I present to you,Shaivite Master Somananda's shivadrishti arguments for absolute monistic theism and against all others

[Kalinago]

https://www.academia.edu/44977071/Logic ... _Somananda

this a great read.

Theistic dualism,Vijnanavadin buddhists,shaktas and vedantins are refuted using their own logical syllogisms against them to force them to agree with the ontology and premises of Kashmir shaivism.

[Kalinago]

@Pixel--Dude and @Lucas88 this is very enlightening and uplifting!

@MarcosZeitola this may be of interest to you too,since you are a bit new to spirituality and interested in it.

[Kalinago]

There is no deed or action without a doer/actor,they are one like fire and it's heat,which proves everything has Shiva nature,since everything that exists has causal efficacy.

there is no consciousness/knowledge without action,since Knowledge is an action,otherwise everything including the divine would be inert.

[Kalinago]

@Pixel--Dude and @Lucas88 this is very enlightening and uplifting!

@MarcosZeitola this may be of interest to you too,since you are a bit new to spirituality and interested in it.

Thank you for sharing this. I will read it when I get time. I have my daughter this weekend.

If you can get hold of tantraloka's commentary this should enlighten you though it is difficult to grasp without understanding the basic concepts and epistemology,it uses transcendendal rather than concentional logic or attarka which is from a realized master that actually become one with the divine.

[Lucas88]

https://www.academia.edu/44977071/Logic ... _Somananda

this a great read.

Theistic dualism,Vijnanavadin buddhists,shaktas and vedantins are refuted using their own logical syllogisms against them to force them to agree with the ontology and premises of Kashmir shaivism.

Hey, thanks for the interesting topic!

I couldn't open the document. Could you give me another link or perhaps explain the conclusions of the argument here? I'm interested in the nature of reality.

[Kalinago]

https://www.academia.edu/44977071/Logic ... _Somananda

this a great read.

Theistic dualism,Vijnanavadin buddhists,shaktas and vedantins are refuted using their own logical syllogisms against them to force them to agree with the ontology and premises of Kashmir shaivism.

Hey, thanks for the interesting topic!

I couldn't open the document. Could you give me another link or perhaps explain the conclusions of the argument here? I'm interested in the nature of reality.

the idea is that because all things have causal efficacy,they have Shiva nature,there is nothing 'dead','inert'and non-existant as these are concepts created by ther human kmind that are like the son of a barren woman,it's just a conceptualized use of words that don't correspond to being and becoming(the two being exactely identical)of reality.

as the Vijnana Bhairava tantra says,shiva (consciousness)and shakti(potency,action) are absolutely nondual because the essence and quality of things are the exact same thing,and only can be divided by a false use of words.

consciousness as the shaivites explain is a action or kriya,albeit on the highest level a effortless one,and action is a consciousness,because there can be no agency without a agent,or no deed without a doer,no cause without a effect,no act without a actor and also all vice versa,but when you really analyze it from a true perspective they are the same exact thing.
like water and it's wetness or fire and it's heat or bringing this to it's logical conclusion,the seer and the seen.the dualistic mind conceptualizes this into polarizations,but all 'apparent'polarizations are the same thing and coherently complimentary,and as somananda says,if this were not so the world would be chaotic(which is also a nonconcept)and interaction would be impossible,but in quotidian experience we actually see a perfect balance and harmony.

because all things have the exact same quality or attributtes on a true level,they have the same essence too because it's the exact same thing,and thus there is only one being or essence,in a absolute and full sense.

the nature of reality is also one in ontology or attribute,we divide good attributes into different things with words and a false conception,but all good qualities are one and the same exact thing.and only good exists,as the sanskrit saying all things are a blessing or auspiciousness.

the self-concealing power of the absolute(Maya) fools us as a joyful play to believe in bad things,or 'evil'but this is a false conception,and all things are bliss,or action or consciousness,all these things being the same thing as was explained before.

nothing can go wrong ,and everything has a reason,that leads to the ultimate bliss inherent to your nature.

Kashmir Shaivism is a life and joy affirming philosophy,and coheres with my peyot and mushroom experiences.

I would recommend to read the treatise,by logging in with your google or facebook,because it is a really good exposition of said work.

I also recommend the Spanda Karika,which is a fundemental work of kashmir shaivism,as it uses logical arguments,being a commentary on the shiva sutras revealed to vasugupta by Shiva himself.

