Diksa in the Tantraloka* Jun TAKASHIMA ‘A cursory reading of the Tantraloka” may give an impression that the diksa is treated there only as a sort of appendix—especially coming after the brilliant philosophical disquisitions of the first volumes—because the initiation is just a formality necessary to proceed to the study of Sacred Scriptures by which one can enter into the path of salvation. Is this really the case? Should we take literally such phrases of Abhinava as “Knowledge is [obtained] from Scriptures and they are not to be heard by the non-initiated, so for him (the initiated) there is only appli- cation of purification (samskriya) by the diksa” (TA. xv. 12)? Do they not appear to contradict the clearly expressed idea that the diksa gives liberation by itself and that the significance of the diksa differs according to different types of disciples? In this paper, I will investigate different meanings of the diksa and its mechanism. First, I will describe and analyze the ordinary diksa®, whose meaning consists in ensuring salvation after death for ordinary discples. Secondly, J will treat the Raula diksa, which is a direct means for the experience of unity with Siva, Thirdly, I will discuss the diksa as a part of the dnava-upaya, constituting in this way an integral part of the system of the four upayas. Finally, I will show the relationship between the system of the zpayas and the stages of Saktipata and thus situate the diksa in the soteriological system of Abhinavagupta, who tried to offer adequate methods of salvation for the whole range of disciples, from those who are highly talented in mystical ways to those who do not even seek salvation,SULA 3 119 St I. Ordinary diksa The diksa is said to have different effects on the disciple according to his (and the guru's) intention (vasana) (TA. xv. 23a)”, Disciples are thus classified into four divisions: those who want enjoyment (bu- bhuksu) are called ‘sadhaka’, and they are of two types, namely, © Stvadharmin sadhaka, who are free from worldly prescriptions, and @ lokadharmin sadhaka, who follow worldly laws of purity (TA. xv. 23b-24a); those who want liberation (mamuksu) are also of two kinds: ® nirbrja (-diksita), who are exempt from observances (samaya), for example children, women, foolish and licentious men etc., and @ sablja Gdrksita), who can keep observances (TA. xv. 24b-26). For the sablja- dtksita and the sivadharmin, the teacher purifies all the karmans of the past and the future but not those constituting the present life (prarabdhr) (TA. xv. 27-8). For the nirbija-dtksita, the restriction of observances (samayacarapasa) should also be purified during the diksa (TA. xv. 31). Thus a nirbija-diksita can infallibly attain (if he has bhakti for Siva and the guru) liberation at the moment of death, while a sabija-diksita can fail if he has not kept the observances (T'A. xv. 33-34). For a loka- dharmin the teacher purifies only the bad karmans of the past and the future so that the disciple can enjoy the results of good karmans, obtain siddhis in the next life and attain liberation after several lives in the upper worlds (TA, xv. 29-30). However, a Sivadharmin should practise the worship of a mantra (mantraradhana) to obtain siddhis in this life (ef. Su.T. iv. 84, cited ad TA. xv. 26). I will return to this classification when I take up the subject of the saktipata, but what I would like to retain at present from the above statements is the fact that they explain the mechanism of the dtksa only by its effect on Aarman, But, does this explanation, given for the classification of disciples, agree with the reality of the dtksa ritual which should ensure liberation? For, what is most 46Diksa in the Tantraloka important for attaining liberation is the purification of the dxava-mala which is ajfana in Kashmir Saivism) and the impurity by karman (karma-mala) is only of the lowest order among the three impurities (anava-mala, maytya-mala and karma-mala)”. So, we must analyze the ritual itself to understand what the diksa really is, for Abhinavagupta. I will first describe briefly the ensemble of rituals constituting the drksa and then analyze its nature. Mme. Brun- ner’s study and translation of the Somasambhupaddhati®, whose dtksa ritual is not so different from the ordinary diksa of the Tantraloka® at least on the level of what is done (though not its interpretation), permit me to dispense with details. Before a brief description of the diksa rituals, I give below the program of the main actions of the diksa in the order of their performance with reference to the text of the Tantraloka. The program of diksa rituals 1) Preparatory rituals (adhivasana) ablution (snana) (T'A. xv. 46-79) 2. purification of the body by the ordinary nyasa followed by purifica- tion of ritual materials and worship of deities outside the ritual pavilion (TA. xv. 115b-183a) 3. entering the ritual pavilion (worship of the guardian deities at the xv. 183b-193) purification of the body by special nyasa (TA. xv. 232b-258) internal worship (T'A. xv. 295b-366) external worship (bahiryaga) (TA. xv. 367-388a) preparation of the fire (agnikarya) (TA. xv 388b-436a) preparation of the ritual porridge (carw-samsiddhi) (TA. xv. 436b- 45a) 2) Samayadiksa 1. purification of the disciple (TA. xv. 445b-456a) entrance and elimination of obstacles) (7 Pron» 47yaen 3 1. D SRSA REE 9119 Ht hand of Siva (Sivahasta) (TA. xv. 456b-463) divinatory dreaming (nidravidhi) (TA. xv. 474b-494a) ritual of twice-born (dvijatvapadana) (TA. xv. 494b-521a) imparting observances (samaya) (TA. xv. 521b-613a) Nirvana-diksa tracing of the mandala, puja on the mandala, preliminary sacrifice and the nyasa of the adhvan (TA. xvi. 2-96) purification of tattvas (tattva-suddhi) (TA. xvii. 7b-78a) unification with Siva (yojana) (TA. xvii. 78b-91) creation of pure tattvas (juddhatattvasrsti) (TA. xvii. 100-111) Preparatory rituals (adhivasana) The aim of adhivasana is for the guru to enter into the state of Sivahood in order to become able to give grace in the form of the diksa,__ The teacher must have the steadfast conviction ‘I am Siva’, and also the tion disciple must believe ‘he is Siva’ (TA. xv. 42b-43a). As this convic- of his being Siva must be very strong, the teacher must prepare himself by a gradual process beginning with external rituals such as ablution and nyasa etc. (TA. xv. 39b-42a). And as being near Conscious- ness ( = Siva) is to be pure (cf. TA. iv. 240b-241a), this process of acquisition of Siva-consciousness is conceived as purification, Formulating this in the reverse order, Abhinava re-interprets all the traditional puri- fication rituals as a means for the guru to acquire the conviction of be- ing 1. Siva himself, ablution The mechanism of ablution is explained in two ways: first, the satis- faction (tusti= camatkara) caused by external purity can bring about the penetration into Consciousness (TA. xv. 44-6); secondly, it is the power of the mantra that burns away the impurity (mala) (TA. xv. 47). 48Diksa in the Tantraloka This power of the recited mantra inflames the eight martis of Siva (earth, water, fire, wind, ether, the sun, the moon and a/man), and ablu- tion is immersion in them (ibid.). The purifying mantra is the mala- mantra Para, though other mantras can be employed (Parapara in the wind ablution, see J. p. 33-4). For a vira, these eight martis can be of vira form (which concerns mostly the smasana, see J. ad TA, xv. 67-8) and there is also an ablution by wine (TA. xv. 66-75a). 2. Ordinary nyasa (samanya-nyasa) Outside the ritual pavilion, the teacher must practise the ordinary nyasa in order to purify himself before the worship which takes place outside (bahya-yaga) (TA. xv. 115b-116a). This samanya-nyasa is effec- tuated by Matrka and Malini, of which the latter is specially celebrated as destroyer of all the adhvans” (TA. xv. 127b-130a). After performing the same »yasa to the water pitcher (argha-patra) and offering appro- priate ritual homage to it, he purifies all the ritual materials by sprinkling with the water of the argha-patra (TA. xv. 146 and 180). Then he worships the attendant deities (goddess of the directions etc.) outside by om and namas (TA. xv. 181-183a). 3. The teacher worships various deities at the entrance, and once inside the ritual pavilion, he eliminates obstacles by astra mantra (TA. xv. 183b -193). 4. Special nyasa (visesa-nyasa) He should imagine the fire of astra mantra burning the body from the toe upwards thus destroying his egoity (ahanta), while he rests in the pure cidatman (TA. xv. 232b-237). Then a special set of nyasa is performed to create a new body made of pure tattvas. This set consists of two series of sixfold nyasa, which will create, according to the au- thor’s arithmetic, (6 x 6 = ) 36 ¢attvas (T'A. xv. 259b-261a). The first 49REXMAARCE 95119 Ht sixfold ‘saiva’ nyasa consists of @ Navatman, @ Matrka, ©® three tattvas (Siva, vidya, atma), ® 8 Aghora etc., © Bhairavasadbhava, @ Rati- Sekhara; the other sixfold ‘jak¢a’ nyasa consists of @ Parapara, @ Malini, @ three saktis (Para, Parapara, Apara), © 8 Aghori etc, © Vidya- anga, © Matrsadbhava. After the nyasa he should worship his body with flowers etc. (TA. xv. 276b-278a), purified by the water of the argha- patra specially purified by the same special nyasa (TA. xv. 288b-294). 