Anuttarāṣṭikā (Anuttarastika)

Eight stanzas about Anuttara

 Introduction

This is the venerable Anuttarāṣṭikā of Abhinavagupta (Eight stanzas on Anuttara). Abhinavagupta is very well known for his voluminous works such as Tantrāloka, Tantrasāra, Parātrīśikāvivaraṇa, etc. All those works required a high intellectual quotient and much experience, as well as knowledge, about the tradition of Trika Shaivism. Abhinavagupta's disciples did not always have capable intellects that could fully understand the meanings in all their mysterious and complex teachings. Many of them were only devotees, with a great heart but with small intellectual abilities as to cope with such extensive treatises full of quite complicated Sanskrit. It is generally said that only the magnificent Kṣemarāja could deal with the massive erudition of Abhinavagupta. Then, to relieve those disciples endowed with tender and weak intellects, compassionately, Abhinavagupta composed small works of a few stanzas such as this Anuttarāṣṭikā. Anuttara (lit. the highest than Which there is nothing) is obviously the Great Lord Śiva.

This scripture focuses fully on the viewpoint of Anupāya (lit. without means), in which the Guru simply tells his disciple "Tvaṁ śivo'si" - "You are Śiva", and the disciple becomes enlightened instantaneously. In this way, that elevated disciple does not need to practice anything else because he attained Liberation simply by hearing that Great Truth from the mouth of his Guru.

Now read the Anuttarāṣṭikā and experience Supreme Delight, dear Śiva.

Important: Everything that is between parentheses and in italics within the translation has been added by me to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, everything that is between double hyphens (--...--) constitutes additional clarifying information also added by me.

top

 Anuttarāṣṭikā

सङ्क्रामोऽत्र न भावना न च कथायुक्तिर्न चर्चा न च ध्यानं वा न च धारणा न च जपाभ्यासप्रयासो न च।
तत्किं नाम सुनिश्चितं वद परं सत्यं च तच्छ्रूयतां न त्यागी न परिग्रही भज सुखं सर्वं यथावस्थितः॥१॥
Saṅkrāmo'tra na bhāvanā na ca kathāyuktirna carcā na ca dhyānaṁ vā na ca dhāraṇā na ca japābhyāsaprayāso na ca|
Tatkiṁ nāma suniścitaṁ vada paraṁ satyaṁ ca tacchrūyatāṁ na tyāgī na parigrahī bhaja sukhaṁ sarvaṁ yathāvasthitaḥ||1||

Here --in Anuttara-- (atra) there is no (na) difficult progress (saṅkrāmaḥ), nor (na ca) contemplation (bhāvanā), nor (na) application of speech (kathā-yuktiḥ), nor (na ca) discussion (carcā), nor (vā na ca) meditation (dhyānam), nor (na ca) concentration (dhāraṇā), nor (na ca) japa --muttering of a Mantra--, practice and effort (japa-abhyāsa-prayāsaḥ). Therefore (tad), what then (kim nāma) (is) the Supreme (param) Firmly Determined (su-niścitam) Truth (Satyam)? Speak (vada)! Listen to this --lit. let that be heard!-- (tad śrūyatūm): Do not (be) (na) one who abandons (tyāgī) nor (na) one who takes (parigrahī); enjoy (bhaja) all (sarvam) happiness (sukham); (and) remain as (you essentially are) (yathā avasthitaḥ)||1||

संसारोऽस्ति न तत्त्वतस्तनुभृतां बन्धस्य वार्तैव का बन्धो यस्य न जातु तस्य वितथा मुक्तस्य मुक्तिक्रिया।
मिथ्यामोहकृदेष रज्जुभुजगच्छायापिशाचभ्रमो मा किञ्चित्त्यज मा गृहाण विलस स्वस्थो यथावस्थितः॥२॥
Saṁsāro'sti na tattvatastanubhṛtāṁ bandhasya vārtaiva kā bandho yasya na jātu tasya vitathā muktasya muktikriyā|
Mithyāmohakṛdeṣa rajjubhujagacchāyāpiśācabhramo mā kiñcittyaja mā gṛhāṇa vilasa svastho yathāvasthitaḥ||2||

