Fundamentals of Saiva Siddhantham

Introduction (தோற்றுவாய்)

 

The amazing advancements in the fields of science,engineering, technology and medicine, though mostly limited to men and materials of this earth  in the twenty first century, has led to the fear of mankind slipping into the world of materials, leaving behind its glorious legacy of its understanding the unbounded universe, ultimate truth and The Almighty who's Laws of Rule prevail the unbounded universe. The advent of internet and connectivity have proved such fears are found to be untrue with floods of blogs of Philosophies on Divine matters and literature appear on the net. However, the validation of such matters are at best left the wisdom of the netizens browsing such matters. A lot of blogs are being posted on 'Saiva Sidhanta' philosophy hosting different versions of saiva siddhanta. This blog has a special purpose of enlightening the readers who do not have knowledge in Tamil (and those readers who could not go through the vast saiva siddhantham literature in Tamil) and on the 'Saiva Siddhantham' philosophy as enshrined by the GnanaGuru of the world, the First Acharyaa of the four Santhana Acharyaas, 'Meikanda Deva Nayanar' or 'Meikandaar' (In fact, Saiva Siddhantham holds 'The Almighty, Lord Siva' himself as the First Acharyaa of the Prapancha; we shall see the details at a later section on the Acharyaas of Saiva Siddhantha). This blog has no intention in establishing any kind of siddhntha supremacy but is written with the humble note of Thayumanavar swamigal:

"வேருபடுஞ் சமயமெல்லாம் புகுந்து பார்க்கின்
விளங்குபரம் பொருளேநின் விளையாட் டல்லால்
மறுபடுங் கருத்தில்லை முடிவில் மோன
வாரிதியின் நதித்திரள்போல் வயங்கிற் றம்மா." - தாயுமானவர்.

Further, it is worth noting the Gospel of Sivagnana Siththiyaar, one of the 14 meikanda sastra which  says


"யாதொரு தெய்வங் கொண்டீர் அத்தெய்வ மாகி யாங்கே
மாதொரு பாக னார்தாம் வருவர் . . . " - சிவஞான சித்தியார்.

Why Saiva Siddhantham (சைவ சித்தாந்தம்) is a True Science?

 

Saiva Siddhantham means "Clear and Final Conclusion on Truth" ("உண்மையின் முடிந்த முடிபு" in Tamil). The Definition of Science, according to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary,  is "knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with the physical world."

What does that really mean? Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge, using observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. The term science also refers to the organized body of knowledge people have gained using that system. Less formally, the word science often describes any systematic field of study or the knowledge gained from it. Science, by and large, confines itself to the study of men, materials and nature belongs to the Earth and a little on the outer planets and cosmos. It accepts the existence of soul, of course grudgingly, since it has to define death of living beings; science does not want to tread further from that point. Hence, learned people called the knowledge enlightened by science as 'knowledge limited by Science' or 'சிற்றறிவு'.

Saiva Siddhantham (Divine Science) is also "knowledge attained through study, practice and assimilation of 'Ultimate Knowledge (or Ultimate Truth)' or 'முற்றறிவு' covering general truths of the operation of divine laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific methods and concerned with the entire Universe or Prapanja, Souls and 'The God'.

What does that really mean? Saiva Siddhantham (Divine Science) refers to a system of acquiring 'Ultimate Truth' or 'முற்றறிவு', using observation, experimentation and validation to describe and explain natural and divine phenomena using a set of axioms and aphorisms using the well established "Theory of Measure" ("அளவையியல்" in Tamil). The formal philosophical measures of Logic, Rationalism and Inference are methodically used to establish the existence of God, infinite Souls and Malas or Bondages binding those souls. Rationalism is the primary mean used in its well presented and convincing aphorisms(doctrines) and teachings. Every axiom in Saiva sidhantham is well explained, nothing in it is taken for granted. No Axiom or premise has ever been asserted arrogantly. Philosophical research and questioning is encouraged for any earnest and inquiring learner and no attempt is made anywhere to muffle such learners in the name of God or faith. Explanations for the axioms and aphorisms are neatly provided by the application of strict logical methods derived from the keen observations of daily occurrences in life; it also clearly distinguishes how the premises differ with such known worldly examples in order to avoid confusion. No one can find any irrational component in this enlightening philosophy. 