5. Inner worship (antaryaga) The teacher must now transform his prana, buddhi and sanya” into the throne of Siva by performing the nyasa of 37 tattvas on his prana from the maladhara to the dvadasanta (TA. xv. 295-7a). This throne Givasana) thus constituted by the nyasa, has the shape of a trisala whose three prongs are sakti, vyapint and samana on which three lotuses of unmant (87th tattva) rest (TA. xv. 313-4). After paying homage to the throne and to his guru and his predecessors (TA. xv. 320b), he first worships the three Bhairavas with their respective Saktis (see above, he must repeat the two sets of sixfold nyasa here; T'A. xv. 326a) on the three Jotuses and then in the center the Goddess Para (who is also called KalasampkarSini; TA, xv. 332) with her ajgas etc. In this inner worship, attendant deities as her aigas and the lokapalas etc. are worshipped together with the Para, their existence being imagined at the top of her head (TA. xv. 381a, 333). To this ensemble of deities (mantracakra) in the from of a blazing fire offerings should be made at the navel, the heart, the throat, the palate, and the upper kunda. On this occasion, the adhvan to be used in the diksa ritual should be honoured, on the teacher’s body, as the principal path. Thus transforming himself into Siva he can proceed to the external worship (T'A. xv. 366). 6. External worship (bahiryaga) This is a repetition of the worship of Siva as described above, on 50Diksa in the Tantraloka the mandala (TA. xv. 387b-388a), but as it is done externally it is pre- ceded by Asetragraha, Ganesa-paja, worship of the pitchers etc. (TA. xv. 369-3874). 7. Preparation of the ritual fire (agnikarya) This ritual consists of identifying the fire with Siva (TA. xv. 389b- 391a and 395): after purifying the fire inwardly (by means of prana, TA, xy. 412-414a) or by exterual rituals (7A. xv. 398-411), the teacher should practise homa (pouring clarified butter into the fire, while reciting a mantra) for the mila-mantra (TA. xv. 418-420a). 8. Preparation of the ritual porridge (carw-samsiddhi) The carw (ritual porridge) should be cooked by the teacher himself or by his disciples, on a separate fire started from the above-mentioned one (TA, xv. 412a and 436b-437a), and should be offered to the gods in the ritual fire to purify it (T'A. xv. 438-444a). The rest is then divided into six parts (of which four are offered to the sthaydila, to the two pitchers and to the fire, and two are kept for consumption by the teacher and the disciple afterwards) (TA. xv 444b-445a). 2) Samaya-diksa 1. Purification of the disciple The teacher then asks for permission from Siva to perform the diksa proper and goes outside the ritual pavilion to purify the disciple, After giving the disciple the caru, paftcagavya and a toothpick, followed by the divinatory ritual with the toothpick,” outside the ritual pavilion, the teacher blindfolds the disciple and leads him before the sthandila, He puts into the cup of the joined palms of the disciple flowers and jewels and makes him throw them onto the sthandila. And after filling the dis- ciple’s hands again, the guru takes off the blindfold. At this moment 51SUL 9 119 Ht the disciple sees with awe the sthandila brightened by the power of the mantra, and he is penetrated by the mantra (mantra-avesa, TA. xv. 451b -452a and J. ad 456a). The author explains that the disciple ‘sees’ the presence of the mantra because he is purified by the saktipata.!” 2. Sivahasta The teacher performs the nydsa of the mantracakra filled with all the adhvan™ on his righthand; then he puts this hand on the disciple’s head and his entire body, where the teacher has previously effectuated the nyasa of the adhvan to be purified (T'A. xv.457b).™ In this fashion, the disciple is united to the isvaratattva and becomes a samayin.'” This ritual is not described in the Malintvijayottaratantra, which Abhinavagupta uses as the basis of his Tantraloka. Here he follows the Diksottara (vii. 103-118a). He cites also a passage of the Devyayamala, according to which the disciple becomes a samayin merely by seeing the Sivahasta, while he will be instantly liberated and die if he is touched by it on the head (TA. xv. 460-3). 3. Divinatory dreaming (nidravidhi) The teacher enters into the heart of the disciple and climbs up (with the atman of the disciple) to the dvadasjanta and returns to the heart, This will ensure clearness of the dream for the disciple. The tea- cher also does the same thing for himself; and they go to sleep. Early next morning, both the teacher’s and the disciple’s dreams are interpre- ted, though that of the former is more important, as his consciousness is superior to that of the latter. God, fire, beautiful women, drinking wine, eating raw meat, all such joyful things are said to be auspicious. If the dream were to prove inauspicious, he would have to perform homa 108 times. 52Diksa in the Tantraloka 4. The ritual of the twice-born (dvijatvapadana) The teacher teaches the disciple worship of deities such as mantra, and the disciple performs it. Then the teacher enters, by his prana, into the heart of the disciple and goes up to the dvadasanta, passing four other cakras (throat, palate, between the brows, forehead) on the way. At these six cakras, he touches six deities (Brahma, Visnu, Rudra, Ié- vara, Sadasiva, Siva), and he performs eight samskara rituals at each cakra, Thus forty-eight vedic samskaras'® are accomplished for the di- sciple and he is purified by coming into contact with Consciousness at the dvadasanta (TA. xv. 495-6). In this way the disciple becomes a dvija, which is explained as a mental state (ciddharma, TA. xv. 511b). He is said to become a part of Rudra (rudraméa), by coming into union with Siva at the dvadasanta for a brief moment (TA. xv, 519-520a). By this the disciple is said to be qualified for the study, hearing (oral instruction), the daily paja (nitya) and serving the guru in the puja (LA, xv. 520b-521a), though this is a redundant affirmation, as the disciple was qualified for all these by the sivahkasta (see J. ad TA. xv. 459 T. iv. 79). citing Si 5. Imparting observances (samaya) The teacher teaches the disciple eight groups of observances (each consisting of eight objects of injunctions): what should not be said, what should not be done, what should be guarded as secret, what or whom should be worshipped, what or whom should be propitiated, what or whom should be meditated upon, what should be done away with, those who should be subtly deceived. Among the other prescriptions, most in- teresting are perhaps the complete negation of the consciousness of caste (TA, xv. 595-603) and those concerning sexual rituals (TA, xv. 552-9).REAR RE 5119 A 3) Nirvana-dtksa 1, Tracing of the mandala, paja on the mandala, preliminary sacrifice, and the nyasa of the adhvan Having accomplished all the adhivasana as described above the teacher must trace a mandala early on the following day (T'A. xvi. 2). The mandala used in the nirvana-diksa is a trifala-mandala,” where three Bhairavas and three Saktis are worshipped on each point of the three prongs. After this a sacrifice (visesa-paja, TA. xvi. 26a) should be performed. Though vegetable offerings are admitted, animal sacrifice is recommended because it is a kind of diksa for the sacrificial victims as they can be liberated in this way (T'A. xvi. 59b-62a). Then, the teacher, after receiving the order from Siva, identifies himself with Siva, taking the sixfold form of mardala, fire, two pitchers, the disciple and himself. After performing the nyasa of the adhvan to be purified on five of the above-mentioned, he then proceeds to that on the disciple. After this he ties three knots symbolizing karma-, maytya- and anava-mala, around the arms, the throat and at the top of the sikha of the disciple respectively. 2. Purification of tattvas (tattva-suddhi) As Abhinavagupta chooses the Path of tattva among the ten paths possible (sadadhvan and the path of one, three, nine tattvas and that of four andas: TA. xvi. 164-165a), he here calls tattvasuddhi what should be more generally referred to as adhvasuddhi (TA. xvii. 121b). The purification of adhvan can be brought about by simply performing the nyasa of the purificatory mantra on the adhvan (TA. xvi. 97), or by the nyasa of the purificatory mantra alone without that of the adhvan (TA. xvi. 98). I will examine these two ways of purification later, so here I will restrict myself to a description of the case of the purification 54Diksa in the Tantraloka of fattvas by means of the ritual of birth (janana) with external homa® in which the disciple’s karmans are destroyed by an anticipated experi ence of them. First, the teacher evokes the ¢attva of earth by its mantra in the fire and performs the tarpana to it (T'A. xvii. 8b-9). The same procedure vari) which will be the womb for the births of the disciple in the tattva of earth. The tea- cher takes the dtman of the disciple into his heart, so that the disciple can be born in the maya-éakti (TA. xvii, 30b-33). As the disciple’s at- man remains in contact with the body, he does not die. is repeated for the maya-Sakti (in the form of Va The ritual of birth consists of four stages, which are: (1) garbhadh- ana, (2) janana (bhogabhoktrtva), (3) bhoge laya, (4) pasaccheda. In the first stage, by the garbhadhana, many bodies belonging to the tattva of earth are produced; in the second, by the janana, the disciple becomes the subject of enjoyment; in the third, by the bhoge laya, he is merged with the enjoyment; and in the fourth, by the pasaccheda, all the bonds 36-47). These rituals are accomplished by oblations into the fire, with the mantras of (1) Apara (2) Parapara (3) fifteen mantras beginning with Pibani?? and (4) Para, in respective stages. After the pasaccheda, the teacher evokes the Master of the ¢attva of earth are severed (TA. x1 of the sativa of earth and being unshakeable in the awareness of himself as Siva, orders the Master not to make obstacles to the progress of the disciple toward the pure state (T'A. xvii, 48-9). The teacher again joins the disciple’s atman to his own heart and then reunites it with the heart of the disciple, Then after releasing the mayasakti, he meditates on the tattva of earth as coalescing with that of water (TA. xvii, 61). By this process of coalescence, the whole series of tattvas will be merged with xvii, 62). Repeating the same process for each fattva up to the kala-tattva, Siva in the end and will be purified (7. the teacher cuts off the knot at the arms and burns it with a paryahuti so that all the karman is burnt away (TA, xvii. 65-70a). When the 35PSA RE 119 maya-tattva is purified, the tied knot at the throat is burnt with the maya; finally, when the sadasiva-tattva is purified, the sikha is cut off with the knot and consumed with the azavamala.