purity vs. impurity

[Guest guest]

Abhinavagupta offers us an answer to the perplexing question of purity vs.

impurity.

 

Abhinavagupta was a great Shaivite sage who lived during the latter part

of the 10th century. He was considered to have one of the greatest insights

into the nature of reality. (Gupta is a spiritual title, like Ananda.)

 

The original article below was written by Swami Lakshman Joo, who was one

of the last oral Shaivite teachers of this century.

 

warmest regards,

 

Martin

 

 

 

 

"Abhinavagupta Solves the Riddle of What's Pure and What is Impure

 

by Swami Lakshman Joo Maharaj

 

 

Is a thing by its nature pure holy (Suddha) or impure unholy (Asuddha) ? Or

putting it in ethical terms, is an action by its nature right or wrong ?

 

Abhinavagupta solves it as follows:

 

Purity or impurity (suddhi or asuddhi) is not the essential quality or

nature of any object, because In that case the purification of a thing of

which the scriptures talk would be impossible as the essential nature can

not change, but if it changes it is not essential. Purity or impurity have

therefore to be admitted to be the ideas of a particular subject which are

firmly associated with a thing. It is why what is pure to one person is not

so to another. For the idea of purity of one thing and impurity of another

is inspired by the scripture in which an individual has faith. According to

Shaiva conception whatever is recognized to be one with the samvit is pure

and

what is not so recognised is impure. Hence to those who look upon the whole

universe as identical with self, the distinction between pure and impure

does not exist."