MMY with Laksmanjoo, Srinagar, Kashmere TTC

Centering - An excerpt from the Bhairava Tantra, translated by Swami by Laksmanjoo:

7. Devi, imagine the Sanskrit letters in these honey-filled foci of awareness, first as letters, then more subtly as sounds, then as most subtle feeling. Then, leaving them aside, be free.

14. Bathe in the center of sound, as in the continuous sound of a waterfall. Or, by putting fingers in ears, hear the sound of sounds.

19. Intone a sound audibly, then less and less audible as feeling deepens into this silent harmony.

According to John Hughes, a TM Meditator (TTC 1968), Kashmir Tantracism agrees with many of Maharishi's teachings concerning meditation, bija mantras, and siddha yoga. I have posted two exerpts from my sources in a separate thread: one is called 'Centering', a translation by the Swami Lachmanjoo, and the second an excerpt by Theos Bernard, the definitive descriptive introduction to the philosophy of Kashmir Saivism, which shows many affinities with the description of the yoga philosophy given by Maharishi.

"My wife and I first journeyed to Kashmir in the spring of 1969, along with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and a group of his Western students. During our stay Swami Lakshmanjoo gave a discourse to our group on Kashmir Saivism. As a graduate student of Indian philosophy and religious studies, I was intrigued by this impressive speaker and the relatively unknown philosophy he spoke about. In 1971 returned to Kashmir along with my wife Denise and daughter Shanna to learn from Swamiji the philosophy and practical teachings of Kashmir Saivism.

Although I still knew very little about Kashmir Saivism I knew it was a tradition that emphasized realizing and experiencing the supreme truth in the context of one's own life. Furthermore, I knew deep down that if I wanted to learn the secrets of Kashmir Saivism I needed to study with a teacher who not only understood the tradition, but had practically experienced its fruit and truth in his own life and being.

My research convinced me that Swami Lakshmanjoo was such a man. He was, at the time, the last living master of the Kashmir Saivaite tradition; that is, he was the last in a line of masters/disciples whose spiritual genealogy was marked by direct oral transmission of the secrets of Saivism. Being the last living guru of Kashmir Saivism meant that Swamiji held the pure distillation of a rich spiritual tradition" (Hughes 3).

Work cited:

'Zen Flesh Zen Bones'
A Collection of Zen and Pre-zen Writings
by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki
Tuttle, 1998

"This may be the most beloved of all Zen books in English."
- Dennis Littrell

Amazon reviews:
http://tinyurl.com/57xuul

"Self Realization in Kashmere Shaivism"
The Oral teachings of Swami Laksmanjoo.
By John Hughes
SUNY, 1994

Other titles of interest:

"Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme"
by Swami Lakshmanjoo and John Hughes
Authorhouse, 2000

Appendix I

Pralaya: Alternating phases of activity and transcendental rest.

"Kasmere Saivism provides the most complete analysis of Nature yet devised by any system of Indian philosophy." - Theos Bernard

According to Theos Bernard, Ph.D., a scholar and researcher, graduate of Columbia U., and a student of Hienrich Zimmer, the Siva Sutra is no longer extant. This does not mean that parts of an oral tradition does not exist, it means, in schorlary circles, that it cannot be established that the scripture existed before the 21st century, there being no known copies in existence before that time. This is not surprising, once one realizes that even the oldest copy of Rig Veda only dates to the fourteenth century, a copy of which rests in the Bhandharkar Research Library in Poona, India.

However, it is obvious when one examines the oral tradition, and investigates the praticum, that is, the actual practice of Kashmere Shivaism, one point becomes very clear. We are not discussing a theory only, but a practice, in which the truth of the Tantras becomes living reality. Transcendental Meditation is that technique. For this reason, the Sri Laksman encourage meditation, a practice which allows the mind to experience the transcendant, just like any other thought.

According to Bernard, "Kashmere Saivism is based on the Siva Sutra. The purpose of the Siva Sutra is to preserve for man the principles of monism in the literature called the Tantras. Kashmere Saivism accepts the fundamental premise that pure conciousness is the substance of the universe. However, it differs from the Samkhya and Vedanta systems in its interpretation of the three basic problems:

1) What is the nature of the ultimate reality;
2) What is the cause of its first movement; and
3) What is the nature of its manifest form?

Theo Bernard:

1) The Sankhya system of Kapila postulates two independent realities, Purusha and Prakriti, and thus sets up a dualism. The Vedanta system of Sankara postulates a single ultimate reality, Brahman and then introduces a principle called Maya, which is held to be not real, yet not unreal, which is counter to logic. Therefore, Vedanta is tainted with the suggestion of a dualism. Kashmer Saivism meets the first problem by postulating a single ultimate reality with two aspects, one Transcendental and the other Immanent.