In reality (tattvatas), there is no (asti na) Saṁsāra --the transmigration of souls-- (saṁsāraḥ), (then,) what (kā) (is all this) question --also "vārttā"-- (vārtā) of the bondage (bandhasya) of embodied beings (tanubhṛtām)? The activity for Liberation (mukti-kriyā) is not true --is false-- (vitathā) in the case of the Liberated One --Abhinavagupta refers to Anuttara, that is, the Great Lord Śiva-- (tasya... muktasya) who never has bondage (bandhaḥ yasya na jātu). This (eṣaḥ) act of confusing a rope for a snake, and a shadow for a goblin (rajju-bhujaga-chāyā-piśāca-bhramaḥ), produces delusion and falsehood --lit. "produces a false delusion"-- (mithyā-moha-kṛt). Do not abandon (mā... tyaja) anything (kiñcid), do not take (mā... gṛhāṇa) anything (kiñcid), play! --also "appear!", but I was expecting "virama" (stop!)-- (vilasa). Established in your own Self (sva-sthaḥ), remain as (you essentially are) (yathā avasthitaḥ)||2||

पूजापूजकपूज्यभेदसरणिः केयं कथानुत्तरे सङ्क्रामः किल कस्य केन विदधे को वा प्रवेशक्रमः।
मायेयं न चिदद्वयात्परतया भिन्नाप्यहो वर्तते सर्वं स्वानुभवस्वभावविमलं चिन्तां वृथा मा कृथाः॥३॥
Pūjāpūjakapūjyabhedasaraṇiḥ keyaṁ kathānuttare saṅkrāmaḥ kila kasya kena vidadhe ko vā praveśakramaḥ|
Māyeyaṁ na cidadvayātparatayā bhinnāpyaho vartate sarvaṁ svānubhavasvabhāvavimalaṁ cintāṁ vṛthā mā kṛthāḥ||3||

In Anuttara (anuttare), what (kā) (is) this (iyam) differentiated path of worship, worshiper, and worshiped (pūjā-pūjaka-pūjya-bheda-saraṇiḥ)? (What is this) talk/conversation (kathā)? Of whom (kasya) (is) indeed (kila) the difficult progress (saṅkrāmaḥ), (and) by what means (kena) did he accomplish/perform it (vidadhe)? Or (vā) what (kaḥ) (is) the succession of penetrations (praveśa-kramaḥ)? Ah! (aho), although (api) she remains (vartate) differentiated (bhinnā), this (iyam) Māyā (māyā) is no other (na... paratayā) (than) Non-dual Consciousness (cit-advayāt). Everything (sarvam) (is) the immaculate essential nature of your own experience (sva-anubhava-svabhāva-vimalam). (Therefore,) do not think --or "do not become anxious"-- (cintām... mā kṛthāḥ) in vain (vṛthā)!||3||

आनन्दोऽत्र न वित्तमद्यमदवन्नैवाङ्गनासङ्गवद्दीपार्केन्दुकृतप्रभाप्रकरवन्नैव प्रकाशोदयः।
हर्षः सम्भृतभेदमुक्तिसुखभूर्भारावतारोपमः सर्वाद्वैतपदस्य विस्मृतनिधेः प्राप्तिः प्रकाशोदयः॥४॥
Ānando'tra na vittamadyamadavannaivāṅganāsaṅgavaddīpārkendukṛtaprabhāprakaravannaiva prakāśodayaḥ|
Harṣaḥ sambhṛtabhedamuktisukhabhūrbhārāvatāropamaḥ sarvādvaitapadasya vismṛtanidheḥ prāptiḥ prakāśodayaḥ||4||

