36 Tatvas

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Jaya Jaya Shankara!

Namastripurasundaryai!

Namo Chandramouleshwaraya!

Namo Naarasimhaaya!

 

The philosophy of Saktism is Advaita or Non-Dualism and the

highest reality is termed as Paramashiva or Mahatripurasundari. Shiva

is the static consciousness and Shakti is the dynamic consciousness

or Chit-Rupini. Shiva is pure awareness, which is the basis of all

existence. Through his Shakti, he effects the manifestation of the

universe. He is the sole cause of the world. The ultimate reality is

non-dual and is of the nature of pure consciousness. The universe of

Forms and names are all aspects of the same ultimate Reality. It is

the movement of Brahman, the `Spanda' that brings about the

distinction of Sabda (word), Artha (object) and cognition (Pratyaya).

These three are the aspects of the Brahman's Primal Energy.

It is the causal impetus of the Divine, which makes them emerge out

of itself. The world of sounds, things and thoughts- is the

manifestation of the same non-dual Spirit.

The Tatvas (or divine principles) describe step-by-step how Supreme

Consciousness makes itself, appear to itself, as limited

consciousness stuck in a unconscious world and universe, and thus

gets to experience the limited, conditional joys and sorrows of

earthly existence, and then describes in a reverse step-by-step

process, as to how that Supreme Consciousness then reveals its own

true nature to itself, and thus experiences the outrageous joys of

spiritual liberation.

The 36 Tatvas are divided into four groups representing the

four stages of existence and creation, as well as the 4 states of

awareness. These are:

1. The Physical Plane or Waking State: wherein we find the physical

world, our physical bodies, and our waking state. Physical objects

exist, change, and move around in a rigid structure defined by

measurable time and space, according to the measured flow of energy

as described in the rigid mathematically based laws of

thermodynamics, all described in the rigid non-relativistic Newtonian

Laws of Physics. This is the most superficial level of existence - a

mere rigid shadow of the Subtle Plane of Existence

2. The Subtle Plane of Existence, and Dream State: made up of the

world of thought and dream objects experienced in the dream state, or

seen as thought images and objects in the mind during waking. It is

also an entire plane of existence beyond the physical world whose

objects are not limited by rigid laws governing change or movement in

time and space. This is the realm of magic and dream where things

change according to the power of one's will, desire, and need, and

the only resistance is the power of one's own previous actions

(Karma), or the will, desire, need or Karma of others. The Physical

Plane of Existence is a mere rigid shadow of this level of existence.

3. The Causal Plane of Existence, and The Deep Sleep State: to the

average person, this plane of existence and state of consciousness is

experienced as a totally timeless, spaceless unconscious void -

unconscious nothing. The average person experiences this every night

during the deep sleep stage of sleep. To the conscious, it is

experienced as completely totally void of any features or objects of

consciousness, and they know it as the basic featureless

unconsciousness "ground" from which all non-conscious objects spring

that exist in the physical or subtle planes of existence. Thus this

is the "non-conscious" ground from which the physical and subtle

planes of existence continuously spring.

4. The Supracausal Plane , experience of Supreme Consciousness :

unlimited consciousness - unlimited by time, space, thought, or any

structures or processes. Has no features or characteristics except

being just pure consciousness. This is the true nature of

consciousness - unlimited and transcendent of all other planes of

existence and the structures and processes they contain. This is the

basic source of the creative energy from which the other three planes

of existence spring.

The creation of the entire universe from pure cosmic consciousness

takes place within the framework of these four planes of existence.

This is described by 36 Principles (Tatvas) of cosmic creation, which

are spread amongst the 4 levels as they describe the creative process

as it flows down from Cosmic Consciousness to the physical level of

creation. And it is these thirty-six Tatvas that also describe the

process of cosmic destruction, and the process of individual

awakening that happens in human beings (Kundalini) when they come to

know of this directly. These 36 Tatvas also describe the process of

Karma which determines the quality and nature of human life, of all

life, and of the existence of the universe in the first place as it

emerges from pure consciousness by the will and desire of God.