2) Sankhya says the cause of ultimate reality is due to the 'association' of Purusha and Prakriti. The Vedanta contends that only an intelligent agent can set universal conciousness in motion; so it postulates an additional category, Brahman. Neither system really answers the question of first cause or primal motion.

Kashmere Saivism teaches that conciousness alternates between two phases, rest and action. The phase of transcendental rest is called 'Pralaya' in Sanskrit, which has no first beginning, therefore no primal cause.

3) All three schools under discussion acknowledge the existence of the manifest world but each interprets differently the relationship between the ultimate reality and the manifest world of matter. Sankhya doctrine contends that there are two independent realities, and that the manifest world is the appearance of unconcious matter as seperate and independent.

The Vedanta doctrine contends that there is only one ultimate reality which never changes; therefore the manifest world is an 'appearance' only. Kashmere Saivism contends that there is only one reality, but it has two aspects; therefore the manifestation is real. This is based on the argument that the effect cannot be different from its cause. The world of matter is only another form of conciousness.

Thus, when studied in detail, according to Theos Bernard, "Kasmere Saivism provides the most complete analysis of Nature yet devised by any system of Indian philosophy." However, according to the Siva Sutra, human logic can never construct an unassailable monism; final proof can be had only by the experience of Samadhi, attained through mantric meditation.

A note on the Photograph:

The photograph was taken in Kashmere 1968 by Frank Papentin, and published in the book "Darshan/Three Times India" (available at 21st Century Books in Fairfiel, IA) shortly after the Rishikesh TTC. Among the participants was Michael Hughes, an initiator, who subsequently became a desciple of Maharaji the Lakksmanjoo.

Bibliographical note:

The Shiva Sutra is not listed in the standard source book on Indian literature.
Reference: "An Outline of Indian Literature" by J.N. Farquhar, Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi.

Works cited:

'Hindu Philosophy'
The definitive sourcebook, in English, of the Six Systems of Indian Philosophy, by the author of "Hatha Yoga", "Penthouse of the Gods", and "Heaven Lies Within Us". Comprehensive, erudite.
by Theos Bernard, Ph.D.
Philosophical Publishing House 1947

References:

'Hindu Philosopy'
by Theos. Bernard
Rider, 1945
Amazon Paperback

Other titles of interest:

'Hatha Yoga'
by Theos Bernard
Weiser, 1970

Demonstration of Hatha Yoga by Theos Bernard

'Penthouse of the Gods'
A Pilgrimage into the Heart of Tibet and the Sacred City of Lhasa
by Theos Bernard
Charles Scribner's Sons, 1939

'A Simplified Grammar of the Literary Tibetan Language'
by by Theos Bernard, M.A. Ph.D., LL.B.

Appendix II

Kashmir's Contribution to Indian Culture

Some scholars in the Centre of Central Asian Studies of Kashmir University are probing in the direction of establishing the thesis that First man appeared in the Kashmir Valley. This has reference also to the Burzahom excavation and the remains of the so called pit-dwellers found there. All scientists agree that the earliest Homo Erectus named as Ramapithecus Panjabicus appeared in the Northern parts of India situated just south of Kashmir.

In my opinion, all these facts point to the inescapable conclusion that Kashmir is the original home of the Aryans and that Aryan and Vedic Culture spread out to other parts of the country from Kashmir Valley itself. We should not forget that there was a time when Gandhar Pradesh ( present Afganistan and N. W. F. P. of Pakistan ) included Kashmir also.

There are certain symbols and sacred things of Hinduism which were and are, found in Kashmir only. I mean to say that Kashmir Valley is the only place where all of them are found. Some of them are: Srichakra Fish ( Sacred as Matsyavatora and worshipped here even now ) Lotus ( connected with Brahma, Vishnu and Lakshmi ) Bhoorjva ( Bhoj-Patra on which ancient scriptures were etched ), Devadaru Tree, Kesar, Kustoori, Snow, The Snow white God Shiv ( Him-Rund-Endu-Karpur-Varna ), Mountains, Water, Nag and Sarp, (not only in Humun form ), Som ( it is being proved now that it was found in the mountains of Kashmir towards Sharada teerth ), Kesar Dhatura ( Used in Shiv Worship) and Kasturi these all have an essential place in our ancient traditions and also in present religious rituals.

Kashmir's Contribution to Indian Culture
by Dr. Bimla K. Munshi
pp. 129-130

http://www.koausa.org/Crown/culture.html