*? 3. yojana (unification with Siva) The teacher unites the disciple thus purified and the supreme Siva. This unification is accomplished essentially by a parnahuti. Linking his own prana with that of the disciple and meditaing on all the adhvan of space and time as being in the praya and the prana in the Sakti and the sakti in the pure Consciousness, which is nothing but Siva and the same as the consciousness of the disciple and the fire etc. the teacher pours the oblation into the fire, climbing up to the dvadasanta-cakra where he unites the disciple and Siva (T'A. xvii. 78b-82). This process is compared with the movement of an object reflected in a mirror, like a swan flying up from the surface of the water while its reflected image is ‘sinking’ in the water (T'A. xv. 431). For a disciple who seeks enjoy- ment (bubhuksu), he performs once again a parndhuti to join the dis- ciple with a lower tattva whose siddhis he can enjoy afterwards. 4, Suddha-tativa-srsti (creation of pure tattvas) ‘When the diksa is done as a sabtja-dtksa, which is the normal case, the teacher must bring about the creation of pure tattvas for the acti- vities of the disciple for the rest of his life. Offering a parnahuti, he meditates on the pure /attvas as flowing out of the sea of Consciousness of Siva so that all the tattvas of the disciple partake of His nature. For example, the five senses are for perceiving Siva, the hand for grasping Him, the foot for going towards Him, and the mouth for singing hymns in His honour, ete. 56Diksa in the Tantraloka 4) The essential nature of the diksa As we have seen above, tattva-suddhi (adhva-suddhi) and yojana And as the tattva-Suddhi are two main rituals of the nirvana-diksa. consists, in its form most frequently practised as described above, of the purification of the disciple’s karman by allowing him to experience in a is constitued by two principal phases which ensure, respectively, purification and unifica- advance its future effects, it may appear that the diks tion. First one is purified (separated) from mundane impurities (harman) and then united with the divine (sivatattva). Though this formulation agrees with the general pattern of ‘rite de passage’, this would be a simplistic view of the process which has undergone a long historical development. We should first examine what this ‘purification of adhvan’ really means, Is this actually a case of the purification of karman? Certainly this is one of the aims pursued by the diksa, as is clearly stated by Abh- inava himself: “[By the diksa the teacher should] bring about the non- existence of all the karman of the past and of the future for those who are indifferent and want moksa” (T'A. xv. 27). Though the purification of karman is necessary to attain liberation, it is not the main object of the diksa, for if one has ability in knowledge and yoga, even a samayin, whose diksa does not contain the purification of karman, can attain liber- ation (TA. xvi. 297-298a). For such a person the diksa is only an ini- tiation ritual which enables him to proceed to the study of Sastras and to various techniques of self-realization in life. Also we should not forget that the diksa is also a direct means to liberation at the moment of death: “diksa is the means of liberation and of enjoyment, by itself (svayam) and as a means of purification (samskarayogat)” (TA. xv. 1b- 2a). Jayaratha glosses this passage in the following way: in the case of mumukge, ‘svayam’ concerns the nirbija-diksita and ‘samskarayogat’ 57RESURFACE 119 Ht concerns the sabtja-dtksita, who thus obtains the qualification for know- ledge and yoga and attains liberation througn them (TA. vol. 9, p. 2). However, it is inconceivable that everyone who has received the sabija- diksa will be able to attain the jrvanmukti, Therefore Abhinava says that those who do not gain the desired results through knowledge and yoga should rely on the guru, because the diksa liberates them by itself even without inner knowledge (T'A. xvi. 298b-300a). How then does the diksa bring about the liberation at the moment of death? First, as I have mentioned above the ritual of janana is not the only means of accomplishing the dtksa. The purification of karman can be brought about also by simple nyasa of purificatory mantras without the homa rituals. In such cases, the teacher begins with the nyasa of the adhvan to be purified on the body of the disciple and then performs the nyasa of purificatory mantras on the adhvan. Even in this case of the purification without homa rituals, the teacher can imagine various births of the disciple in the womb at each successive stage of the selec- ted adhvan (TA. xvi. 238-9). But when one seeks to accomplish this purification only by the nyasa of mantras, one can do it without imagi- ning the different births: the teacher should do the nyasa thinking “I draw out [the disciple] from here” (asmad uddharami) (TA. xvi. 245). He draws out the disciple from a lower ¢attva (or a stage in another adhvan) and leads him into the next fattva, and thus repeating this process he brings the disciple to Siva (TA. xvi. 196b-198a). The purifi- cation of karman is not envisaged here. Moreover, even in the case of the diksa with janana, it is said that the purification of karman has no sense if separatedness (prthaktva) [from Siva] is not destroyed by the process of merging two tattvas (T'A. xvii. 62-3). The efficacy of the diksa consists in this gradual process of climbing up the ladder of adh- van: “Even if there is unsteadiness of mental activities because of their diversity, by gradual unification with each element there certainly will be the ascent (radhi) culminating in the attainment of the nature of 58Diksa in the Tantraloka Siva, ‘This tattva is of this nature and I draw the disciple upwards from here’; if there is an awareness of such an orderly progression [upwards], even a thickheaded person can attain the nature of Siva. And the disciple, seeing the teacher participating in the grace of Siva [obtained] by such a gradual process, also attains Sivahood by identifying xvi. 196b- himself with the teacher and by the power of bhakti” (7 199a). Similarly, the ritual of yojana also consists in reaching progressively higher levels of reality culminating in union with Siva. In the 17th chap- ter, Abhinava says that the teacher should imagine the existence of all six adhvans in the praya to perform the yojana, and he does not men- tion the various stages in the upward motion of the prana. But in the 15th chapter (T'A, xv. 433-436a), he refers to the yojana ritual of the Tri a few stages at the top) are passed through in the movement of the irobhairavatantra, according to which all the 36 ¢attvas (including prana. A far more elaborate way of imagining the passage of prana in the yojana is described in the Svacchandatantra, according to which the teacher must be conscious of 13 kinds of ladders of reality (Sv.T. iv. 231-407). Among these, the ladder consisting of the ‘rungs’ of the mantra Om (A, U, M, bindu, nada, nadanta etc., cf. Sv.T. iv. 255-6) is undoubtedly very ancient. It is probable that the yogic technique of meditation on Om (meditate on the ascent of the atman, making it correspond to the stages of pronunciation of Om), called ‘hamsoccara’ in the Svacchanda- tantra (Sv.T. iv, 257-262), i of the notion of pada-adhvan and mantra-adhvan. ‘Pada’ means com- at the origin of the ritual of yojana and ponent parts of a single mantra, such as ‘A’ or ‘U’ in Om (cf. padar- thabheda, Sv.T. iv. 334-356a), in the Tantraloka the Para mantra ‘Sauh’ is divided into ‘au’ and visarga, which correspond to all tattvas till maya, those till Sakti and Niskala Siva respectively (TA. xvi. 219b- 220a)*, As for the mantra-adhvan, which consists of vaktra-mantras 59SURG $119 Ht and asga-mantras in the SP., we find it constituted, in the enumeration of six adhvans in the Sv.T. (iv. 241b-257a-1), by the eleven stages of Om (where the pada-adhvan is composed of 81 padas of the vidya- raja)”, Leaving aside the problem of the historical development of the six- fold adhvan, in so far as the yojana ritual is the ascent from the lowest level of reality (maladhara) to the highest level (Siva at the dvadasa- nta), it has exactly the same meaning as the fattva-suddhi, although in the yojana there may not be the gradual awareness of ascent, owing to the shortness of the time taken to complete this process (one span of expiration). The yojana is thus a repetition and confirmation of the Purification of adhvan (adhva-suddhi), which is the main ritual of nir- vanada-diksa.” However, we should keep in mind that this ‘purification’ is not ‘doing away with’ or ‘being separated from’ as it would be for the dualists*”, It is a process of ascent, in which, when one climbs up to a higher stage, the lower stage is absorbed in the higher, and finally all the infer- ior stages of reality are absorbed in Siva and not discarded as impure. Accordingly, the word ‘adhvan’ is explained in two ways: adhvan means ‘path’ for those who have a dualistic view because it is the way for reaching the state which should be attained gradually, but for those who are awakened (prabuddha) it is what should be enjoyed, i.e. what is eaten (adyate) (T'A. vi, 30). Thus to bring about the conviction of pu- rity of all things (= oneness