teachingis for all castes and all women.They express the liberal principle that whilst socially differences mayexist, the path of religion is open to all, and that spiritual competency and not the external signs of castedetermine the position of persons on that path.Ishvara in these Agamas is worshipped in threefold formsas Vishnu, Shiva, Devi.Therefore, the Agamas or Tantras are threefold, Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta,such as the Pañcaratra Agamas of the first group, the Shaiva Siddhanta (with its 28 Tantras), theNakulisha Pashupata, and the Kashmirian Trika of the second group; and the alleged division into Kaula,Mishra, Samaya of the third group.I express no opinion on this last division.I merely refer to this matterin order to explain what I mean by the word Agama.The Shaktivada, however, which I contrast withMayavada to-day, is taken from the Shakta Agama.By Mayavada I mean Shamkara's exposition ofVedanta.http://www.sacred-texts.com/tantra/sas/sas16
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
