Fw: summary

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Harsha List,

Below is a summary of the seven perceiver stations. I am forwarding the

files of the perceiver stations, which contains a table of the seven, with files

covering each one independantly. Double click on the post to reveal the

attachments, and use the scroll bar at the extreme right to scroll down the file

list. I believe that the files are in order from left to right. It begins with

the table, and stations 7 through 1, respectively.

 

 

Ananda,

In my attempt to summarize the perceiver stations, I would like to say that

although what has been posted has either been a direct quotation of text, or a

paraphrase of text, the information in each section individually, as well as

this summary, are not all-inclusive and as such are subject to discrimination.

Any adjunct to this material would be appreciated.

 

In this summary there is more usage of my own dialect, although there is

some quoted text, which will be provided with quotations. An asterisk at the end

of a sentence means that there is additional information below the body of the

this text.

 

 

Perciver station 7

Tattvas 12-36 *

Experient-Sakala

Experience-difference

 

Perceiver station 7 involves all three malas; all is experienced as difference.

 

Perceiver station 6

tattvas 6-11 (Mayatattva)

Experient-Pralayakala

Experience-mere void *

 

Perceiver station 6 involves Anava mala and Mayiya mala, but the experient is

freed from Karma mala. The experient here, through karma yoga has freed himself

from doership; actions are undertaken without the desire for the fruits of

actions. The experience here is that of the void. In other words, mastery of

stilling the mind has been achieved; being devoid of vikalpas, or dichotomising

thought constructs, the experient here has only the experience non-ness, or

void.

 

Perceiver station 5

Tattva 5 (Mahamaya tattva)

Experient-Vijnanakala

Experience-Void, with a glimmer of ''something.''

 

At perceiver station 5 the experient has become freed from Karma mala through

the previously mentioned means, and is also freed from Mayiya mala, from which

Maya is derived. This is accomplished with individual effort and knowledge, or

jnana yoga. The experient is still limited by the primal limiting factor of

Anava mala, the power of reduction of universal Authourship to the limited

authorship of the individual. This is the primal limiting condition. The

experience here is of the beginnings of pushing through the void to the the

first glimmer of the universal principle.

 

Perceiver station 4

tattva 4 (Shuddavidya)

Presiding Deity-Anantabhattaraka *

Experient-Mantra

Experience-Unity in difference

 

Perceiver station 4 is the beginning of the truly universal experience. Freed of

all three malas,* the experient has the experience of 'I' and 'This' equally.

This now means ''this universe'' rather than ''this thing.'' Though seeing

difference everywhere, the experient sees the underlying unity of all. This can

be compared to the understanding of the ocean analogy. We look at the waves of

various sizes and shapes, force and temperament; we understand though, that

these are only the emanations of the one ocean, not different from it. This is

the understanding of this level. In this level, Kriya or action is predominant.

 

Perceiver station three

Tattva 3 (Ishvara tattva)

Presiding Diety-Ishvarabhattaraka

Experient-Mantreshvara

Experience-'This am I'--'This' (universe) is predominant.

 

Perceiver station 3 involves a clearer picture of the universe, and its

existence as merely of the Self. The universe is seen as an aspect of the Self

just as your arm is perceived as an aspect of your body. Though universal in

experience, there is still not complete complete integration, that is to say,

the 'I'ness of station one is not yet achieved; the universe, though of the Self

and non-different from the Self, is seen as merely an aspect of the Self. In

this level, jnana or knowledge is predominant.

 

Perceiver station 2

Tattva 2 (Sadashiva)

Presiding Deity-Sadashivabhattaraka

Experient-Mantra-mahesvara

Experience-'I am this'

 

Perceiver station 2 holds an indistinct experience of the universe, while the

'I' is predominant. That is to say, the universe as even an aspect of the self

is dim. The experient is rapidly moving toward 'I' and away from 'I am this.'

Rather than seeing the Self as anything, the experient is moving toward Self. It

is at this station that Iccha, or Will is predominant. It is this Divine Will

that illumines the experient, establishing him/her in Perceiver station 1. It is

only by Divine Will that the experient is brought to level 1, synonymous with

liberation.