with Siva), the creation of pure tattvas follows the yojana ritual. In this way, the diksa is essentially the application of the sixfold adhvan on the disciple by the teacher, who first applies it to himself in the adhivasana three times, by ordinary nyasa, by special nyasa and by antaryaga, And this is the reason Abhinava emphasized the existence of the sixfold adhvan in the Hand of Siva, as we noticed above. Though the adhvan is potentially contained in any ‘hand of Siva’ in the form of the 60Diks in the Tantraloka Sivasana, Abhinava had to emphasize this because he considered the adhvan as the essential element in any diksa ritual, even in the samaya- diksa, by which the disciple is united with the ivara-tattva through the path of adhvan. As for the dvijatvapadana, which is another main constituent of the samaya-dik; , it has two aspects, one similar to the janana ritual and the other similar to the yojana. As the disciple goes through all the rituals in the life of a brahman, it is a miniature janana ritual, As it is the ascent from the heart to the dvddasanta, it has the same structure as the yojana, particularly (surpassing six Karama deities from Brahma to Siva) (Sv.T. iv. 263-7), though ‘surpassing the six and entering into the seventh (Paramasivay’ s it is similar to ‘karanatyaga’ does not exist in the dvijatvapadana. But what effect does this ascent to Siva produce on the disciple? The teacher has a clear experience of this climbing upwards, but the disciple does not experience this in a direct way except in the case of the diksa where the effects are immediately perceptible (pratyaya-diksa), in which he sees each world he passes through (TA. xvi. 244). Abhinava explains this by distinguishing two sorts of knowledge, that of purusa (paurusa-jiana) and that of buddhi (bauddha-jnana). For Kashmir &: vism, what is called ‘mala’ (original impurity) which is the fundamental cause of samsdra, is nothing but ignorance, but it is not the ordinary ignorance of buddhi (bauddha-ajfana) at the mental level, it is the igno- rance of soul (paurusa-ajfana)™ situated in the depths of one’s being. This knowledge or ignorance of soul is of a non-differentiated (avikalpa) nature (TA, i, 38a), while the bauddha-jfana (or -ajhana) is differenti- ated (wikalpa, see J. ad TA. i. 24, vol. 1, pp. 56-7). This is the reason mere textual knowledge does not bring about liberation. It is the dtksa which destroys the pawrusa-ajnana (J. ad TA. i. 43, pp. 80-1), and one who has received the diksa will be liberated at the moment of death (TA. i. 43). If he should succeed in destroying also the bauddha-ajnana, he becomes a jrvanmukta (TA. i. 44). 6RAUL 119 At So, the ascent to Siva in the diksa does not exercise an influence on one’s ordinary consciousness, it works on the non-differentiated level of. one’s consciousness, or perhaps one may say on the ‘unconscious’. It is the unconscious experience of union with Siva, by the process of ascent, which destroys our unconscious ignorance, i.e. our dnava-mala. However, there is another aspect of the dtksa, which the disciple per- ceives consciously, and which produces an effect similar to that of a play on an audience. Seeing the acts and hearing the words of the teacher who plays the role of a spiritual guide of the soul in the journey through the different stages of reality, and partly identifying himself with the teacher, the disciple is assured of the certainty of his liberation at the moment of death. In this sense, the more numerous and precise the teacher’s acts and words are, the more certain the disciple’s conviction becomes ; so Abhinava recommends reliance on as many rituals as time and means permit (T'A. xvi. 195b-196a). Il, Kaula diksa The 29th chapter of the Tantraloka describes the kula rituals (ku- laprakriya), and the diksa according to this chapter™? has an immediate effect on the disciple, contrary to the ordinary diksa. First I will examine the dtksa in question and then the éula rituals in general. 1) Description of the Kaula diksa 1. Samaya-diksa Suitable candidates for receiving the kaula diksa are very few (one in a hundred thousand, T'A. xxix. 187a), and as the one who is to be initiated is referred to as ‘[the teacher’s] own disciple (svasisya)’ (ibid.) it is possible that this diksa is done redundantly, after an ordinary diksa. The disciple, on whom the teacher has performed the nyasa of the adh- 62Diksa in the Tantraloka van to be purified (TA. xxix. 20a), enters the ritual pavilion, after being sprinkled with the water invigorated by the rudrasakti (malini between Para or Matrsadbhava). The teacher contemplates the hands of the disciple so that they become radiant with the rudrasakti. He puts a flower into the hands of the disciple, and then depriving them of the disciple’s own Sakti, he meditates on the rudrasakti in the form of a hook pulling them. In this way, moved by the Sakti, the disciple blind- folds himself with a piece of cloth and then throws the flower on the sthandila*, so that the teacher can decide the Aula (affiliation with a particular deity) of the disciple by the fall of the flower. The disciple, still under the influence of the Sakti, removes the blindfold and makes a bow to the deity thus chosen ;*” the teacher then honours the devicakra at the hands and on the head of the disciple, visualizing the devicakra on the head as it attracts its counterpart at the hands. Thus the hands are pulled up towards the head and fall on it, It is this involuntary movement of the hands by the Sakti of Siva which is called the hand of Siva ( ciple should offer the caru to the deity. Then, taking the caru and the hasta). In the same way (still moved by the Sakti) the dis- toothpick, he throws the latter on the ground, The degree of the Sakti- pata (descent of the divine energy of grace) is judged from the consis- tency of his actions: if he worships the same deity as chosen by the act of throwing the flower and if he offers the carw to the same etc. (J. ad TA, xxix. 197a), then he is considered to have received a high degree of Saktipata, Another variety of the samaya-diksa consists in giving to the disciple the carw made according to kula prescriptions, i.e. made of semen and blood etc. and sprinkled with wine (wamamrta). Should he take it with steady hands he is united with a saktigotra, and should he take it with trembling hands he is recognized as a samayin'®. 63RASA 9119 Ht 2. Nirvana-diksa There is no essential difference between the nirvana-diksa of the kula rituals and the ordinary one without janana. It is the purification of adhvans by the power of mantra: the purificatory mantra (here Ma- Jini) burns away all the adhvans and merges with Siva niskala (in the case of mumuksu) or sakala (in the case of bubhuksu) (TA. xxix. 201b ~206). The particularity of the kaula diksa consists in its having visible effects: the disciple might fall down (T'A. xxix. 202a and 210); or he might experience bliss (ananda), jumping (wdbhava), quivering (kampa), sleeping (nidra), shaking (gharni), depending on where the rudrasakti penetrates—citi, vyoman, pranana, antartanu and bahirtanu respectively (TA. xxix. 207-8)", In other cases, he sees all the stages of the adhvan he passes through (T'A. xxix. 217-218a); furthermore, he might even re- veal all the sastras (218b), including unknown ones (J.). 2) Analysis of Kaula-dtksa Thus the salient characteristic of the kaula diksa lies in the fact that it gives immediate conviction of its efficacy (sapratyaya) in the form of penetration of the divine power (Saktipata or avesa). When no such signs appear, the teacher should cast away such a disciple like a stone (T'A. xxix. 21la). These external signs must have been considered originally as evidence of divine grace. In his commentary on the Soma- sambhupaddhati, Trilocana quotes a passage which lists as signs of sakti- pata @ immediate liberation (sadyomukti)'?, @ fainting (marcha), @® quivering (kampa), @ thrill of the hair (romaacaka) (SP. iii. p. 7, [7a]). Though the purification of adhvan is pursued in a similar way to that of ordinary diksa, it would appear that the kaula diksa’s main pur- pose is to obtain these visible effects. These effects have much in com- mon with ecstatic (in the case of ananda etc.) and shamanic (in the case of seeing adhvan) experience. The former is reminiscent of the 64Diksa in the Tantraloka modern cult of Devi in which some devotees are possessed by the goddess and show such signs as fainting or trembling. As for the latter, the Brahmayamala (33rd. patala)*® says that the disciple sees his ancestors in hell and himself in the akasa during the dikya, which may be com- pared to the journey of the shaman through hell towards heaven. It is clear that manifestations of a lower degree of Saktipata such as shaking of the body have no more importance than as testimony of his certain liberation in the future. But if the disciple has a really deep experience such as dranda or seeing the adhvan, it will be a great help towards realizing he jivanmukti. It is not only the experience during the diksa ritual proper, but that of the entire ritual setting constituted by other acts of worship (kulayage) that induces various states approaching liberation. Though the kaula di- ksa is preceded by the sexual rituals (dautavidhi) (TA. xxviii. 