"சுவைஒளி ஊறோசை நாற்றம்என் றைந்தின் 

வகைதெரிவான் கட்கே உலகு"   - திருக்குறள்:3-7
"Taste, light, touch, sound, and smell: who knows the way
Of all the five,- the world submissive owns his sway." - Thirukural:3-7
(The world is within the knowledge of him who knows the properties of taste, sight, touch, hearing and smell)

is the Thiruvalluvar's assertion for the need of research in Philosophy. (The Soul, which is pure consciousness, imagines itself to be finite and confined to the body and of with limited knowledge and power due to its bondages called trimalas. It is ignorant of its nature as consciousness and also mistakes the body for its reality.  The five senses (ஐம்புலன்கள் -பார்த்தல், கேட்டல், உணர்தல், நுகர்தல், சுவைத்தல்) are the windows of experience for the soul while the five sensors (ஐம்பொறிகள் - கண், செவி, மெய், நாசி, நாக்கு) are the sensing devices for the five senses.  The field of experience (to the soul-உயிர்) happens to be the world as panjaboothas and the senses these panjaboothaas (நெருப்பு(எ)ஒளி, காற்று, நிலம், நீர், ஆகாயம்). If the soul allows itself to be dragged along the course of these senses, nothing good will come the soul either in this worldy life or beyond. On the contrary, if the soul understands and realises the functioning of the panjaboothaas and the five senses and uses them with consciousness, the soul learns to lead the life without adding any additional load to the sanchitha karma (வினைத்தொகுப்பு) during this birth and moves closer to Salvation (சிவப்பேறு, முத்தி), and fulfils the purpose of the life. (சுவை,ஒளி, ஊறு, ஓசை நாற்றம் என்ற ஐந்தின் வகைதெரிந்த உயிர் இப்பிறப்பான ஊழ்வினையைச் செவ்வனே நிகழ்த்தி, புதிய வினைகளேதும் ஈட்டாது, சிவப்பேறு பெறத்  தகுதிபெறும். புதிய வினைகள் ஈட்டப்படாததாலும், ஊழ்வினை நுகரப்பட்டுவிட்டதாலும், வினைத்தொகுப்பின் சுமை குறையும்; இப்பிறப்பிலேயே ஈசன் அருளை முனைந்து பெறின் வினைத்தொகுப்பின் தொடர்பறுந்து முத்தியும் சித்திக்கும்.))

  Thirukkalitrupadiyaar (திருக்களிற்றுப்படியார்), one of the fourteen saiva siddhnatha vedas also encourages research in Philosophy as follows:

"தூல உடம்பாய முப்பத்தோர் தத்துவமும்
மூல உடம்பாய முதல்நான்கும் - மேலைச்
சிவமாம் பரிசினையும் தேர்ந்துணர்ந்தார் சேர்ந்த
பவமாம் பரிசறுப்பார் பார்"

How to resolve doubts in Saiva Siddhantham (சைவ சித்தாந்தம்) through  Scientific approach?

 

