Ануттараштика

सङ्क्रामोऽत्र न भावना न च कथायुक्तिर्न चर्चा न च ध्यानं वा न च धारणा न च जपाभ्यासप्रयासो न च । तत्किं नाम सुनिश्चितं वद परं सत्यं च तच्छ्रूयतां न त्यागी न परिग्रही भज सुखं सर्वं यथावस्थितः ॥ १॥

Saṃkrāmo'tra na bhāvanā na ca kathā yuktirna carcā na ca dhyānaṃ vā na ca dhāraṇā na ca japābhyāsaprayāso na ca | Tatkiṃ nāma suniścitaṃ vada paraṃ satyaṃ ca tacchrūyatāṃ na tyāgī na parigrahī bhaja sukhaṃ sarvaṃ yathāvasthitaḥ || 1 ||

Here --i.e. in this Doctrine of Abhinavagupta, he teaches about the level of Anuttara that he calls ’anupāya’ or ’no means of realization’-- (atra), there is no (na) progress (saṃkrāmaḥ), no (na) contemplation (bhāvanā), no (na) explanation (kathā), no reasoning (yuktiḥ), no (na) songs (about secret teachings) (carcā), no (na) meditation (dhyānam), but (vā) (there is) no (na) concentration (either) (dhāraṇā), and (ca…ca…ca…ca…ca) (there is) no (na) trouble of the practice of japa or repetition (japa-abhyāsa-prayāsaḥ). So, tell (me) (vada) what (kim…nāma) is that (tat) Supreme (param) Truth (satyam) (that is) well determined or quite certain (by means of all these) (suniścitam)? Or (ca) hear (śrūyatām) That (from me instead) (tat): do not (na) reject anything (tyāgī), (but) do not (na) accepts anything (parigrahī). You should Enjoy (bhaja) everything (sarvam) with ease (sukham) as it is (yathāvasthitaḥ). || 1 ||

In this highest state of supreme God consciousness (anuttara) there is no need of spiritual progress, no contemplation, no art of expression, no investigation, no meditation, no concentration, no recitation, exertion or practice. Tell me then, what is the supreme and well-ascertained truth? Listen indeed to this! Neither abandon nor accept anything, enjoy everything. Remain as you are!

संसारोऽस्ति न तत्त्वतस्तनुभृतां बन्धस्य वार्तैव का बन्धो यस्य न जातु तस्य वितथा मुक्तस्य मुक्तिक्रिया । मिथ्यामोहकृदेष रज्जुभुजगच्छायापिशाचभ्रमो मा किञ्चित्त्यज मा गृहाण विलस्वस्थो यथावस्थितः ॥ २॥

Saṃsāro'sti na tattvatastanubhṛtāṃ bandhasya vārtaiva kā bandho yasya na jātu tasya vitathā muktasya muktikriyā | Mithyāmohakṛdeṣarajjubhujagaśchāyāpiśācabhramo mā kiñcittyaja mā gṛhāṇa vihara svastho yathāvasthitaḥ || 2 ||

In reality (tattvataḥ), saṃsāra (saṃsāraḥ) does not (na) exist (asti), so (vā) what (kā) is really (eva) the calamity (ārtā) of bondage (bandhasya) in embodied beings (tanu-bhṛtām)? Bondage (bandhaḥ) has never (existed) (na…jātu) for someone (tasya) who (yasya) is Liberated (muktasya), and knows that (any) effort to attain Liberation (mukti-kriyā) is futile (vitathā), (as it is) created by false delusion (mithyā-moha-kṛt). (It is like) confusing a moving rope with a snake (or) a shadow with a demon (eṣa-rajju-bhujagaḥ…chāyā-piśāca-bhramaḥ). Do not (mā) reject (tyaja) anything (kiñcit), do not (mā) accept (anything) (gṛhāṇa). Remain (sva-sthaḥ) as you are (yathāvasthitaḥ), and move (freely) (vihara). || 2 ||

In reality, there is no such thing as birth and death, so how can the question arise of bondage for living beings? There never was any such bondage for the one who is entirely free, and therefore, to struggle for liberation is useless and nothing more than delusion–like a dark shadow mistaken for a demon, or a rope seen as a snake. It is all based on deceitful perception which has no substance. Neither abandon nor accept anything, remain as you are, well established in your own Self.