78), 1 will not treat of them here, because it is only the teacher who practises these in the diksa: the disciple is not yet qualified for them‘. The kulayaga is defined at the beginning of the 29th chapter as follows: “For one who sees all things in such a way and who has des- troyed all his doubts, yaga is like this. Whatever a vira does to confirm such nature by thought, word and deed is called kulayaga” (TA. xxix. 5-6) (J. glosses Sakti’, p. 5, 1.3). consider everything as Siva without any doubt whatever and must prove in such a way’ by ‘as the immense essence of Siva and hus those who are fit to perform the kulayaga must this by their action, Therefore, it is emphasized that one should be emancipated from the ordinary distinction of pure and impure: there are consequently no adhivasas such as ablution in the kula ritual (T'A. xxix. 8); on the contrary one must use the materials prohibited by the ordinary Sastras (TA, xxix. 10). These prohibited materials are represented by three M’s, which are madya (wine), mamsa (meat) and maithuna (sexual intercourse) (TA. xxix. 98b) and the users of these are called ‘hrahma- carin’. They who only taste these in an ordinary way and those who 65RUHR F119 Tt refuse them in the Aulaprakriya from false self-consciousness, these two types of men are equally pasu and fall into hell (TA. xxix. 99-100a). Among the three M’s, two (madya and mamsa) are subsidiary causes of ananda while the third (snaithuna) is the effect itself, that is, ananda (TA, xxix. 97b-98a). The importance of wine is much stressed as an ancillary cause (TA. xxix. 11-13). However, with regard to the materials used in the ritual, Abhinava considers the nature of the argha water as the essential element of this yaga (TA. xxix. 17). This argha water is composed of wine and the kuzdagolaka, which (though not stated expli- citly) is obviously the mixture of semen and female sexual fluid—the result of sexual union between the teacher and a Sakti (female partner) (TA. xxix. 1a). These two, wine and the kundagolaka, are said to be the cause and the effect of ananda (TA. xxix. 22a). In this way, one of the character- istics of the kuda ritual consists in using ordinarily detestable materials, and for some this can be a effective way to obtain jtvanmukti: in the case of the ritual of taking the caru with vamamrta, which I mentioned in connection with the samaya-dtksa, if the disciple takes it without fear he attains the non-discriminative (avikalpa) consciousness of spontaneous intuition (nirupaya) (J. ad TA. xxix. 200, vol. xi, p. 130, 1. 10-13), and Jayaratha reminds us that the eating of caru (carubhojana) can be a subsidiary method to the state of anupaya (J. refers to a verse cited in his commentary to TA. ii. 2, p. 2, 1. 13). So, the kaula dtksa has a powerful effect on the disciple, as it forces the disciple to transcend the opposition of pure and impure, so deeply rooted in the Indian mentality, thus causing a violent shock to the mind of the disciple who is in this way led to acknowledge the unity of Siva and the whole of mundane existence. Though the intensity of this exper- ience varies according to the individual, it can be an effective way to salvation in life, not a mere initiation as the ordinary dtksa is, for those who seek jrvanmukti. 66Diksa in the Tantraloka I think that this type of diksa, which gives a glimpse of a higher order of reality to the disciple, accompanied by certain typical reactions which the teacher recognizes, was probably the original form of the diksa ritual: first, as mentioned above, there is the resemblance with shama- nistic and ecstatic cults; secondly, comparison with similar cults would seem to favour the supposition that this religion begins first as a move- ment restricted to an esoteric circle examining disciples by such dksa to find out if they really have the psychological talents to experience mysti- cal union‘, The later development of the ordinary dksa which I des- cribed first must be the result of the process of popularization of Saivism. So now, I would like to show how Abhinavagupta conceives the entire system of salvation and to situate the di within it. III. Place of the di in the hierarchy of wpaya and Saktipata 1) Diksa as an ayava-upaya No one seems to have paid enough attention to the phrase of Jaya- ratha at the beginning of the 6th chapter of the TA, where he says that all subjects treated in chapters 6 to 12 belong to sthanakalpana and those treated in chapters 15 to 37 belong to the bahya part of sthana- kalpana (J. ad TA. vi. 1, p. 2, 1. 1-6). Abhinava himself says at the beginning of the 6th chapter (sl. 1) that he will speak about the stha- nakalpana and at the end of the 12th chapter (sl. 26) he affirms that he has explained the apava-upaya. Sthanaprakalpa is the outermost sub- division of the anava-npaya which is constituted by dhyana, uccara, varna, karana and sthanakalpana. So this agrees perfectly with the state- ment of Abhinava that he treats of the four kinds of knowledge (which are the four upayas: anupaya, sambhava-upaya, sakta-upaya and anava- upaya) in the Tantraloka (TA. i, 245). This means that the diksa, discussed in chapters 15 to 21 and 29, 67KEMAH 95119 belongs to the ayava-upaya, But is there any theoretical basis for this classification? Abhinava rearranges five subdivisions of the anava-upaya, listed in the MV, according to the theory of four parimita-pramatr: dhyana is based on the buddhi-pramatr, uccara and varna on the prana- pramatr, karana on the deha-pramatr and sthanaprakalpa on the bahya- pramaty, But at the beginning of the 6th chapter he again divides the sthanaprakalpa into three which are based on prana, deha (body) and bahya (external objects). Prana is further sub-divided into five (prana, apana, udana, samana, vydna), deha into two (antardeha and bahirdeha) and bahya into eleven (mandala, sthandila, patra, aksasatra, pustaka, linga, tara, pusta, pratima, and marti) (TA. vi. 2-4a), Apart from the fact that he begins at once to go into the sthanaprakalpa based on prana (which is the kala-adhvan)™, he does not refer to this division afterwards. The mention of prana and deha as subdivision of sthanaprakalpa con- tradicts the above division of the azava-upaya, but it is highly probable that Abhinava intended, by referring to prana, to introduce the kala- adhvan as the first of all adhvans. As the main subject treated in chap- ters 6 to 12 is indeed the adhvan (sadadhvan and kala-adhvan) and as the diksa is nothing but the application of adhvan to the disciple, it is clear that Abhinava considered adhvan as the essential element in the sthanaprakalpa. This is easy to understand, because the most usual way of turning any object into a support for worship (which is the literal meaning of sthanaprakal pa) is by transforming it into Siva’s throne (Sivasana). This Sivasana’s main components are the 36 tattvas, the adhvan chosen by Abhinava for the diksa, and Jayaratha identifies the constitution of the Sivasana with the nyasa of adhvan (J. ad TA xv. 297b, vol. ix, p. 147). This throne of Siva is not only projected onto the external objects such as mandala, but also onto the initiate’s own body, as I have mentioned concerning the antaryaga, because he can not worship Siva without be- coming Siva. Moreover, the meditation of adhvan can be by itself an 68Diksa in the Tantraloka effective way to liberation: the initiate transforms, by meditating on his body filled with all the adhvans, himself and the whole of existence into Siva (TA. xii. 6-8), It is in view of this sort of utilization of the adhvans that Abhinava describes them in chapters 6 to 11—though their description serves as a guidebook for the teacher to lead the disciple up to Siva during diksa. Thus Abhinava shows the adhvan to be the essential component of sthanaprakalpa: he treats of them first for those who can practise their meditation by themselves, and then, from the 15th chapter onwards, of the disk teacher for those who can not practise by themselves‘. This case of which is the application of the adhvan on the disciple by the the diksa corresponds to the ‘mart’ subdivision of sthanaprakalpa, which Sisyaima’ (ad TA, xii, 3, but ad TA. vi. 4 by ‘gurvadisambandhin?). And after the diksa the disciples applies the Jayaratha glosses by adhvan to himself (on his ‘marti’) in the daily ritual (nitya-paja) because he must become Siva to worship Siva. Thus the diksa serves also as the model of the subsequent nitya-paja, which is the foremost duty for de- votees, Here arises the problem of distinguishing the disciples who must rely on the teacher from those who need not, Their qualifications (adhikara) depend on the various degrees of saktipata received, which I will now examine. 2) Saktipata We have seen that in the kaula diksa, Suktipata manifests itself in visible signs such as fainting etc. If my hypothesis on the development of the diksa ritual proves to be correct, those who would be newly initiated had to show these signs to prove their aptitude for mystic expe- riences in order to be accepted within the restricted circle of adepts, who constituted the original nucleus of the cult. This circle was to widen 69REAR RE F119 into a popular movement, becoming gradually an established religion and incorporating the more ordinary devotees of Siva. In this situation, new criteria for assessing a disciple’s fitness had to be introduced. On the other hand, as the teacher is an incarnation of Siva on earth, if the diksa were to end with no outward sign of the disciple having received the grace of Siva, the authority of the teacher would be undermined. For these reasons the Saktipata had to be re-interpreted and interiorized™, Henceforward, the saktipata is thought to take place, not at the moment of the diksa, but before the diksa”. A postulant’s desire to be initiated by the dtksa is in itself considered to be the clearest sign that he has received the saktipata of Siva. So, it is said that bhakti towards Siva is the Saktipata (“sive bhaktir eva saktipatah”, TA. xiii, 118a)*. 