Kṣemarāja · 11th century · 20 sūtras in 5 movements
Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam
The Heart of Recognition
Twenty sūtras on the nature of consciousness, bondage, and recognition — each a complete teaching, together a systematic map of Trika Shaiva philosophy.
The universal
Sūtras 1–4 · Consciousness, free, unfolds the universe within itself- Sūtra 1Freeचितिः स्वतन्त्रा विश्वसिद्धिहेतुःConsciousness (citi), sovereign in her freedom, is the cause of the universe's coming-into-being.
- Sūtra 2Freeस्वेच्छया स्वभित्तौ विश्वमुन्मीलयतिBy her own will she unfolds the universe on the screen of her own being.
- Sūtra 3Freeतन्नाना अनुरूपग्राह्यग्राहकभेदात्That [universe] is diverse through the differentiation of mutually adapted subjects and objects (grāhaka–grāhya).
- Sūtra 4Sign inचितिसंकोचात्मा चेतनोऽपि संकुचितविश्वमयःEven the individual conscious being (cetana), whose essential nature is the contraction of consciousness (citi-saṃkoca), consists of the universe in contracted form.
The individual
Sūtras 5–8 · The one knower contracts into the many- Sūtra 5Sign inचितिरेव चेतनपदादवरूढा चेत्यसंकोचिनी चित्तम्Consciousness (citi) itself, descended from the plane of the pure knower (cetana-pada), contracting in conformity with its objects (cetya), is the mind (citta).
- Sūtra 6Sign inतन्मयो मायाप्रमाताThe māyā-perceiver (māyāpramātā) consists of that [contracted mind, citta].
- Sūtra 7Sign inस चैको द्विरूपस्त्रिमयश्चतुरात्मा सप्तपञ्चकस्वभावःAnd he, though one, is of two forms, threefold in constitution, fourfold in self, and of the nature of the seven pentads (saptapañcaka).
- Sūtra 8Sign inतद्भूमिकाः सर्वदर्शनस्थितयःThe positions of all philosophical views (darśanas) are stages (bhūmikāḥ) of that [one consciousness].
Bondage
Sūtras 9–12 · How fullness comes to feel like limitation- Sūtra 9Sign inचिद्वत्तच्छक्तिसंकोचात् मलावृतः संसारीFull of consciousness (cidvat) though it is, through the contraction of its powers (śakti-saṃkoca) it becomes the transmigrating soul (saṃsārī), covered by impurity (mala).
- Sūtra 10Sign inतथापि तद्वत् पञ्चकृत्यानि करोतिEven then, [the contracted self] performs the five acts (pañcakṛtya), just as He does.
- Sūtra 11Sign inआभासनरक्तिविमर्शनबीजावस्थापनविलापनतस्तानिThese [five acts he performs] through manifesting (ābhāsana), savoring (rakti), experiencing as self (vimarśana), setting down the seed (avasthāpana), and dissolving (vilāpana).
- Sūtra 12Sign inतदपरिज्ञाने स्वशक्तिभिर्व्यामोहितता संसारित्वम्When that is not fully recognized (aparijñāna), the condition of the transmigrator (saṃsāritva) is delusion by one's own powers (svaśakti).
Recognition
Sūtras 13–16 · The turn inward and the fire of consciousness- Sūtra 13Sign inतत्परिज्ञाने चित्तमेव अन्तर्मुखीभावेन चेतनपदाध्यारोहात् चितिःWhen that is fully recognized (parijñāna), the mind (citta) itself — through inward-facing (antarmukhībhāva), by ascent to the plane of the conscious knower (cetana) — is consciousness (citi).
- Sūtra 14Sign inचितिवह्निरवरोहपदे छन्नोऽपि मात्रया मेयेन्धनं प्लुष्यतिThe fire of consciousness (citivahni), though concealed in the plane of descent, partially (mātrayā) burns the fuel of the knowable (meya).
- Sūtra 15Sign inबललाभे विश्वमात्मसात्करोतिOn attaining the strength (bala) [of consciousness], one makes the universe one's own (ātmasāt karoti).
- Sūtra 16Sign inचिदानन्दलाभे देहादिषु चेत्यमानेष्वपि चिदैकात्म्यप्रतिपत्तिदार्ढ्यं जीवन्मुक्तिःWhen the bliss of consciousness (cidānanda) is attained, the firmness (dārḍhya) of the recognition of sole identity with consciousness (cit) — even while the body and the rest are still being perceived — is liberation while living (jīvanmukti).
The means and the fruit
Sūtras 17–20 · Practice, its stabilization, and lordship of the wheel- Sūtra 17Sign inमध्यविकासाच्चिदानन्दलाभःThrough the unfolding (vikāsa) of the center (madhya), the bliss of consciousness (cidānanda) is attained.
- Sūtra 18Sign inविकल्पक्षयशक्तिसंकोचविकासवाहच्छेदाद्यन्तकोटिनिभालनादय इहोपायाःThe means (upāya) here are: dissolution of mental constructs (vikalpakṣaya), contraction and expansion of śakti, cutting of the flows (vāhaccheda), attention to the point (koṭi) of beginning and end, and so on.
- Sūtra 19Sign inसमाधिसंस्कारवति व्युत्थाने भूयो भूयश्चिदैक्यामर्शान्नित्योदितसमाधिलाभःIn the emergence from meditation (vyutthāna), while it is still charged with the imprint (saṃskāra) of samādhi, by touching again and again (bhūyo bhūyaḥ) one's oneness with consciousness (cit), the ever-arising (nityodita) samādhi is attained.
- Sūtra 20Sign inतदा प्रकाशानन्दसारमहामन्त्रवीर्यात्मकपूर्णाहन्तावेशात्सदा सर्वसर्गसंहारकारिनिजसंविद्देवताचक्रेश्वरताप्राप्तिर्भवति इति शिवम्Then, through immersion (āveśa) in the perfect I-ness (pūrṇāhantā) — whose essence is light (prakāśa) and bliss (ānanda), and whose nature is the potency (vīrya) of the great mantra — there is the perpetual attainment of lordship over the wheel of the deities of one's own innate consciousness (nijasaṃvid), which brings about all emanation (sarga) and reabsorption (saṃhāra). This is Śiva.
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