The Bliss (ānandaḥ) here (atra) is not (na) like the intoxication (brought about) by wealth and wine (vitta-madya-mada-vat), nor (na eva) like sexual union with a woman (aṅganā-saṅga-vat). (Likewise,) the arising of Light (prakāśa-udayaḥ) is not (na eva) like the amount of light produced by a lamp, the sun, or the moon (dīpa-arka-indu-kṛta-prabhā-prakara-vat). (Moreover,) the Joy (harṣaḥ) is equal to the descent of the Weight or Mass of the State of Delight caused by the Liberation from duality (sambhṛta-bheda-mukti-sukha-bhūr-bhāra-avatāra-upamaḥ). (Furthermore,) the arising of Light (prakāśa-udayaḥ) (is) the obtainment (prāptiḥ) of the forgotten Treasure (vismṛta-nidheḥ) which is the State of Unity in All (sarva-advaita-padasya)||4||

रागद्वेषसुखासुखोदयलयाहङ्कारदैन्यादयो ये भावाः प्रविभान्ति विश्ववपुषो भिन्नस्वभावा न ते।
व्यक्तिं पश्यसि यस्य यस्य सहसा तत्तत्तदेकात्मतासंविद्रूपमवेक्ष्य किं न रमसे तद्भावनानिर्भरः॥५॥
Rāgadveṣasukhāsukhodayalayāhaṅkāradainyādayo ye bhāvāḥ pravibhānti viśvavapuṣo bhinnasvabhāvā na te|
Vyaktiṁ paśyasi yasya yasya sahasā tattattadekātmatāsaṁvidrūpamavekṣya kiṁ na ramase tadbhāvanānirbharaḥ||5||

The states (bhāvāḥ) of avid interest/aversion, pleasure/pain, arising/dissolution, ego/depression, etc. (rāga-dveṣa-sukha-asukha-udaya-laya-ahaṅkāra-dainya-ādayaḥ), which are the form of the universe (viśva-vapuṣaḥ), shine (pravibhānti) with distinct natures (bhinna-svabhāvāḥ). (However,) they (te) are not (so) (na). You see/perceive (paśyasi) the visible appearance/manifestation (vyaktim) of this and that (yasya yasya). (But,) after perceiving (avekṣya) suddenly (sahasā) that this and that (tad tad) are in unity with (your own) Consciousness --lit. "have the form of Consciousness in unity with that," very confusing really-- (tad-eka-ātmatā-saṁvid-rūpam), why (kim) do you, who are full of that contemplation (tad-bhāvanā-nirbharaḥ), not delight (in it) (na ramase)?||5||

पूर्वाभावभवक्रिया हि सहसा भावाः सदास्मिन्भवे मध्याकारविकारसङ्करवतां तेषां कुतः सत्यता।
निःसत्ये चपले प्रपञ्चनिचये स्वप्नभ्रमे पेशले शङ्कातङ्ककलङ्कयुक्तिकलनातीतः प्रबुद्धो भव॥६॥
Pūrvābhāvabhavakriyā hi sahasā bhāvāḥ sadāsminbhave madhyākāravikārasaṅkaravatāṁ teṣāṁ kutaḥ satyatā|
Niḥsatye capale prapañcanicaye svapnabhrame peśale śaṅkātaṅkakalaṅkayuktikalanātītaḥ prabuddho bhava||6||

The activities of the world have no before --a past-- (pūrva-abhāva-bhava-kriyāḥ) undoubtedly (hi). The entities (bhāvāḥ) in this world (asmin bhave) (are) always (sadā) (here) immediately --all of them are in the present-- (sahasā). From where (kutas) (does there come) the reality (satyatā) of those (entities) which are like a mixture of changes and intermediate forms (madhya-ākāra-vikāra-saṅkara-vatām teṣām)? In the false, momentary (and) fraudulent mass of manifestations which is (like) a dream-confusion (niḥsatye capale prapañca-nicaye svapna-bhrame peśale), remain awake (prabuddhaḥ bhava) (and) beyond the incitement to unite with the stigma of the disease of doubt (śaṅkā-ātaṅka-kalaṅka-yukti-kalanā-atītaḥ) --I did the best I could with an extremely confusing and unnecessarily complicated text--||6||