1. Degrees of Saktipata In the 13th chapter of the TA. nine degrees of saktipata are pre- sented as follows: nvrattvra-ttvra — madhya—twra-madhya — manda—tvra-manda madhya-ttora \madhya-madhya madhya-manda manda-trra -manda-madhya |-manda-manda (intense scale) (medium scale) (mild scale) Those who receive the highest degree of Saktipata (tivra-ttvra) die immediately and attain salvation. So they need neither upaya nor dtksa. Some may die shortly afterwards, others still later, which makes three subdivisions. Jayaratha says that this should be applied to all nine thus making 27 degrees altogether. By the madhya-ttvra saktipata (medium on the intense scale) all ignorance disappears, and one obtains liberation without the teacher (TA. xiii, 131b-132). There are two main subdivisions of this degree: one is the case of the teacher (as he who receives this degree of ‘aktipata is automatically considered as teacher) called ‘samsiddhika’ or ‘akalpita’; the other is the case of one called ‘akalpita-kalpaka’. The former (akal- 70Diksé in the Tantraloka pita) acquires intuitive knowledge (pratibha) totally by himself, but as he will have to depend on the Sastras to help others he is said to be initiated by deities who are really nothing but his consciousness (T 43a). In the case of ‘akalpita-kalpaka’ (literally ‘not made [but self-] made’), he is not dependent on the teacher (so he is ‘akalpita’), but as ive his ‘pratibha’ is not perfect, he must, to confirm this pratibha, rely on various techniques described in the Sastras (bhavana, dhyana, japa, svapna, vrata, huti etc.; TA. iv. 53 and TA, xiii, 142b-143a), He is said to be initiated by the japa of the Goddess Rakta (TA. iv. 65a)*? or, if his Saktipata is a bit less intense, he should practise the diksa to himself 143b-144). The madhya-tivra Saktipata 157), but in the case of akalpita- kalpaka one can depend on any method belonging to the other three in the imagination (TA. xi corresponds to anupaya (cf. 1 upayas to confirm one’s intuitive knowledge. The manda-twra saktipata (mild on the intense scale) is defined as follows: “Owing to the force of the mildly-intense Sakti, by the union with the power of the will of Siva, the desire to approach a good teacher is born” (TA. xiii. 218). If the degree of saktipata is high, the disciple will obtain an ‘akalpita’ (see above) teacher, if low, a teacher with or- dinary diksa (samskrta) (TA. xiii. 224a). It is also said that a disciple who gets an ‘akalpita’ teacher will attain jivanmukti at the moment of the diksa (TA. xiii. 225-6). This diksa given by an ‘akalpita’ teacher may be practised in various ways such as conversation (kathana), simple meeting (samgama), gazing (avalokana), explanation of Sastras, sam- kramana™, performing acts of equality (samyacaryasamdarsana), caru (kundagolaka according to J.), (by the greatness of) mantra or mudra, hriya, penetration into the inner prana (antarakararapapranapravesa) (TA. to the kaula diksa as we have seen above. xiii. 227b-229a). The mention of caru refers, if Jayaratha is correct, Also it is probable that penetration into praza refers to the vedha- diksa described in the 29th chapter (236-281). So we can say that the nTRACER | 8 119 Rauladtksa is especially meant for those who receive this degree of éa- ktipata, the most intense of the manda-twra division, though other types of diksa can serve this purpose too as is clear from the mention of “kriya’. As for those who get a ‘samskrta’ teacher, though there is no expla- nation, they must be able to attain jtvanmukti after a period of prac- tice: firstly because it is characteristic of the tivra-madhya Saktipata (the degree just below) that it does not permit the recipient to attain the state of Sivahood during his lifetime; secondly, the text of the MV. which is the basis of Abhinava’s definition of the degrees of saktipata CMV. i. 44-5, cited at TA. xiii, 202-3) says “[the disciple guided to a good teacher] serves him, and having satisfied the teacher, is initiated by him; the disciple attains Sivahood at the moment [of the diksa] or after a period of enjoyment (upabhogad va) or on his death (dehapatat)”. The first case of the disciple who achieves union with Siva in the course of the diksa corresponds to that of obtaining an ‘akalpita’ teacher, so the second (upabhogad) must correspond to the case of those who obtain a ‘samskrta’ teacher. Abhinava explains that the third (dehapatat) is the case of the immediately liberating diksa (sadyonirvanada diksa) (TA.xiii. 234b-239), This diksa is given only to those who are on their deathbed and who have shown signs of having received saktipata (urgent requests of the dying or of his family or of his friends, see T'A. xix. 5). This diksa is classified as the case of the manda-tivra saktipata (mild on the intense scale) perhaps because the interval between obtaining the latter and salvation is very short. The tivra-madhya Saktipata (intense on the medium scale) is defined as follows: ‘in the case of the stvra-madhya, one can not know with certainty one’s Siva-nature after the diksa ritual, as one only becomes Siva at the moment of death” (TA. xiii. 240b-241a). This corresponds to the case of ordinary putrakas who cannot attain jivanmukti? Those who have received the madhya-madhya saktipata (medium on 72Diksa in the Tantraloka the medium scale) “remain bubhuksu though they want to attain Sivahood, and they become Siva after having enjoyed [the tattva] to which they are joined [by the teacher in the diksa]” (TA. xiii. 242b-248a). This is the case of the sadhaka, whom the teacher attaches at the end of the diksa. (after having united him to Siva by the ritual of yojana) to an appropriate tattva (earth for example), profound meditation on which the sadhaka practises after the diksa ritual and obtains various siddhis concerning the tattva in question. In the case of the manda-madhya Saktipata (mild on the medium scale) the enjoyment of siddhis concerning the relevant tattva joined oc- curs not in this life but in the next. At the end of that reincarnation he will be united with Siva (TA. xiii, 243b-244a). However, there are gradations to this degree with the result that more than one reincarna- tion may intervene and also the enjoyment (of the siddhis) may be more or less intense (TA. 3 . 244b-245a). Jayaratha says that these two de- grees correspond to the Sivadharmin sadhaka, though the latter seems to agree more with the definition of the Jokadharmin sadhaka given elsewhere (TA. xv. 30). In the case of ttvra-manda, madhya-manda and manda-manda sak- tipata (intense, medium and mild on the mild seale respectively) the disciple becomes increasingly desirous of the enjoyment of more mundane pleasures, However, he can still attain Sivahood in the end, after a long interval (TA. xiii. 245b-246a), even though he might have to wait till the dissolution of the universe, i.e. its re-absorption into Siva. Accor- ding to Jayaratha, the above three degrees correspond to the lokadhar- min sadhaka: by the power of the ttvra-manda he achieves union with Siva automatically after an extended period of enjoyment of similar plea- sures in future lives; in the case of the madhya-manda, to attain Siva he must be initiated again by the lord of the world (bhuvaneévara) where he will be reborn; in virtue of the manda-manda he must pass through various states of enj ment such as sdlokye, samtpya and sayu- 73FOP 95 119 Ht fa in the upper worlds until he is again initiated and attains the ultimate goal, oneness with Siva (J. ad loc. cit.). Conclusion TA, xv. 1b-2a, as mentioned in the section on the nature of the diksa (p. 57), declares that the diksa is a method for liberation and enjoyment by itself (svayam) or as a means of purification (samskara- yogad va). According to Jayaratha, it is a method for liberation by itself for the nirbtja-diksita, a method for enjoyment by itself for the loka- dharmin sadhaka, a method for liberation as samskara for the sabija- diksita, and a method for enjoyment as samskara for the sivadharmin sadhaka. But this interpretation goes against the tenor of the text as we have seen above. The diksa, mainly the kaula diksa, is a direct means for liberation for those who have the privilege of an ‘akalpita’ teacher; for dying people, the sadyonirvanada diksa has a similar efficacy. In the case of the postulant who gets a ‘samskrta’ teacher through the manda- tira Saktipata, the diksa has no other function than that of rendering him apt for proceeding to various techniques, if he is destined to attain jtvanmukti in this life. As only a small part of the disciples initiated can reach this state, for the ordinary disciples for whom liberation turns out to be an unattainable goal in this life (this would mean they have recieved the trvra-madhya saktipata) the importance of the diksa consists in its effect of ensuring salvation at the monent of death. For the Sivadharmin sadhaka (madhya-madhya Saktipata) also, the diksa serves the same function of ensuring salvation at the moment of death, though his main concern is to obtain siddhis in this life. For this purpose, he must practise ‘mantrasadhana’ (TA. xxix. 227) in normal cases, though the vedha-diksa™ described in the 29th chapter (236-281) is said to en- dow the sadhaka with siddhis immediately (TA. xxix. 236). For those who receive the manda-madhya saktipata (lokadharmin sadhaka), the 74Diksa in the Tantraloka diksa promises enjoyment of siddhis in the next reincarnetion and salva- tion after that period. As for the lowest three degrees of Saktipata (manda), the fact that candidates must receive the diksa in a higher world in order to attain Sivahood suggests, contrary to the interpretation of Jayaratha, that they give access not to the nirvana-diksa, but just to the samaya-diksa. Though Abhinavagupta’s main concern is for the group of elites who wish to attain liberation in this life, he by no means neglects the ordinary bhaktas who form the basis of these elites. Seven of the twelve volumes of the Tantraloka describe various upayas for those who can practise these methods by themselves, the chapters on adhvan being also The diksa is in effect the lowest of these graded upayas for those who can not attain useful to the teacher guiding his disciples in the diks Sivahood by themselves. Nevertheless, the Kashimiri philosopher’s pur- view includes all sorts of disciples, even those who do not seek salvation. In fact, Abhinava devotes a substantial portion of his text to a detailed discussion of the diksa ritual and of related subjects. For the vast majo- rity of disciples, the diksa is of the utmost importance, not only in its being the cause of liberation at the moment of death, but also in its serving as a model for daily pi, By systematizing the four upayas which correspond to the disciples’ aptitudes determined according to their varying degrees of Saktipata, he offers an all-encompassing system of salvation for disciples of diverse natures and tendencies. Abbreviations: J. — Jayaratha’s commentary on the TA. MV. —~ Malintvijayottaratantra, Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies, No. 37. 