Based on his writings it is supposed Somananda attained the highest spiritual realization. From such a position of deep understanding and insight he compiled his texts based on logic. He had minute attention for detail and a great capacity to express in clear terms even the most difficult points.[15] When debating opposing views, he makes an effort to understand exactly what they are and present them in his work, then refute them by subtle logic.[16]

Somananda was a householder and his system is to be applied by people in the midst of everyday life. He rejected practices which required reclusion and leaving behind of society.[17]

Somananda is mainly remembered as the first perceptor of the Pratyabhijna school.[18] He defined the theoretical aspects of Pratyabhijna in his main work Sivadristi. His son, Utpaladeva refined and developed it, leaving the task of bringing it to completion and integrating it with the other schools of Kashmir Shaivism to the great master Abhinavagupta.[19]

His philosophy is both idealistic-monism and theistic.[16] In essence, he states that Everything is Shiva.[20][21] Besides being "all-things", Shiva is also cit-ananda - consciousness and bliss. He is in possession of an absolutely free will, Svatantrya, with which he creates the manifestation without the use of any external instruments or materials. He manifests through his powers of knowledge and action.[22]

The notion of Svatantrya is central to Somananda's philosophy. The free-will of Shiva is manifested as energy, called Shakti, which emanates from Shiva himself and is the stuff from which the world is created, thus, being ontologically anterior to the world, it is beyond any obstacles.[23] When Shakti begins the process of manifestation it subdivides into a number of ontological categories or substances called tattvas, 36 in number. Thus, the world is considered real (not illusory, as in other monistic idealistic spiritual schools).

The written work of Somananda contains more than philosophical system building. It also contains an account of the rival schools of philosophy and a series of refutations based on logic. For example, Somananda disagrees with the gross realism of the Nyaya-Vaisesika system, the subtle realism of Samkhya, and the idealism of Vedanta, or that of Vijnanavada of Buddhism.[21] In his view, the universe is an appearance, but not of Maya (illusion) but of the free will of Shiva. In reality the universe is Shiva himself.[21] Instead of postulating a principle of beginning-less ignorance avidya like Advaita Vedanta, he points out that it is though the free-will of Shiva, Svatantriya, that ignorance appears. Ignorance is not an ontological reality but an epistemological phenomenon.[16][24]

Works
Somananda was the author of the first philosophical treatise on monistic Saivism, Sivadristi,[3][5] a work in seven chapters. It starts by describing the eternal nature of Shiva[25] and the creation of the universe. The author exposes his theory of non-differentiation, unity of subject and object, everything being of the nature of consciousness, cid-rupa.[26] A large portion of the book is dedicated to the exposition, analysis and critique of the Vivarta theory of the grammarians, the Shakta approach to the ultimate reality, the Vijnanavadin nuanced differences with respect to the principle of monism, the Advaita Vedanta concept of ignorance and the fundamental principles of all the other major spiritual schools of the time.[15] In the end Somananda describes the history of Kashmiri Shaivism and of his own family.[25] Other texts by Somananda include a commentary on his own Sivadristi and on Paratrimsika Vivarana.[27]

https://hareesh.org/spandakarika-blog-posts

this is a prelimenary into spanda karika.
https://hareesh.org/blog/2022/6/7/vijna ... of-reality
https://hareesh.org/blog/2022/5/30/vbt- ... -verse-one
https://hareesh.org/blog/2022/7/14/vija ... ra-verse-4

here is a article on the vijnanabhairava which was revealed to I believe vasugupta.the tantras of kashmir shaivism are eternal and the eternal sound of the manifestation of the absolute.

if you have any more questions do ask,Spanda(the ultimate reality) has been playing with 'me' and 'forcing' 'me' to think about these things constantly and understand them to the best of my ability,but I am no scholar,Hareesh is,and His works have alot of clear answers that make sense.

https://www.lakshmanjooacademy.org/

http://www.shaivism.net/articles/11.html

are also works I recommend this philosophy's epistemology and syllogism is true and logical,and it is self-coherent as a philosophy.

[Kalinago]

https://www.academia.edu/44977071/Logic ... _Somananda

this a great read.

Theistic dualism,Vijnanavadin buddhists,shaktas and vedantins are refuted using their own logical syllogisms against them to force them to agree with the ontology and premises of Kashmir shaivism.

Hey, thanks for the interesting topic!

I couldn't open the document. Could you give me another link or perhaps explain the conclusions of the argument here? I'm interested in the nature of reality.

I couldn't open it until I logged in with my google or facebook,try that and let me know if you could access it,because it's an excellent summary of shivadrishti(the ubiquitous shiva or auspiciousness),though getting shivadrishti itself by buying it would be greater I think.

also read the links I linked.

because kashmir shaivism is not a widespread philosophy or system,the translated works of it's most important and basic philosophical texts need to be usually bought,though there are summaries and excerpts of said works here and there online.

