Kashmir Shaivism
Nondual Shiva tradition
Kashmir Shaivism is a Hindu philosophical and spiritual tradition that originated in the Kashmir region around the 9th century.
It teaches that ultimate reality is a single divine consciousness (Shiva) and that the individual self is identical with this consciousness, temporarily veiled by ignorance.
Unlike some Hindu schools that view the material world as illusion, Kashmir Shaivism considers it a real manifestation of divine energy.
The tradition emphasizes direct recognition of one's true nature rather than gradual spiritual practice.
State of sentient awareness
Release from rebirth cycle
- self-realizationAchieving personal potential
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- recognitionPerceiving something as known
- samsaraCycle of rebirth
bondage · freedom · grace · nirvana · awakening · realization
Dormant spinal life force
Focused attention practice
- mantraRepeated focus phrase
- dikshaReligious initiation by teacher
- guruRevered authority figure
- discipleCommitted follower of teaching
pranayama · mudra · centering · awareness · contemplation · self-inquiry · initiation · transmission
consciousness
State of sentient awareness
moksha
Release from rebirth cycle
- self-realizationAchieving personal potential
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- recognitionPerceiving something as known
samsara · bondage · freedom · grace · nirvana · awakening · realization
kundalini
Dormant spinal life force
meditation
Focused attention practice
disciple · pranayama · mudra · centering · awareness · contemplation · self-inquiry · initiation · transmission · lineage
non-dualism
Doctrine of ultimate unity
- recognitionPerceiving something as known
Kashmir ShaivismGaudiya Vaishnavism
Kashmir Shaivismatheism
Rejection of deities
materialism · physicalism · secular humanism · dualism · Theravada Buddhism