 Axioms and Aphorisms in Saiva Siddhantam have got clear proofs based on the established "Theory of Measure" ("அளவையியல்" in Tamil). Like any other branch of science, Saiva Siddhantham is based on truths using the well established doctrines(divine theories) and their proofs based on the "Theory of Measure" which includes inference, empirical testimony of the life experiences of the 63 nayanmars, 4 Samaya Acharyaas (சமயாசிரியர்கள் (அ) சைவகுரவர்கள்) and 4 Santhana  Acharyaas (சந்தானாசிரியர்கள் (அ) சந்தானகுரவர்கள்) through theirs 12 Saiva Thirumuraihal (Divine Poetry - சைவ இலக்கியங்கள் (அ) வழிபாட்டு நூல்கள்) and 14 Meikanda Sastras (Divine Grammar - சைவ இலக்கணங்கள் (அ ) நெறிப்படுத்தும் நூல்கள்). As per the established practice of framing the rules of Grammar for Poetry based on the study of prevailing eternal poetry, one has to bear it in mind that the theory of Saiva Siddhantam is framed based on the 12 Saiva Thirumuraihal (சைவஇலக்கியங்கள்). Therefore, whenever, one has got any doubt on the meaning and interpretation of any of the components of saiva siddhantham, he or she has to seek clarification or proof for the doubt only in the life testimonies of the saiva saints recorded through the 12 Saiva Thirumuraihal (சைவஇலக்கியங்கள்). Such proofs in Thirumurai verses have to be true and reliable as these Saints have realized The God through their meditation and love; they cannot be contrary to truth and hence any philosophical research with citations from such references are real research only.

Common Man's Questions on Philosophy of God and the Universe he belongs to:

Who am I? Is there a God? What are the nature of God, Soul and the cosmos? What is my relationship with God and the worldly things? What is the reason for happenings in life over which one has no control? Such questions often arise in any philosophical system.

Saiva Siddhantam gives fitting answers and explanations to them.

Characteristics of Lord Siva, The Supreme God:

-The Supreme Reality is called Siva.

-He is infinite consciousness.

-He is eternal, changeless, formless, independent, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, one without a second, beginningless, causeless, taintless, self-existent, ever free, ever pure, and perfect.

-He is not limited by time.

-He is infinite bliss and infinite intelligence.

-He is free from defects, the all-doer, the all-knower.

 The Supreme God Siva has the eight attributes (எண்குணம்) of eight attributes of self-existence (தன்வயம்-thanvayam), essential purity (தூய்மை-thooimai), intuitive wisdom (இயற்கையறிவு-eyarkaiarivu), infinite intelligence(முற்றறிவு-murtarivu), freedom from all bonds(கட்டின்மை-kattinmai), infinite grace or love(பேரருள்-perarul), omnipotence(எல்லையிலா ஆற்றல்-ellaielaa Atral), and infinite bliss(வரம்பில் இன்பம்-varambil inbam). Siva is called Engunathaan - எண்குணத்தான் by the Siva Saints.

"Before His foot, 'the Eight-fold Excellence,' with unbent head,
Who stands, like palsied sense, is to all living functions dead." Thirukural:1-9.

The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation.

"கோளில் பொறியில் குணமிலவே எண்குணத்தான் 

தாளை வணங்காத் தலை." - திருக்குறள்:1-9.

குறிக்கோளும் குணமும் இல்லாத பொறிகள் பயனற்றவை; எட்டுகுணங்களையுடைய இறைவன் தாளை வணங்காத தலை பயனற்றது.

Lord Siva is the God of Love. His grace is infinite. His love is infinite. He is the saviour and Guru. He is engaged in freeing the souls from the thraldom of matter. He assumes the form of a Guru out of His intense love for mankind. He wishes that all should know Him and attain the blissful Sivanantham or Siva-Padam (the state of Siva). He watches the activities of the individual souls, and helps them in their onward march. He liberates the individual souls from their fetters or bonds.

The Big Question the Mankind  poses is : Why Lord Siva, the Supreme God of Love, the Saviour and who assumes the form of a Guru out of His intense love for mankind and wishes that all should know Him and attain the blissful Sivanantham has chosen not to create life for all souls as equals? Some souls are given life with knowledge and wisdom, capability, good health and wealth, beautiful physique and long life while some other souls are born as poor, ignorant, live in poverty, devoid of health and shorter span of life. Is it just and fit His stature as the God of Love with infinite grace? 

The answer to the above question is : The God of Love with infinite grace has not created the nature of human life as per His will; such creations are made by Him only as per the wills of the Souls. That is, as per the karmas (deeds) of the souls, they are created thus; doing so reflects only His just acts and kindness towards souls rather than favouring or punishing some souls at the cost of some other souls.