पूजापूजकपूज्यभेदसरणिः केयं कथानुत्तरे सङ्क्रामः किल कस्य केन विदधे को वा प्रवेशक्रमः । मायेयं न चिदद्वयात्परतया भिन्नाप्यहो वर्तते सर्वं स्वानुभवस्वभावविमलं चिन्तां वृथा मा कृथाः ॥ ३॥

Pūjāpūjakapūjyabhedasaraṇiḥ keyaṃ kathānuttare saṃkrāmaḥ kila kasya kena vidadhe ko vā praveśakramaḥ | Māyeyaṃ na cidadvayātparatayā bhinnāpyaho vartate sarvaṃ svānubhavasvabhāvavimalaṃ cintāṃ vṛthā mā kṛthāḥ || 3 ||

In the (Supreme State of) Anuttara (anuttare), what (kā) is (the value of) this (iyam) ’kathā’ or ’speech’ (kathā) about the difference between ’worship’, ’worshipper’ and ’the object of worship’ (pūjā-pūjaka-pūjya-bheda-saraṇiḥ)? To whom (kasya) (, and) by whom (kena) (would such) a progress (saṃkrāmaḥ…kila) have been operated (vidadhe)? Or (vā), what (kaḥ) is the ’process of immersion’ (at all) (praveśa-kramaḥ)? Though (api) (it seems to be) different (bhinnā), (but) in the highest sense (paratayā), this (iyam) illusion (māyā) is not (na) (different) from the Non-duality of Consciousness (cit-advayāt). Ah (aho)! Everything (sarvam) is (vartate) pure in one’s Essential Nature that emerges as the perception of the Self (sva-anubhava-svabhāva-vimalam). Do not (mā) think (cintām…kṛthāḥ) uselessly (vṛthā). || 3 ||

In the oneness of that supreme state of anuttara, what talk can there be, and what differentiated path of adorer, adored and adoration? To whom and by what means could a progression function; or what could constitute the succession of penetrating into the Self? Wonder of wonders! Though it appears differentiated, this illusion is no other than consciousness, one without a second. Everything is nothing but the pure essence of your own Self-experience, so why worry in vain?

आनन्दोऽत्र न वित्तमध्यमदवन्नैवाङ्गनासङ्गवत् दीपार्केन्दुकृतप्रभाप्रकरवत् नैव प्रकाशोदयः । हर्षः सम्भृतभेदमुक्तिसुखभूर्भारावतारोपमः सर्वाद्वैतपदस्य विस्मृतनिधेः प्राप्तिः प्रकाशोदयः ॥ ४॥

Ānando'tra na vittamadyamadavannaivāṅganāsaṅgavat dīpārkendukṛtaprabhāprakaravannaiva prakāśodayaḥ | Harṣaḥ saṃbhṛtabhedamuktisukhabhūrbhārāvatāropamaḥ sarvādvaitapadasya vismṛtanidheḥ prāptiḥ prakāśodayaḥ || 4 ||

’Ānanda’ or ’Bliss’ (ānandaḥ) here (atra) is not (na) like the pleasure of getting drunk on wine or possessing wealth (vitta-madya-mada-vat), but also not (na…eva) like the pleasure of sexual intercourse (aṅganā-saṅgavat). (And) ’Prakāśodayaḥ’ or ’the Emergence of Light’ (prakāśa-udayaḥ) is not at all (na…eva) like the (rising of the) multitude of rays created by a lamp, by the Sun (or) by the Moon (dīpa-arka-indu-kṛta-prabhā-prakaravat). Happiness --i.e. Bliss-- (here) (harṣaḥ) rises from the ’Joy of being Liberated from created duality or differentiation’ (saṃbhṛta-bheda-mukti-sukha-bhūḥ) (that is) like ’getting rid of a weight (on one’s back)’ (bhāra-avatāra-upamaḥ). (Hence,) ’the Emergence of Light’ (prakāśa-udayaḥ) is ’to recover (prāptiḥ) the forgotten Treasure (vismṛta-nidheḥ) of the State of Perfect Non-duality’ (sarva-advaita-padasya). || 4 ||

One cannot compare the bliss of this state to the intoxication of wealth or wine, nor to the union with a beloved woman. And the brilliant flow of light is unlike the collection of rays from a lamp, the sun or the moon. This excessive joy of the Self is comparable only to the weight of that blissful state which descends when one gets liberated from all differentiation. The flow of this supreme consciousness is the state of universal oneness, which is nothing other than your own treasure abode that you had temporarily forgotten.