भावानां न समुद्भवोऽस्ति सहजस्त्वद्भाविता भान्त्यमी निःसत्या अपि सत्यतामनुभवभ्रान्त्या भजन्ति क्षणम्।
त्वत्सङ्कल्पज एष विश्वमहिमा नास्त्यस्य जन्मान्यतः तस्मात्त्वं विभवेन भासि भुवनेष्वेकोऽप्यनेकात्मकः॥७॥
Bhāvānāṁ na samudbhavo'sti sahajastvadbhāvitā bhāntyamī niḥsatyā api satyatāmanubhavabhrāntyā bhajanti kṣaṇam|
Tvatsaṅkalpaja eṣa viśvamahimā nāstyasya janmānyataḥ tasmāttvaṁ vibhavena bhāsi bhuvaneṣveko'pyanekātmakaḥ||7||

There is no (na... asti) origin/production (samudbhavaḥ) of entities --of objective things and beings-- (bhāvānām) that is natural (sahajaḥ). They --those entities-- (amī) appear (bhānti) when You manifest them (tvad-bhāvitāḥ). (And) although (api) they are not real (niḥsatyāḥ), they attain reality (satyatām... bhajanti) in an instant (kṣaṇam) through an error in perception (anubhava-bhrāntyā). This (eṣaḥ) greatness of the universe (viśva-mahimā) is born from Your imagination/will/desire (tvad-saṅkalpa-jaḥ). There is no (na asti) birth (janma) for it (asya) from anything else (anyatas). Therefore (tasmāt), You (tvam) shine (bhāsi) in the worlds (bhuvaneṣu) through (Your) Glory (vibhavena), (and) although (api) (You are) One (ekaḥ), You become many (aneka-ātmakaḥ) (also through Your Glory)||7||

यत्सत्यं यदसत्यमल्पबहुलं नित्यं न नित्यं च यद्यन्मायामलिनं यदात्मविमलं चिद्दर्पणे राजते।
तत्सर्वं स्वविमर्शसंविदुदयाद्रूपप्रकाशात्मकं ज्ञात्वा स्वानुभवाधिरूढमहिमाविश्वेश्वरत्वं भज॥८॥
Yatsatyaṁ yadasatyamalpabahulaṁ nityaṁ na nityaṁ ca yadyanmāyāmalinaṁ yadātmavimalaṁ ciddarpaṇe rājate|
Tatsarvaṁ svavimarśasaṁvidudayādrūpaprakāśātmakaṁ jñātvā svānubhavādhirūḍhamahimāviśveśvaratvaṁ bhaja||8||

What (yad) is real (satyam), what (ya) is unreal (asatyam), little or much (alpa-bahulam), eternal (nityam) and non-eternal (na nityam ca), whatever (yad yad) is impure due to Māyā (māyā-malinam), (or) whatever (yad) is pure due to the Self (ātma-vimalam)... after knowing (jñātvā) that all that (tad-sarvam), which consists of the manifestation/revelation of forms (rūpa-prakāśa-ātmakam), shines (rājate) in the mirror of Consciousness (cit-darpaṇe) from an arising of Consciousness that is Your own Vimarśa or Śakti --it refers to Self-Consciousness or Aham-- (sva-vimarśa-saṁvid-udayāt), assume (bhaja) the State of Lord of the universe and (also) the Greatness of establishing yourself in Your own Experience (sva-anubhava-adhirūḍha-mahimā-viśva-īśvaratvam)||8||

इति श्रीमदाचार्याभिनवगुप्तपादैर्विरचितानुत्तराष्टिका समाप्ता॥
Iti śrīmadācāryābhinavaguptapādairviracitānuttarāṣṭikā samāptā||

In this way (iti), has concluded (samāptā) the Anuttarāṣṭikā written (viracita-anuttarāṣṭikā) by the most venerable Ācārya (called) Abhinavagupta (śrīmat-ācārya-abhinavagupta-pādaiḥ)||

top

 Further Information

This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.

For further information about Sanskrit, Yoga and Indian Philosophy; or if you simply want to comment, ask a question or correct a mistake, feel free to contact us: This is our e-mail address.

Post your comment