One may ask, "Will any soul like to be born as poor, ignorant, live in poverty, devoid of health and live for a shorter span of life?". The straight answer is definitely a straight and big 'NO'. No soul would like to have such a life straight away; However, such souls do those acts (in their  births) which will lead them to be born in such poor conditions. The life on earth or very birth itself is with a lot of sufferings and sorrows; souls do think that there is some happiness to be born on Earth and they like to be born on earth to enjoy such happiness. Since happiness on earth varies in different ways, the types of births also varies in different ways.

One should understand that similar to his or her desire to have happiness but not sorrows, he or she should not do any act that is harmful to any other living being. If one soul harms another soul, it becomes the duty of The God to punish the harm inflicting soul as all souls are equals for Him. Therefore, as a punishment for such harmful acts only He gives a birth with poverty, ignorance, devoid of health and shorter span of life. However, God does not want to do all these; For several reasons like the one discussed above, He does so many acts starting with creation, only in accordance with the level of attainments of the souls which are not due to His Nature. Therefore, the question of doubt on the impartial Independent existence of Supreme God does not arise.

The logical explanations given above by Saiva Sidhantham gives us the strength to think and ‘rebuild’ our current faith and understanding about GOD. Its is therefore, necessary and useful to understand this great philosophy methodically following the principles of Scientific Methods. In Science, an axiom is a premise or starting point of reasoning. As classically conceived, an axiom is a premise so evident as to be accepted as true without controversy. Axioms define and delimit the realm of analysis. In other words, an axiom is a logical statement that is assumed to be true. Therefore, its truth is taken for granted within the particular domain of analysis, and serves as a starting point for deducing and inferring other (theory and domain dependent) truths. This series of articles will present the science of Saiva Siddhanta  with Axioms and Proofs in accordance with 14 Meikanda Sastras and 12 Thirumuraihal.

Axiom1: Existence of the great triple realities of Saiva Siddhantam:  GOD, SOUL and its BONDAGE (Pathi, Pasu, Pasam)  are Eternal Entities (that has neither beginning nor end-அநாதி ).

Explanation: The three entities Pati (God, இறை), Pasu(Soul, உயிர் (அ ) ஆன்மா ) and Pasam(Bonds, தளை) are eternal (anadhi (அ ) நிலைபேறுடைமை (அ ) முடிவின்மை). Pati(God) is the Lord of the Pasu(Souls). Pasam is the bondage. Pasu is under bondage. All things known and perceived are included in one of these three categories. (Detailed explanations will appear later)

Axiom2: Souls are infinite and have their own limitations. Its capabilities are limited due to the bondage or Pasam upon them. This is also eternal like God and souls. The soul is known as Pasu due to its nature of being under Pasam.

According to Saiva Siddhanta God is one, Souls are infinite and innumerable and Pasam consists of three impurities (malams) called Anava (anavam), Karma (kanmam) and Maya (mayai). Like Pati who is real and eternal, Pasu  and Pasam are also real and eternal. (Detailed explanations will appear later)

The bonds that bind the Souls (Anava, Karma, Maya): 

Souls (Pasu) are by nature infinite, all-pervading, eternal, and all-knowing like Lord Siva (Pati). Yet, souls think that they are finite, limited, little-knowing, ignorant, and temporary. This is due to the bonds (Pasa), viz., Anava, Karma, and Maya, which are called the three Malas (or impurities). Anava is the impurity which makes the all-pervading souls think itself to be atomic (Anu). It produces the erroneous notion of finiteness. The second impurity or bond is Kanma. The soul acts in certain ways on account of its limitation, and does good and evil actions. Kanma brings about the conjunction of the soul with its body. The results of the Kanma have to be worked out in the world. There should be worlds and bodies, in order to experience the fruits of actions and acquire knowledge. These are provided by Maya, the third Mala or bond. Maya is the material cause of the world. The soul gets experience and limited knowledge through Maya.