SUPRACAUSAL PLANE OF SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS

This is the basic level of existence - of pure Cosmic Consciousness -

Paramashiva - the totally unlimited Supreme Consciousness, that

exists everywhere, is eternal, and from which everything is created,

and will return to eventually. This Supreme Consciousness is

completely devoid of objects, features, or anything else other than

pure unlimited consciousness. But from this pure consciousness the

entire world is created. This creativity is contained within two

basic conscious principles: Shiva and Shakti. Reality, Paramashiva is

transcendent, beyond the levels of matters, life and mind. It is

without parts (and hence called Nishkala), without activity

(Nishkriya) and beyond the reach of word (Asabda) and mind. The same

Reality as the Cause of the world-process is called Ishwara. From him

arise the five categories of pure, Siddha creation and then are the

course of finitisation consisting in the emergence of the thirty-one

categories composing impure (Asuddha) creation. The five categories

(Tatvas) of pure creation are:

1. Shiva Tatva

2. Shakti Tatva

3. Sadashiva or Sadakhya Tatva

4. Ishwara Tatva

5. Suddha Vidya Tatva

 

Shiva Tatva, which is the first process in the order of world

evolution, and is Chit, with its important aspect of power as

Consciousness. It is pure, unlimited consciousness itself.

Shakti Tatva, a co-ordinate of the first Tatva, manifests as the

aspect of Bliss or Ananda. the unlimited creative power of Supreme

Consciousness. Shakti Has 3 basic aspects through which it does the

actual creating:

Iccha Shakti: the basic will or impulse to create.

Jnana Shakti: the basic knowledge or awareness of creation.

Kriya Shakti: the basic power to create.

Sadashiva Tatva is Sat, the stage where the experience of `Being'

begins. It is the power of Will or Iccha that is predominant.

In Ishwara Tatva, the power of Knowledge or Jnana plays an

important role.

In Suddha Vidya Tatva, the power of action or Kriya dominates.

 

These five stages of Experience represent the gradual

differentiation in the pure Experience, which serves as the basis of

the evolution of the pluralistic universe.

At first, there is only the distinction less experience. Into

this is introduced the condition of distinction by Shakti. In the

Sadashiva Tatva, the experience of the form, " I am This " arises

with the emphasis on "I". In Ishwara Tatva, the emphasis is on "

This – This I am ". In order that the universe of minds and objects

may emerge, there should be a balance between " I" and " This". This

is what is obtained at the stage of Suddha Vidya Tatva. Here, in the

experience " I am This ", the two get equalized. It is in such an

experience that there is activity and movement of thought.

These five called Suddha Tatvas deal with ideal creation.

With the rest of the thirty-one categories, which commence with Maya,

begins the actual creation.

CAUSAL PLANE OF CONSCIOUSNESS, & DEEP SLEEP STATE

The activities of the supremely creative Shakti creates a condition

of extremely limited consciousness stuck in a seemingly infinitely

vaste unconscious world or universe, and this is what we actually

experience of our consciousness - where we feel like our

consciousness is so fragile, and so tiny - that it is stuck inside

our heads, totally at the mercy of outside conditions, easily

eradicated in a split second, as we struggle to survive in a huge

totally non-conscious world which is dwarfed into insignificance

within the incomprehensively vast non-conscious universe in which it

wanders in endless circles until its inevitable fiery demise.

This sense of difference and distance and unconsciousness is actually

only a creation of a veiling power of Supreme Consciousness - a

Shakti called Maya. Maya works via five aspects of its veiling

power.

Maya is the first of the thirty-one categories of impure creation and

is the power of obscuration or " Tirodhana ". It obscures the

infinite spirit, and makes possible the rise of plurality of souls

and things. Again, the limitless experience begins to be limited as

regards the experiencer and the experienced, the "I" and the "This".

The next five categories are called Kanchukas or constrictors. They

are the ones, which bring about limitation.

Kaala is temporal limitation. It veils the experience of the single

supreme infinite moment to create the sense of the limited sequential

flow of time.

Niyati is restriction in regard to space. veils the experience of all-

pervasiveness to create the sense of limited existence in one place

stuck amongst vaste areas that are different and separate from you.

Raga is attachment to particular things. veils Iccha (basic supreme

will to create) to create a sense of a fragile, limited, weak will

power.

Vidya is limited knowledge. veils Jnana (unlimited knowledge of

supreme creation) to create the experience of limited knowledge and

understanding.

Kalaa is limited agency. veils Kriya (unlimited power to act) to

create the sense of limited power and abilities, and helplessness.

The soul enveloped in these agencies arises as Purusha and that is

the seventh category. Thus is formed the basic experience of

individuality separate from everything else; limited, helpless,

relatively powerless, and limited in knowledge and understanding of

so much that makes up the surrounding unconscious, mostly

inaccessible world.

Thus is created the base level illusion of tiny limited consciousness

existing insignificantly within an endless non-conscious expanse.