रागद्वेषसुखासुखोदयलयाहङ्कारदैन्यादयो ये भावाः प्रविभान्ति विश्ववपुषो भिन्नस्वभावा न ते । व्यक्तिं पश्यसि यस्य यस्य सहसा तत्तत्तदेकात्मता- संविद्रूपमवेक्ष्य किं न रमसे तद्भावनानिर्भरः ॥ ५॥

Rāgadveṣasukhāsukhodayalayāhaṅkāradainyādayo ye bhāvāḥ pravibhānti viśvavapuṣo bhinnasvabhāvā na te | Vyaktiṃ paśyasi yasya yasya sahasā tattattadekātmatā saṃvidrūpamavekṣya kiṃ na ramase tadbhāvanā nirbharaḥ || 5 ||

Things (te…bhāvāḥ) like love and hatred, pleasure and pain, ascending and descending, confidence and depression, etc. (rāga-dveṣa-sukha-asukha-udaya-laya-ahaṅkāra-dainya-ādayaḥ), which (ye) shine (pravibhānti) as the form of the world (viśva-vapuṣaḥ), are essentially not different (from each other) (bhinna-svabhāvāḥ…na). After observing (avekṣya) the Nature of Consciousness (saṃvit-rūpam), whenever (yasya…yasya) you see (paśyasi) a visible appearance (vyaktim), that (tat) immediately (sahasā) becomes one with Consciousness (tat-tat-eka-ātmatā). (Thus), why don’t (kim…na) you Rejoice (ramase) (simply while you are) Full of the Awareness of That --i.e. of the Nature of Consciousness-- (tat-bhāvanā-nirbharaḥ)? || 5 ||

Attraction and repulsion, pleasure and pain, rising and setting, self-confidence and depression; all these states with which the universe is formed, shine as mutually different but in reality, they are not. (To show that differentiation is not really differentiated the author says). Whenever you perceive the specificity of some thing, at that very moment you should perceive the essence of your own consciousness as one with it . . . why not take delight in the fullness of that awareness?

पूर्वाभावभवक्रिया हि सहसा भावाः सदाऽस्मिन्भवे मध्याकारविकारसंकरवतां तेषां कुतः सत्यता । निःसत्ये चपले प्रपञ्चनिचये स्वप्नभ्रमे पेशले शङ्कातङ्ककलङ्कयुक्तिकलनातीतः प्रबुद्धो भव ॥ ६॥

Pūrvābhāvabhavakriyā hi sahasā bhāvāḥ sadāsmin bhave madhyākāravikārasaṅkaravatāṃ teṣāṃ kutaḥ satyatā | Niḥsatye capale prapañcanicaye svapnabhrame peśale śaṅkātaṅkakalaṅkayuktikalanātītaḥ prabuddho bhava || 6 ||

The activity of the world never existed before (pūrva-abhāva-bhava-kriyā…hi). The things (bhāvāḥ) of the world always (sadā) exist in this (asmin) existence (, and not in another,) (bhave) without any successive (process of creation) (sahasā). In the false (niḥsatye) (and) momentary (capale) collection (of the things of the world which) --i.e. such a collection-- (prapañca-nicaye) is artificial (peśale) (like) the illusion of a dream (svapna-bhrame), where (kutaḥ) is the Reality (satyatā) of those (things that are) (teṣām) like mixes of alterations of intermediate actions --i.e. where is the Reality of the ideas coming from thinking? The implicit answer is: only in the Present-- (madhya-akāra-vikāra-saṅkaravatām). (So,) Wake up (prabuddhaḥ…bhava) (and reside) beyond (that which) impels (your) connection with defect --i.e. spiritual illusion-- caused by the pain of doubts (śaṅka-ātaṅka-kalaṅka-yukti-kalanā-atītaḥ). || 6 ||

In this world the totality of objects appear eternally in the present moment, i.e. the activity of universality has no previous or future existence. Differentiated action is an illusion based on the unlawful pervasion of an intermediate state which is unreal, transient, fraudulent, just a heap of appearances like the illusion of a dream. Remain above these defects which have been wrongfully forged by the stigma of doubts, hence be awakened!

