The 36 Tattvas

[Guest guest]

The 36 TattvasHe who is deluded by your maya sees not while he sees,

understands not while he hears, and knows not the truth while he

reads - Kularnava Tantra

Because of the large number of possible blendings and re-blendings,

the 36th tattva - Shiva Shakti - may seem to become identified,

conditioned and confused. The five-foldness (prapancha) of the

universe, according to this tantrik view, is shown in the table

above. The three members of the tantrik "trinity", Brahma, Vishnu and

Shiva-Rudra, represent the gunas, or qualities of rajas, sattva and

tamas, which may be represented by the principles of active,

reconciling and negative. From this triangle come all forms,

including the five elements, through different blendings. The

individual (jiva) forgets her or his unlimited nature, which is

actually one with Shiva-Shakti, considering herself or himself to be

a limited individual (Purusha) with a certain nature (Prakriti). This

is a reflection or shadow of the 36th tattva with a mental apparatus

which is itself also a reflection of Iccha, Jnana and Kriya Shaktis.

For instance, the "I", the ahamkar, is the reflection of Iccha. This

limited individual has powers of action and powers of knowledge and

focuses on the tanmatras, or impression objects, considering herself

or himself to be different from the five verities. In this form, she

or he plays in the world until realising the 36th tattva which is

Shiva-Shakti itself, immanent in the universe and vibrating with the

power of sound. From another point of view, the 36 consonants are

Shiva and the 15 vowels are Shakti - the whole being the universe as

sound. The five verities are also sometimes described as the five

Shiva corpses.

[Guest guest]

Ninna,

 

Thank you for the time and effort you put into this fine discussion of

the underlying nature of this reality.

 

The enumeration of these principles and their interrelation does not

seem relevant to most of us, but will, I believe, become vital to the

understanding of our experience as our perceptions, some day, become

more refined.

 

I confess that I am not as familiar with this aspect of Tantric

teaching as I ought to be, so I very much appreciate this little review.

 

Thanks, and Jai Maa!

 

Chris

 

 

, ninna peeps <ninnapeeps> wrote:

> The 36 TattvasHe who is deluded by your maya sees not while he sees,

understands not while he hears, and knows not the truth while he reads

- Kularnava Tantra

>

> Because of the large number of possible blendings and re-blendings,

the 36th tattva - Shiva Shakti - may seem to become identified,

conditioned and confused.

>

> The five-foldness (prapancha) of the universe, according to this

tantrik view, is shown in the table above. The three members of the

tantrik "trinity", Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva-Rudra, represent the

gunas, or qualities of rajas, sattva and tamas, which may be

represented by the principles of active, reconciling and negative.

>From this triangle come all forms, including the five elements,

through different blendings.

> The individual (jiva) forgets her or his unlimited nature, which is

actually one with Shiva-Shakti, considering herself or himself to be a

limited individual (Purusha) with a certain nature (Prakriti).

> This is a reflection or shadow of the 36th tattva with a mental

apparatus which is itself also a reflection of Iccha, Jnana and Kriya

Shaktis. For instance, the "I", the ahamkar, is the reflection of

Iccha. This limited individual has powers of action and powers of

knowledge and focuses on the tanmatras, or impression objects,

considering herself or himself to be different from the five verities.

> In this form, she or he plays in the world until realising the 36th

tattva which is Shiva-Shakti itself, immanent in the universe and

vibrating with the power of sound. From another point of view, the 36

consonants are Shiva and the 15 vowels are Shakti - the whole being

the universe as sound. The five verities are also sometimes described

as the five Shiva corpses.