An Introduction to the Philosophy of Trika Saivism

The aim of this book is basically to introduce the reader to the fundamental principles that Trika Philosophers have enunciated in their philosophical-cum-theological treatises. Such an approach has been adopted deliberately on account of the fact that Trika system of thought, which is very rich in philosophical vocabulary, is hardly known to general public in the manner of Advaita Vedanta of Samkara. Although non-dualistic in orientation, yet it differs radically from the monism of Samkara with regard to the nature of the Absolute and the world. The Trika philosophy rejects the Vedantic view of the Absolute theistically, and so speaks of Paramasiva as being both consciousness and reflective awareness. As such the Absolute freedom, and so the school also is referred to as being that of Freedom. Insofar as the status of the world is concerned, the Trika thinks of it as being extension/emission/reflection of Paramasiva and so is considered to be real. It means that the world, even though