Aṇḍa

Kaśmir Śaivism Kashmir Shaivism or Trika Shaivism, is a nondualist tradition of Shaiva-Shakta Tantra which originated sometime after 850 CE. Since this tradition originated in Kashmir it is often called "Kashmiri Shaivism". It later went on to become a pan ...

the world is described as being composed of four spheres () that contain a series of phenomenal elements (

tattva According to various Indian schools of philosophy, ''tattvas'' () are the elements or aspects of reality that constitute human experience. In some traditions, they are conceived as an aspect of deity. Although the number of ''tattvas'' varies ...

). The four ' are described to appear by the means of the internal abundance of

Śiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

's divine powers.Essence of the Exact Reality or Paramārthasāra of Abhinavagupta, B.N. Pandit, 1991, page 21 Outside the four is Śiva tattva which is the substrate and essential nature of all the other tattvas.

Projected by the
absolute Absolute may refer to: Companies * Absolute Entertainment, a video game publisher * Absolute Radio, (formerly Virgin Radio), independent national radio station in the UK * Absolute Software Corporation, specializes in security and data risk manage ...
, is the first step of creation. Also called ''the pure creation'' because at this level the divine nature of
Śiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
is not obscured, it manifests a state of diversity in unity. The divine powers (
Śakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and re ...
) gradually descend from ''Ānanda Śakti'' (bliss) to ''Icchā Śakti'' (the power of will), ''Jñāna Śakti'' (the power of knowledge) and ''Kriyā Śakti'' (the power of action), at the same time creating the basis for the dual creation. At this stage, though, the duality is only "in concept"; there is no actual division or limitation yet. This ' contains Śakti tattva, Sadāśiva tattva, Iśvara tattva and Śuddha-vidyā tattva (all the pure tattvas except the first one, Śiva tattva). , The Secret of the Tantric Mysticism, Abhinavagupta, Jaideva Singh, page 103

The ''sphere of Māyā'' causes the divine nature and purity that exists in to be forgotten. The divine creation is covered with five limitations (''kañcuka'') that make the infinite, eternal, perfect in itself, all knowing and all powerful nature of
God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
, as manifested first in the ', appear limited in space ( Niyati tattva) and time ( Kāla tattva), incomplete ( Rāga tattva), with limited knowledge ( Aśuddha-vidyā tattva) and power of action ( Kalā tattva). This contains seven tattvas, from Māyā tattva to .

describes the world as it is perceived from the common human level of consciousness. It contains the śakti of the individual soul (): , the intellect ( Buddhi tattva), the ego ( Ahamkāra tattva), the sensory mind ( Manas tattva), the five sense organs ( Jñānendriya), the five organs of action ( Karmendriya), the five subtle essences ( Tanmātra) and the last four physical elements ( Mahābhutā) : Ākāśa tattva, Vāyu tattva, Tejas tattva and Jala tattva.

is the terminal point of creation – solid matter. There is only one tattva in this sphere: . This tattva has a special statute because it contains in essence all the other tattvas and is the home of .

See also
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The 36 tattvas The tattvas in Indian philosophy are elements or principles of reality. Tattvas are the basic concepts to understand the nature of absolute, the souls and the universe in Samkhya and Shaivite philosophies. Samkhya philosophy lists 25 tattvas while ...
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Trika Kashmir Shaivism or Trika Shaivism, is a nondualist tradition of Shaivism, Shaiva-Shaktism, Shakta Tantra which originated sometime after 850 CE. Since this tradition originated in Kashmir it is often called "Kashmiri Shaivism". It later went ...
*
Turiya In Hindu philosophy, ''turiya'' (Sanskrit: तुरीय, meaning "the fourth") or chaturiya, chaturtha, is pure consciousness. Turiya is the background that underlies and pervades the three common states of consciousness. The three common sta ...

References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anda Kashmir Shaivism Hindu philosophical concepts Spiritual faculties Hindu tantra