Kṣemarāja

Kṣemarāja was a Kashmiri Śaiva philosopher and the leading pupil of Abhinavagupta, active around the turn of the eleventh century. He wrote many commentaries on the scriptures and hymns of Kashmir Śaivism, including the Śiva Sūtras and the Spanda texts. His short Recognition Sutras (Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam, 'The Heart of Recognition') summarises the Pratyabhijñā, or Recognition, school for beginners in twenty aphorisms with commentary. Its teaching is that consciousness alone is real and freely manifests the universe, and that liberation is recognising that one's own self is that consciousness, Śiva.

Key ideas

• Consciousness (citi), utterly free, is the cause of the manifestation of the universe.
• The world is not an illusion but the real self-expression of consciousness, unfolded on its own screen by its own will.
• The individual mind is universal consciousness that has contracted itself, Śiva in limited form.
• Liberation comes through recognising (pratyabhijñā) that one's own self is the supreme Lord.

Major works

• The Recognition Sutras (Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam) (11th century)
• Commentary on the Śiva Sūtras (Śivasūtravimarśinī) (11th century)
• Spandanirṇaya (11th century)
• Commentary on the Svacchanda Tantra (Svacchandoddyota) (11th century)
• Commentary on the Netra Tantra (Netroddyota) (11th century)

In the Book corner

• The Recognition Sutras (Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam) c. 11th century CE · Intermediate
  A short work of twenty aphorisms (sūtras) with the author's own commentary, written by Kṣemarāja, a leading disciple of Abhinavagupta, to present…

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