1922. SP. —— Somasambhupaddhati, see note 4. BFRU $119 Ht Sv. T —— Svacchandatantra, KSTS. No. 31, 38, 44, 48, 53, 56, 1921-1935. TA. —— Tantraloka, see note 1. TS. —— Tanirasara, ed, Bani Prakashan, 1982, reprint of KSTS. No. 17. Notes: 1 The Tantraloka of Abhinavagupta With commentary of Rajanaka Jayara- tha, Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies, NO. 23, 28, 30, 36, 35, 29, 41, 47, 59, 52, 57, 58, 1918-1938, 2 I say here ‘ordinary diksa’ in contrast with ‘kaula dtksa’, although the lat- ter term is found only once (T'A. xv. 589, as a citation from the Ormitan- tra), and the former is of my own making. 3 The teacher questions the disciple on his desire and, carefully judging his nature, he performs the diksa accordingly; see TA. xv. 34b-35a, 4 Mme, Brunner makes the same point concerning the drksa in the Somasam- bhupaddhati (Somasambhupaddhati, troisiéme partie, publication de l'Institut. Frangais d’Indologie, No. 5 For the reference, see the preceding note. For the preparatory rituals, part . TH, pp. xxii-xxvii). I and part II of the same work should also be consulted. 6 There is no sharp rupture between the traditon of the South and that of the North. Moreover, the SP. is greatly influenced by the Svacchandatantra (see SP. Ill. p.liv. 1. 16-26), which is generally ackowledged to be a work of the North and which was recognized as an authority concerning dtksa accor- ding to J. (TA. vol. ix, p.14, 1.3-6). 7 Adhvan means literally ‘way’ or ‘path’, ie. ‘the way to Siva’ and often called ‘sadadhvan’ ‘the sixfold Path’ which consists of varna, mantra, pada, kala, tattva and bhuvana. The first three are called ‘vacaka-adhvan’ and the second ‘vdcya-adhvan’. Both matrka and malint are varna. In the diksa the teacher chooses one the of the six and goes along it, guiding the atman of the disciple, until he reaches Siva, see: André Padoux, Recherches sur la sym- bolique et Vénergie de la parole dans certains textes tantriques, PFI. fasc. 21, 1975, pp. 261-291. 8 According to the school of Laksmanagupta, each sattva consists of a Bhai- 76Diksa in the Tantraloka rava (Navatman, Ratigekhara and Bhairavasadbhava, respectively) (J. ad TA. xv. 247). 9 There are five lower manifestations of Cons: wusness called ‘parimita-pra- matp? (Sanya-, buddhi-, prana-, deha, and bahya-pramatr). But usually only the first four are mentioned. Here, as the body is already purified by the ordinary nyasa, the purification of the first-mentioned three must follow. For the notion of parimita-pramaty, see below p.68 and note 46. 10 If the toothpick falls to the East, the North, the North-East, the West, or stands upward, it is auspicious, otherwise the teacher should practise 108 homas (TA. xv. 447). TA, xv. 453-454a and 456a, In the nitya-paja, the ensemble of the deities invoked are seen reflected on the sthandila (TA. xvi. 41-2). Cf. also SP. ML. pp. 90-91, n, 235. Sv. T. iii, 128 like a rod after this ‘vision’ of the deity. Kgemaraja explains that this falling down takes place owing to the loss of subjectivity in the body ete. (dehadi- ws that the disciple falls to the earth pramatrtapahastanat), and shows the disciple’s fitness for being penetrated by Siva (Sv. T. vol. 1, p.211). See below (p.64) concerning these external signs of samaveSa and Saktipata. 12. It seems that the existence of the adivan in the Sivahasta is referred to only in the Diksottara (vii, 105a) and in the TA. For this point see below p.60. 13 We are not informed when this 7: is to be performed. As there should be a preliminary purification of the disciple outside the ritual pavilion (which is effectuated perhaps by an ordinary sydsa as in the case of the guru him- self), it is probable that the myasa of the adhvan takes place on this occa- sion, Cf. SP. IIL. samayadiksavidhi, . 30 and 97-103, 14 TA. xy. 459 and 463. So, the disciple becomes a samayin twice, once after the Sivahasta and again at the end of the dvijatvapadana, In later southern texts these two rituals will constitute ‘sanayadiksa’ and ‘visesa-diksa’ respec- tively; see the arguments of Mme Brunner on the possible development of the diksa in SP, I. pp. xxx-xxxiii, As there is no mention of the sivahasta either in the Malinivijayottaratantra or in the Picumata (Brahmayamala) (33rd patala), it is probable that there co-existed from the beginning two 7REAR | 5 119 At types of diksa, one consisting of the Sivahasta (Sivadiksavidhi of the Parva- Farana-agama [chap. 145] seems to correspond to this case), the other being an ascent through the adhvan (a typical description of which is found in the 33rd patala of the Picumata). It may have been the latter which furnished the model for the dvijatvapadana as a preliminary ritual to meet the de- mands of Brahmans who considered the dvijatva as an indispensable qualifi- cation for disciples, Apart from the problems of development, the redundancy of rituals causes no embarrassment to Abhinava who rather recommends it to intensify the disciple’s experience of Sivahood. 15 It seems that Jayaratha did not consider eating raw meat as disgusting, because he refers only to ‘being decapitated etc.’ as the unpleasant things included in the list of ‘mostly joyful’ items given by Abhinava (J. ad TA. xv. 487), though eating cooked meat is inauspicious (J. ibid.), Eating raw meat or drinking blood (which is also auspicious) is characteristic of dreadful yoginis, and to call these ‘joyful’ can be considered as a clear recognition of man’s need to violate taboos. 16 The list is given at TA. xv. 498-505. 17 As the main ritual takes place the following day, the adhivasana must also contain the toothpick ritual and divinatory dreaming etc. Cf. also SP. III. pp. 206-226. 18 See MV. ix, 2-31 and TA, xxxi. 62-85a to know how to trace the mandala. 19 This nyasa begins at the feet (the lowest stage=the earth saitua etc.) and proceeds stage by stage up to the head (the next highest stage=the sadasiva- tattva etc.), culminating in the nydsa of the highest stage, i.e. Siva, which encompasses the whole body (TA. xvi. 101b-105). There are three ways of measuring the body: apara, parapara and para, which have 84, 96 and 108 aigulas (1 aigula is about 2 cm), respectively. Apara is based on the mater- ial body (84 avigulas is the height up to between the eyebrows); but in the case of the other two, a sort of spiritual body is supposed. Thus a prolon- gation of 12 arigulas is reckoned from between the eyebrows up to the brahmarandhra in the parapara measure, and another distance of 12 aiigulas is added up to the dvadasanta-cakra in the para measure (see TA. xvi. 99- 100 and 110-112a). 78Diks in the Tantraloka 20. The diksa can be practised with or without janana and with external rituals (dravya) or without (vijfiana). In addition to these four varieties, there are various combinations of purificatory mantras and adhvan to be purified, 8,540 possible ways of performing the diksa being reckoned (T'A. xvi. 164~ 168a). Multiplying this number again by various combinations of intention etc., a total of 597, 800 is achieved (TA. xvi 186). 21 Eight mantras from Pibani to Aghori, six aiga mantras and Para mantra. For the formation of eight mantras of Aghori ete. from the mantra of Para- para, see TA, xxx. 20-26a. 22 If the teacher wants to purify the other five adhvan separately, considering that they are not included in the chosen one, he should do so with the Apara mantra and three oblations for each adhvan (TA. xvii 50-1). 23. In the case of the nirbija-diksa, this is followed by another parnahuti, in order to ‘burn away’ the samaya-pasa, i.e, to remove in advance all future obligations of the disciple (T'A. xvii. 72). 24 Above the Suddhavidya-tattva, the womb is Vidyasakti and not Vagisvari. Note that it is only the ¢attvas up to the sadasiva-tattva which are purified, which is natural for Kashmir Saivism but not so for the Saiva-siddhanta (ef SP. Il, iii, 194, p. 326). 25 In the case of bubhuksu, ‘samskdrayogat’ concerns the Sivadharmin and ‘swayan’ the lokadharmin. For the latter the purification of bad karman only, brings about automatically the experience of future pleasures; but it is not the cause of the liberation obtained afterwards. 26. In SP. IIT, (pp. 240n-243n), the pada-adhvan consists of 94 parts of a man- tra called ‘vyomavyapin’ made up of 114 words, TA.’s main pada-adhvan is constituted by the parts of matrka, which is nothing but 50 phonemes (warna) of the Sanskrit ‘alphabet’, but matrka can be regarded as a single long mantra. TA. also teaches pada-adhwan of the Parapara mantra (38 syl- lables divided into 19 padas) and that of Apard mantra (three words form- ing three padas) (TA, xvi. 213-2192). 