 

Perceiver station 1

Tattva 1 (Shiva)*

Presiding Diety-Shiva

Experient-Shiva Pramata

Experience- All is mere Prakasha or Shiva

 

Perciever station one is synonymous with Shiva. This is tricky. Perceiver

stations one and two are inseperable, that is to say, they are one. The divine

Shakti or Chiti of Shiva bestows us with the Grace of Divine Will, in which we

see that we are Shiva, or Chit. Chit and Chiti are the two aspects of Shiva:

Chit, or Shiva, which is pure prakasha or illumination, and Chiti, or Shakti,

which is vimarsha, the absolute svatantrya or free will of Shiva to scan

himself; the absolute freedom to create, independant and eternally unchanging.

It has been rightfully said through the millenium by sages not ask Shiva to take

you to Shiva, but to ask Shakti to take you to Shiva. This makes perfect sense,

as everything you know, see, hear, feel, dream, touch...everything is the Divine

Creative power of Shiva; his Shakti or Chiti. Chiti is immanent, and takes us

within to the transcendant aspect of Shiva, the eternal witness who is without

form and is above dichotomizing definition. The eternal, the absolute, Parama

Shiva. At this level nothing is of Shiva; everything is Shiva. All is merely

prakasha and vimarsha. it is easy to intellectualize this, which trips up many

in the West. This is not liberation. This is only jnana, or knowledge. When you

are only prakasha and vimarsha, you will know. You will not need anyone to

affirm this.

 

This is the only goal in life. All else falls subject to this one goal.

Once 'Liberated' we see that we were never seperated to begin with. Liberation

is a moot point. Where you are there is only Shiva. What is there to be

liberated from? Where is there to go? The answers, respectively: nothing and

nowhere. One merely lives out the existence of the body in total freedom, until

mahasamadhi (shedding of the body), at which point one is the eternal,

changeless principle, Paramashiva.Mahabhakti

 

I would like to acknowledge Abhnavagupta, who wrote the pratyabhijnahrdayam, for

his invaluable knowledge. I would also like to acknowledge Kshemaraja,

Abhninvagupta's pupil, who wrote the commentary of the pratyabhijnahrydayam.

Both flourished in the 10th century A.D.

I would also like to acknowledge Jaideva Singh, who added copius notes and a

lengthy intoduction to the pratyabhijnahrydayam, and whose version is available

through the publishment of Motilal Banarshidass Publishers in Delhi, India, and

whose version was used to fashion this commentary.

 

 

 

* the 36 tattvas can be found at http://www.hughes.net/~sivadas/nond.htm

 

*By experience it is meant in the beginning to mean during meditation, with the

understanding that later, upon spiritual maturity, the experience will be

carried around in day to day life. The Mahayogi goes up and down the perceiver

stations at will, depending on the situation. Amongst people, the experient may

come down to level 4; while alone, the experient may go to level three; during

meditation, level 2. The point is to stay at the highest station possible that

will allow one to function in the appropriate setting.

 

*At level 4 we begin to see presiding deities of the level of understanding.

This is because at level 4 the experience is no longer of a limited nature; the

experience, as well as the experient, is on a universal level. God begins the

process of limiting himself level by level, from level 1 down to the gross level

of particularity, the purusha. The presiding deities of levels 2-4 are none

other than successively more limited aspects of the universal God brought about

by his svatantrya, or free will.

 

*Though freed of the three malas and experiencing on a universal level, true

establishment in the absolute takes pace by Divine Will at level Two. This is

jivan-mukti or liberation.

 

*Tattvas 1-2 are inseperable. Through the Divine svantantrya, or Free Will of

Shiva, known as Chiti or Shakti, Grace is bestowed establishing the experient is

Paramashiva. Simply, Shakti expands the experient to his original state of the

Absolute.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this exposition on the 7 perceiver stations as described

by my limited understanding.

 

Mahabhakti

M