भावानां न समुद्भवोऽस्ति सहजस्त्वद्भाविता भान्त्यमी निःसत्या अपि सत्यतामनुभवभ्रान्त्या भजन्ति क्षणम् । त्वत्संकल्पज एष विश्वमहिमा नास्त्यस्य जन्मान्यतः तस्मात्त्वं विभवेन भासि भुवनेष्वेकोप्यनेकात्मकः ॥ ७॥

Bhāvānāṃ na samudbhavo 'sti sahajastvadbhāvitā bhāntyamī niḥsatyā api satyatāmanubhavabhrāntyā bhajanti kṣaṇam | Tvatsaṅkalpaja eṣa viśvamahimā nāstyasya janmānyataḥ tasmāttvaṃ vibhavena bhāsi bhuvaneṣvekāpyanekātmakaḥ || 7 ||

There is no (na...asti) innate or original (sahajaḥ) existence (samudbhavaḥ) of things (bhāvānām). They (amī) appear (bhānti) (only because) you create them (in your mind) (tvat-bhāvitāḥ). Though (api) (they) are not real --i.e. they have no separate existence-- (niḥsatyāḥ), (they) obtain (bhajanti) (apparently separate) existence (satyatām) in the moment (kṣaṇam) of illusory perception (anubhava-bhrāntyā). This (eṣaḥ) ’greatness of the world’ (viśva-mahimā) is born of your imagination (tvat-saṅkalpajaḥ), (and) it (asya) has no (na…asti) other source (janma-anyataḥ). Therefore (tasmāt), (because) you (tvam) (appear as) ’many beings and things’ while you are One (eka-api-aneka-ātmakaḥ), (only you) shine (bhāsi) (with your) Power (vibhavena) in (all) the worlds --i.e. wakefulness, dreaming, etc.-- (bhuvaneṣu). || 7 ||

For the insentient there is no outflow of objective things, for those are manifested only when experienced by thee. Though deprived of reality they share reality in one instant through one’s erroneous perception. Thus the greatness of this universe arises from your own imagination–it does not take birth from anything else. Therefore you alone shine in all these worlds, and though one, you become many by your own glory!

यत्सत्यं यदसत्यमल्पबहुलं नित्यं न नित्यं च यत् यन्मायामलिनं यदात्मविमलं चिद्दर्पणे राजते । तत्सर्वं स्वविमर्शसंविदुदयाद् रूपप्रकाशात्मकं ज्ञात्वा स्वानुभवाधिरूढमहिमा विश्वेश्वरत्वं भज ॥ ८॥

Yatsatyaṃ yadasatyamalpabahulaṃ nityaṃ na nityaṃ ca yat yanmāyāmalinaṃ yadātmavimalaṃ ciddarpaṇe rājate | Tatsarvaṃ svavimarśasaṃvidudayādrūpaprakāśātmakaṃ jñātvā svānubhavādhirūḍhamahimā viśveśvaratvaṃ bhaja || 8 ||

(That) which (yat) is real (satyam), (that) which (yat…yat…yat) is unreal (asatyam), little or large (alpa-bahulam), eternal (nityam) or (ca) transient (na…nityam), illusory (māyā-malinam) (or) pure like one’s Self (ātmā-vimalam)...(all these opposites) shine (rājate) in the Mirror of Consciousness (cit-darpaṇe). Having understood (jñātvā) that (tat) the world (sarvam) is the illumination of (those) forms (rūpa-prakāśa-ātmakam) which (yat) emerge from your own Consciousness (sva-vimarśa-saṃvit-udayāt), you should enjoy (bhaja) the State of the Lord of the Universe (that is) the Greatness of ’being established in your own Experience (of Universal Consciousness)’ (sva-anubhava-adhirūḍha-mahimā-viśva-īśvara-tvam). || 8 ||

॥ इति श्रीमदाचार्याभिनवगुप्तपादैर्विरचितानुत्तराष्टिका समाप्ता ॥

|| Iti śrīmadācāryābhinavaguptapādaviracitānuttarāṣṭikā samāptā ||

This (iti) ‘Anuttarāṣṭikā’ or ‘Eight verses about the Absolute’, written by the most Venerable Ācārya Abhinavaguptaḥ (śrīmat-ācārya-abhinavagupta-pāda-viracitā), is complete (samāptā). ||

Real or unreal, small or plentiful, eternal or momentary, what is colored by the illusion of differentiation and what is pure in one’s own Self, in reality, this universe rising from your own consciousness and becoming one with your essence appears glorified in the mirror of Consciousness. Having ascertained the sublimity of the universe and having understood the greatness of establishing ones own Self-experience, enjoy universal sovereignty.

Eight ślokas concerning the essence of anuttara, relating to the un- practicable state of anupāya composed by the great master, Abhinavagupta.