The soul learns, by long experience, that this worldly life or Samsara (cycle of birth and death) is full of pains and is transitory, and that he can attain eternal bliss and immortality only by attaining Sivanandha or Mukthi  (reaching the floral feet of Siva or God-realisation). Soul develops Vairagya (dispassion), and Viveka (discrimination between the Real and the unreal, the Permanent and the impermanent).

Discipline and grace culminate in Gnanam. Gnanam is the supreme means of salvation or the attainment of the final beatitude. Karma and other means are only subsidiary to it. They are auxiliaries.

The attainment of Muthi (or Siva-nature) does not mean complete merging of the soul in Siva. The liberated soul does not lose its individuality. It continues to exist as a soul in God. Sivatva is the realisation of an identity of essence in spite of difference. The soul attains the nature of Siva, but it is not itself Siva or God.



The way to the attainment of Muthi (God-realisation): one must free oneself from the three bonds (described above) to attain salvation.

Ruttiran is called the Destroyer, because he carries on the process of reproduction in all animals and plants, or is the one who sends souls into successive bodies. This involves the destruction of the old body; hence his appellation of Destroyer. But Transformer, or Reproducer, or Regenerator, would be a more correct
appellation. The work of reproduction necessarily involves the function of Brahma the Creator or Generator, and vishnu, the Preserver or Protector.

One has to have a clear understanding of the role of Brahma as the Creator or Generator (படைத்தல்). The act of 'Creation' is not about creating the souls. Souls are not created at some point of time; they are eternal (always present) as that of The God. For the enlightenment of the ever present souls the God (through Brahma) creates the world, bodies with senses and sensors, nature and the other materials required from the source material 'Maya' and connects the Souls with various bodies; this process is called 'Creation' or 'படைத்தல்'.

In order to enable Souls to experience the effect of their prarartha karmas with such bodies and other belongings they are sustained by God for a specific period; this is called 'காத்தல்' or Preservation or Protection.

On completion of the Souls respective destined mission periods of experiencing and exhausting their prarartha karmas, the God disconnects the Souls from their bodies and other ancillaory entities asssociated with such bodies and makes them dissolve into 'Maya'; this is called Dissolution or 'ஒடுக்குதல்' or 'அழித்தல்'.

Through various anta-karanangal of Maya including the five senses and sensors, the Souls are sensing to acquire a little knowledge about the world and themselves; unfortunately, such senses bind the Souls with the enjoyment of the worldly materials and such bondages make the souls to crave more and more for such worldly enjoyments; this prevents the souls from realizing the Grace(arul) of the God and make them to forget the God. In such state, the Souls tend to be world bound ignoring the God and His Grace. This is called 'Maraithal' 'மறைத்தல்'.

The cycle of birth and death due to the 'Maraithal' sakthi leads to the weakening of Anava Mala and its effect on the Souls. In such state, the Soul tend to shed the world and look forward to seek the Grace of God. The God endows his Grace on such Souls.
When the Soul, finally set free from the influence of threefold defilement through the grace of Sivan, obtains divine wisdom, and so rises to live eternally in the conscious, full enjoyment of Sivan's presence, in conclusive bliss, this is EMANCIPATION or Mukthi. This is called 'அருளல்'.

(Some more additions will be done in this article)

References

1. தருமையாதீனப் புலவர், சித்தாந்தக்கலைமணி, மகாவித்துவான் சி.அருணைவடிவேல் முதலியார், "சித்தாந்தத் தெளிவியல்", வெளியீடு எண் 589, தருமை ஆதீனம், 1968.
2.  Rev. H. R. Hoisington, "Tattuva-Kattalei"
3. Maraimalai Adikal, "Maya"
4. Gordon Matthews, "Expository Notes on Bhodam"
5. Gordon Matthews, "SivaGnana Bhodam - A Manual of Saiva Religious Doctrine"
6. K Vajravelu Mudaliar, "The Vedas and Saiva Siddhanta"
7. S.Sambasivanar, "Thiruvasagathil Saiva Siddhantham"