27 In SP. Ill. (see planche V), the mantra-adhvan is composed of the five Vaktra-mantra and the six a/iga-mantra, and the Vaktra-mantra nearly always correspond to the Karana deities situated in the cakras. TA.’s mantra-adhvan 79SURG 95 119 Ht is the same as the pada-adhvan; this is because the varna (as matrka and as malini) has a great importance in this system. 28 Note that the parnahuti, the main element in the yojana ritual, is nearly always added after a homa to confirm its effects and to make up for imper- fections. 29 So, the term ‘adhvasamsuddhi’ can be used to signify the diksa (see for example T'A. xxix. 200 and J.’s commentary on that passage, or MV. ix. 62b). 30 CE. SP, IIT. p. xx 31 For the distinction between the two kinds of knowledge, see TA. i. 36-45, which stresses also their interaction, which is the basis of all the upayas. 32 In the 9th chapter of the TA. (62-63), mala is defined as ‘desire without object’ (niskarma abhilasita) or ‘sentiment of incompleteness’ (aparnaman- ata). 33 For example, phrases such as ‘I draw up this man from this ¢attva’ or the order to the Master of the taftva ‘Master of tattva, by the order of Siva, you should not put obstacles on this putraka’s path to the pure stage’ (TA. xvii, 49). These may be understood as a ‘speech act’, but I think they may also be compared to a shaman’s dramatic narration of his soul’s journey be- yond the terrestrial sphere to his audience. Abhinava himself uses the simile of a spectacle (preksanaka) to explain the efficacy of participation in a col- lective ritual on special occasions (parvan) in obtaining heightened conscious- ness (TA. xxviii. 20b-23a). 34 As the text itself does not give a definite designation to this drtsa, I call it ‘kaula dtksa’ just for convenience’ sake, though the term ‘kula dtksa’ would be equally possible. The distinction between ‘kula’ and ‘kaula’, a problem yet to be clarified (See TA. xiii. 300b-301 and 320b-321a), does not exist in this chapter. 35 On the sthandila, three Goddesses Para, Parapara and Apara are worshipped on the three vertices of a triangle, and Kulesvari (the isfadevata who may be one of the above three) is worshipped at the center (TA. xxix. 131 and J. ad 46a). 36 It is not clear if the deity is chosen only from the three Goddesses, be- 80Diksa in the Tantraloka cause around them are also present the eight Aghori etc. and the eight Matr (TA, xxix. 52-3), and the flower might fall on one of the latter. 37 This movement is said to give immediate conviction (‘sadyahpratyay. haraka’, TA, xxix. 194b and MV, xi.22), 38. It is said to be made of paficaraina which are Sivambu (water fortified by the mantra of Siva as in the normal case?), retas (semen), rakta (blood), nandjya and visvanirgama (J. ad TA. xxix. 198b). I have no idea what the last two terms stand for. 39 TA, xxix. 198b-200, See below p. 66 and p.71 40 These manifestations occur according to the degree of Saktipata: the high est Saktipata is attested by ananda and the lowest by gharni. These five signs are explained in TA. y, 100b-105a. Perhaps ‘udbhava’ should be translated by ‘levitation, (‘pluti” but J. glosses by ‘ardhvam gamanam’, TA. vol 3, p. 413)? 41 Transcription No. 170 of the Institut Frangais d’Indologie reads ‘sadyo- marti’. The passage cited by Trilocana is as follows: “tatah prabhrti mukto ’sau yadahrtasivecchaya / Kintu diksadibhir lingaih na vina jhayate tu sah // xesam Sartrinam Saktih pataty api nivrttaye / tes n tallingam autsukyam muktau dveso bhavasthitau / bhaktis ca Sivabhaktesu Sraddha tacchasake vidhau / anenanumitih Sistahetoh sthiladhiyam api // tsadardhanivyite tu rodhakatve tanahpateh / bhavanty etani lingani kincicchiste ca dehinam // caturthasaktipatena tulyenaiva phalam prati / tvratarasthita trero mandatarapi va // cadyomtrta. marchaya 181-2). va kampad romaicatas tatha // iti” (T. 170, p. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th sloka of the above passage are found in the vidya-pada of the Mrgendra-tantra as V. 4-5 and 8 (the above text is emended accor- dingly for the concerning slokas). According to this passage, taken as a whole, when the Sakti descends causing the cessation (‘nivritaye’) of the obstructing force, there are such signs as ‘desire for liberation’ ete., while 81HEAR CE 95119 the four signs such as fainting etc. appear only when the cessation of the obstucting force is incomplete (‘tsadardhanivrtte tu’). As long as even a small part remains of the power that binds the initiate to samsara, sadyo- mutti is impossible, So, the context does not support the reading ‘sadyomukei’ in the above case. It is possible that the reading ‘sadyomarti’ is the correct one: the Mrgendratantra (widya-pada, iii. 14a), explaining the name ‘Sadyojata’, says that the god bestows a new body to yogins (‘sadyo martir yoginam va vidhatte sadyomartih’). This body is made of mantra and resembles that of the god (‘proktavanmantramayasvamartisadrithn tanum’, commentary of Bhattanarayanakantha). ‘Sadyomarti’ may stand for such a sudden ‘trans- to a di figuration’ ine body. Apart from the above passage, similar lists containing ‘immediate liberation by death’ are numerous: “dehapatas tatha kampam paramanandavarsane / svedo romafica ityetat Saktipatasya laksanam //" (Siddhantasekhara, naimittika kanda, diksavidhi, sf. 54, p.149 in the Manon. mantgranthamala series edition). It is possible that the author quoted by Trilocana has taken such a list without much thinking about the implied theoretical contradiction. 42 I have consulted only one manuscript: Ms. No. 3-370 /Saivatantra 129 in the National Archives in Kathmandu (33rd pafala is contained in Folio 156a -166b). 43. J. says that adiyaga ( = dautavidhi) is done to obtain the ritual material (dravya, which must be ‘kundagolaka,) (J. ad TA. xxviii. 41). 44 See the hypothesis of A. Sanderson in ‘Purity and power among the Bra- hmans of Kashmir’ in The category of the person—Anthropology, philosophy, history, Cambridge University Press, 1985. 45 When the first draft of this article was completed, Navjivan RASTOGI’s Introduction to the Tantraloka (Motilal Banarsidass, 1987) came to my notice. There the author refers to this passage and rightly recognizes sadadhvan as the unifying basis of the sthanaprakalpa (chapter Four, II. (£), pp. 191-3). 46 I follow here the order of the T'S. (chapter 5, pp. 35-6), which is more logical than that of the TA. (where varna comes after Rarana). There are five sorts of parimita-pramatr including the Sanya-pramatr, which is not used to purify the vikalpa, as there is no vikalpa, in it (TA. v. 16b-I7a). 82in the Tantraloka Diks The Sanya-pramatr corresponds to maya-tattva, the buddhi-pramaty to vidya- tattva, the prana-pramatr to puryastaka (five indriyas, manas, ahamkara, buddhi), the deha-pramatr to the body, and the bahya-pramatr to external objects (which are the lowest manifetations of Consciousness); though the huddhi-pramaty is often identified with the buddhi-tattva and in that case of under- 2. the prana-pramaty is situated higher than it. For different way: standing these pramatr, see Isvarapratyabhijnakarika, i. 6. 4, iii. 1. 8, 11-17, and the relevant commentaries of Abhinava. 47 By the hala-adhvan, the cycle of respiration is gradually identified with day, month, year ete, and finally with the Jupiter cyclic year (TA. vi.63-129). 18 ‘evam visvadhvasamparnam kalavyaparacitritam / desakalamayaspandasadna deham vilokayet // tatha vilokyamano 'sau visvantardevatamayah / dhyeyah pitiyas ca tarpyas ca tadavisto vimucyate //ittham ghatam patam lingam sthandilam pustakam jalam / yad va kimcit kvacit pasyet tatra tanmayatam vrajet |/’ (TA. -8) 49 At the beginning of the 11th chapter of the Tantrasara (which corresponds to the 13th chapter of the 7'A.), it is said that for some the teachings in chapters 1-12 of the T/A. are sufficient to obtain liberation, but others must have recourse to the dtksa (p. 115). 50 This process of interiorization is reflected, it seems to me, in the devalori- zation of external signs such as fainting etc., which I referred to in the note 41 above. These signs are regarded, by Trilocana and by the author of the passage quoted, as having only secondary importance, compared with the more subtle indications such as ‘desire for liberation’ ete 51 Mme. Brunner remarks on the existence of the same change of interpre- tation concerning the moment of saktipara, but between Somasambhu and Aghora’ a (SP. Ill. p. viii.). I think this change has taken place long before it is just that Somagambhu keeps the older opinion in spite of the mutation of the situation. 52 Jayaratha glosses as follows: ‘Sive bhaktir eva saktipata iti lingaliiginor abhedopacarat / bhaktir hi nama asya prathamikam cihnam / yad uktam “tatraitat prathamam cihnam rudre bhakti suniscala” (MV. xiv. 8) iti? CTA vol. 8, p.79, 1.9-12). 83PSUR $8 119 53 J. ad TA. xiii, 132. 54 Abhinava cites here a passage of the Brahmayamala. Rakta is one of the four Saktis of Bhairava Kapaliéa, who is the main deity in the Brahmayamala. 55 Perhaps this refers to the technique of transmitting Consciousness directly to the disciple through the senses (‘vrttim atmagam / caksuradau samkra- mayed yatra yatrendriye guruh //’ TA, xxix. 234), which is a means of kaula abhiseia, 56 J. glosses this: ‘by disregarding the difference of jati etc’. 57 J. ad TA. xiii. 245a. Note that J. does not speak only about the nirbija- dtkéa. 58 TA. xvi. 310-311a says that it is at the moment of the cosmic dissolution (pralaya) that he attains union with Siva. 59 As for the vedha-dtksa, see L. Silburn, La Kundalint ou UEnergie des Profondeurs, Paris, 1983, pp. 107-126. * I would like to express my deepest thanks to Mr. Jagdeep Maharaj who kindly took the trouble to read through the first draft of this paper and to correct and improve my English expressions. I am also grateful to Dr. Cynthia Talbot of the Northern Arizona University, who kindly checked the first proof copy of this paper. 84