Spanda karika

ShivaDrishti

Tantraloka with commentary by Jayanatha

are the most important texts to understand the logic behind absolute nondual idealism or kashmir shaivism.

[Kalinago]

https://www.sanskrit-trikashaivism.com/ ... ashmir/565

this site I think has the full translation of spanda karika,though the author is a fool and avoid his explanation of things or if you do read his commentary on it be very discerning and rational,he's really a retarded fool that thinks he's enlightened.

[Kalinago]

the concept of 'creation'or manifestation more accurately,from 'other'is a redundant concept,since otherwise smoke would com from water,rice would come from light,anything would come from anything.

creation from absolute emptiness(Shunyavada) as a ground as the spanda karika says is also redundant,as emptiness is a redundant concept,reality is fullness,and nothing comes from nothing(a redundant concept too).

those buddhists basically assert reality is like the son of a barren woman,which means they're really foolish.

there is no contigency or dependance,absolute self-autonomy is the true reality(svatantrya) ,since being and existance are one and the same thing,and to be 'contigent'(a non-concept)means for the two to be seperated,which is not coherent,and thus the abrahamic and shaivite dualistic theists are wrong.and dualism is wrong too,since two conceptions whihc sare the same thing cannot be seperated except by a false use of words.

this false imposition upon the reality of absolute sameness between all concepts of being,is what the buddhi or 'maya mind'does to create it's false conception of 'opposites'and duality.

but duality doesn't logically exist.

this is the result of Maya shakti concealing and veiling or contracting these people's minds.
also the mind with thoughts are not what we mean by consciousness,the mind,ego and intellect are part of Maya shakti,but this can be more understood by studying the 36 Tattvas series on lakshmanjooacademy,I won't explain it here.

'cause'and 'effect'or are the same thing,creation from other and destruction into nothingness don't logically exist,as there is only manifestation and unmanifestation of the same thing.

[Kalinago]

https://www.academia.edu/42815915/Causa ... inavagupta

[Kalinago]

https://www.academia.edu/40463274/Abhin ... %C4%81loka

[Lucas88]

@Kalinago

I read some of those articles and am very thankful for your worthy contribution. I agree that Kashmir Shaivism is a more coherent philosophy than Vedanta despite being a lesser-known school of thought.

Consciousness itself is indeed a form of action as opposed to simply knowledge. The consciousness of the Supreme Being - which Vedandists call Brahman or Paramatman and which Shaivas identify as Paramshiva - is also characterized by action even if it is a purer and more effortless form of action and there is therefore no real dualistic distinction between consciousness and Shakti. They are both two different aspects of the same thing.

Kashmir Shaivism's conception of Maya also makes more sense than the Vedanta's. Maya isn't simply an operation which creates a state of illusion through an unexplained emergence of ignorance or Avidya. Maya is an element or Tattva in its own right which contracts and places limits upon the realm of material experience. The world is not an illusion. It is indeed a very real creation of the Supreme Reality.

Kashmir Shaivism is also correct in its affirmation of the material pleasures. There is no reason to reject material pleasures for "liberation". Material desires are natural and don't have a negative effect on our spiritual development.

If I have understood correctly, even Kashmir Shaivism promotes a form of liberation from material reality similar to Vedanta's concept of Moksha. I don't agree with this kind of thinking. I don't think that it's conducive to spiritual evolution. True spiritual evolution consists of raising the Kundalini and becoming a god in the flesh as Enki teaches. We are here in physical reality to evolve and achieve godhood. That is the purpose of all true spiritual practice. Any desire to renounce the world and escape from physical reality is absurd. Vedanta, Buddhism, etc. are nothing more than suicidal life-denying philosophies. They are corruptions for our spiritual enslavement just like the Abrahamic religions.

While Kashmir Shaivism does indeed seem to be more coherent than Vedanta in terms of its metaphysics, it is still a relatively late philosophical development and is therefore a philosophy which emerged deep in the Kali Yuga. All forms of Hinduism are corrupt even if they contain some pieces of authentic knowledge or spiritual practices here and there. The true spirituality from the time of our true gods has been largely stamped out in the Kali Yuga under the influence of the negative beings who exiled them from the Earth. Hindu Yoga practices have been corrupted. Warped liberation doctrines have been introduced. Verbose texts and abstruse philosophies have been invented to confuse. Today's Hindu sects are a product of the Kali Yuga.