Kashmir Shaivism

The trident (triśūlābija maṇḍalam) symbol and yantra of Parama Shiva, representing the triadic energies of the supreme goddess Parā, Parā-aparā and Aparā śakti.

The Kashmir Shaivism tradition, also called Trika Shaivism, is a non-dualist branch of Shaiva-Shakta Tantra Hinduism that originated in Kashmir after 850 CE.[1][2] In its place of origin in Kashmir, this tradition is commonly referred to as "Kashmiri Shaivism." It later spread beyond Kashmir, with its great scholar Abhinavagupta calling it "Trika" (meaning "the Trinity"). It particularly flourished in the states of Odisha and Maharashtra.[2][3] Defining features of the Trika tradition are its idealistic and monistic Pratyabhijna ("Recognition") philosophical system, propounded by Utpaladeva (c. 925–975 CE) and Abhinavagupta (c. 975–1025 CE), and the centrality of the three goddesses Parā, Parāparā, and Aparā.[1][2]

While Trika draws from numerous Shaiva texts, such as the Shaiva Agamas and the Shaiva and Shakta Tantras, its major scriptural authorities are the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, the Siddhayogeśvarīmata and the Anāmaka-tantra.[4] Its main exegetical works are those of Abhinavagupta, such as the Tantraloka, Mālinīślokavārttika, and Tantrasāra which are formally an exegesis of the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, although they also drew heavily on the Kali-based Krama subcategory of the Kulamārga.[5] Another important text of this tradition is the Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra, which focuses on outlining numerous yogic practices.[6]

Kashmir Shaivism shares many parallel points of agreement with the lesser known monistic school of Shaiva Siddhanta as expressed in the Tirumantiram of Tirumular.[7] While also sharing this branch's disagreements with the dualistic Shaiva Siddhanta school of Meykandar, which scholars consider to be normative tantric Shaivism.[8] The doctrines of Kashmir Shaivism were very influential on the Shri Vidya tradition of Shaktism.[9]

  1. ^ a b David Peter Lawrence, Kashmiri Shaiva Philosophy, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  2. ^ a b c Wallis, Christopher; Tantra Illuminated, chapter II, The History of Śaiva Tantra
  3. ^ Carl Olson, The Many Colors of Hinduism, Rutgers University Press, 2007, page 237
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Sanderson, Alexis. "The Śaiva Literature." Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Journal of Indological Studies (Kyoto), Nos. 24 & 25 (2012–2013), 2014, pp. 52-53.
  6. ^ Muller-Ortega, Paul E. (1989). The Triadic Heart of Siva: Kaula Tantricism of Abhinavagupta in the Non-dual Shaivism of Kashmir, pp. 42-43. SUNY Press
  7. ^ Ganapathy, T.N. 2004. The Yoga of Tirumular: essays on the Tirumandiram. P.464
  8. ^ Flood, Gavin. 2006. The Tantric Body. P.61
  9. ^ Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, p. 188. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-43878-0