That basic level of non-conscious expanse is called Prakriti, the

eighth. But at this level, there is nothing to be conscious of - no

worlds, or bodies, or even time or space. Thus, this stage is

experienced as Void - non-conscious Void because all there is, is the

basic state of limited individual consciousness without any

instruments or organs to sense with, in a non-conscious expanse

without any objects or features or characteristics to be conscious

of. Thus, Prakriti is the corresponding limitation (with regard to

Purusha) on the objective side.

SUBTLE PLANE & DREAM STATE

>From the featureless ground of the Causal Plane (Prakriti), springs

endless objects created out of pure consciousness by the Shakti-s of

will, knowledge, and creative impulse. These objects by definition

are limited and separate from each other - each and every

characteristic moving and changing in time and space. These

limitations are formed by the powers of limitation of the Shakti Maya

(Kalaa, Vidya, Raga, Kaala, and Niyati).

First created, are the basic instruments of will and knowledge, which

direct the implementation of the instruments and organs of perception

and action. Then from this are created the instruments and organs of

perception and action, and then finally come the subtle and physical

objects.

The Antahkarana (instrument of understanding, sense of identity, and

other mental operations), which operates both in dreams and waking,

consists of three parts:

Buddhi: the instrument of detachable, abstract reasoning that can

see and understand objects and processes being outside and different

from oneself.

Ahamkara: sees everything only in relation to oneself. It

assembles, understands, and believes in the limited, powerless

identity of oneself

Manas: the basic thought process of the mind wherein thoughts come

and go before the consciousness like a movie. All of these thoughts

consist of (1) Buddhi understanding, (2) Ahamkara understanding, or

(3) memories of objects.

These instruments of mental functioning then employ limited powers of

knowledge and perception (Jnana Indriyas) which operate both in

dreams and waking:

Srotra: limited power of hearing.

Tvak: limited power of feeling by touch.

Chakshu: limited power of seeing.

Jihva: limited power of tasting.

ghrana: limited power of smelling.

The instruments of mental functioning also employ powers of limited

action (Karma Indriya-s) which operate both in dreams and waking:

Vak: limited power of speech.

Pani: limited power of grasping and handling.

Pada: limited power of locomotion.

Payu: limited power of excretion.

Upastha: limited power of creation (procreation to be exact).

Here are the Subtle Elements (Tanmatras) that make up subtle dream

objects, that are perceived and acted upon by the Jnana Indriyas and

Karma Indriya.

Shabda Tanmatra: sound

Sparsha Tanmatra: touch.

Rupa Tanmatra: color

Rasa Tanmatra: taste.

Gandha Tanmatra: smell

GROSS PHYSICAL PLANE & WAKING STATE

Here are basic physical elements that make up physical objects

(Bhutas) that are perceived by the powers of perception (Jnana

Indriyas), and acted upon by the powers of actions (Karma Indriyas).

This includes not only outside objects like cars and rocks, but also

our bodies and the organs of perception and action by which we

interact with those physical objects.

Akasha: space.

Vaya: air or gas.

Agni: fire

Ap: liquids

Prithivi: solids

This is the evolution of the world of things i.e. Artha Prapancha.

There is a similar evolution of the world of sounds called Shabda

Prapancha. Here too the line of evolution is from the subtle to the

gross.

Corresponding to the five categories of pure creation, there

are five stages of the emanation of sound. The first is Para, which

is supreme and subtle. The second is Pashyanti, which is less subtle

but still undifferentiated. The third is Madhyama, which is grosser

and differentiated, but not yet articulate. Articulate sound is

called Vaikhari, which is of two forms, subtle and gross. It is from

Vaikhari that all letters or Varnas and syllables or Padas and

Sentences or Vakyas are manifested.

Para, which resides in the Shiva Tatva, represents the first

movement of Sabda. This is also called Nada Tatva. Pashyanti stands

for Shakti Tatva and is also called Bindu Tatva. These are the

compliments of the ultimate potency of creation. From these arise

what is known as the Tribindu, which is the root of all mantras. The

subtle and esoteric aspect of Kamakala has to be learnt from a

competent Desika. .

Thus the duality that manifests in every Jiva is lost when

the Supreme Mother reveals herself within luminous effulgence and

everything in the world and within each one of us, becomes the mantra

Shakti. The breathing in and out becomes cancels out and the mind and

senses turn inward. One loses body consciousness and the feeling of

duality ceases and brings about the awareness of equality. Then one

experiences complete identification with the Shiva – Shakti one

Parabrahman as Mahatripurasundari.

" Tat Tvam Asi " is the spontaneous utterance of liberation,

We are that – as we play on the lap of the Divine Mother, basking in

the luminosity of her Love. This is the culmination of all spiritual

practices. Her presence lightens our life and nectarine bliss fills

every pore of our heart.

 

Shivoham !