The Hermeneutic Analysis of Religious Experience as Expounded in Jnanamirta Kattalai - Intro Part 4

The Technologies for Moksa.

Having conceptualized paramoksa thus and criticized contrary views roughly as above, the author ventures to consider the technologies for realizing it. In this the author shows considerable originality. 

The impact of the developments in Saivism and Vaishnavism in the Tamil country up to the 16th or 17th century is clearly noticeable.

He classifies the technologies recommended into jnanam, prapatti and vairakkiam, in this, different from the standard cariyai, kriyai, yogam and jnanam. He grades them also in the order of difficulty with vairakkiam as the easiest, prapatti a little more difficult and the jnanam the most difficult. However the sense in which these technologies are difficult is not explained. It should be noted here that the terms prapatti and vairakkiyam are used as technical terms in Sri Vaishnava and Vedantic circles respectively.

The jnanam technology is the standard prescription in Saiva Siddhanta whereby an individual through a variety of diksas, studies of sacred texts, yogic meditations and so forth under the guidance of a Guru, acquires paramoksa through transcending a number of intermediate stages. These intermediate stages are traditionally considered ten in number: 

1. Gaining a knowledge of the tatvas (tattuvarupam), 

2 .Sighting the tatvas (tattuvataricanam), 

3. Disengaging oneself from the tatvas (tattuvacutti), 

4. Gaining a knowledge of the ego (anmarupam), 

5. Sighting the ego in itself (anmataricanam), 

6. Disengaging from the ego the afflicting constraints (anmacutti), 

7. Gaining a knowledge of Civa (civarupam), 

8. Sighting Civa Himself (civataricanam), 

9. Uniting in the Being of Civa (civayokam), and 

10. Being transformed into 'Experiencing-As-Civa' (Civapokam).[8]. 

There are numerous texts describing these stages in greater detail. The Tukalaru Botak Kattalai of Tattuvaprakasar provides a more detailed account of these stages of progressive development. These technologies are related to the hermeneutically oriented phenomenology of perception; 

an individual is LED TO SEE for himself and UNDERSTAND the meaning of CIVAHOOD through a hermeneutic analysis of existence in which transcendences are bestowed in accordance with the stage of readiness that has acquired.

The technology of prapatti which is recommended for those who find the above rather difficult, (perhaps too intellectual?) is the route followed by the baktas such as Manikkavasakar and so forth. Seeking a Saiva monastery and reciting mantras and so forth are included in this.

The third, the technology of Vairakkiyam, is recommended for those who find even prapatti rather too demanding. It consists in the individual surrendering himself to a guru and abiding as he commands through an unquestioning acceptance of his leadership and guidance.

Given the concept of paramoksa of the author, his critique of the contrary views appear to be valid and the recommendations of technology reasonable. 

The crucial question however is : how does he arrive at and justify his understanding of paramoksa?

It is here as nowhere else the author's originality is most evident. It also makes the text of current relevance not only in philosophy but also in psychology and sociology. 

We can state the central feature as follows: 

He takes it as absolutely true that human beings (and other creatures) act, i.e. take actions and do this and that for accomplishing, achieving , attaining this and that, in other words behaviour or the wordly human praxis is intentional. 

The concept of paramoksaas purasartta is arrived as through seeking to determine the absolute goal of all these human (and creature) activities - the END towards which all are moving through their activities, i.e the FUNDAMENTAL INTENTIONALITY. The paramoksa is the meaning of human existence conceived of as doing this and that and so forth and hence an END-IN-SIGHT, though only dimly perceived, already there governing all human activities.

The methodology employed is phenomenological-hermeneutical analysis of human existence, a methodolgy that has been in the Tamil tradition from at least the days of Tolkappiyam (circa 300 B.C). 

Parmoksa as articulated here is there in the bosom of all individuals, hidden perhaps deep deep down in the unconscious. The understanding of man must be explored archaeoductively to bring out that PULL or PUSH, the TELOS that's already there manifesting itself as ordinary desires of various kinds under ordinary circumstances. 

One must endeavour to gain a conscious understanding of this in order to found authentic existence.

Loganathan @ Ullaganar

[8] There are many texts devoted to a more detailed expositions of these ten stages of Gnostic development of an individual called Dasa Karyam. The Siddhas who were also Saiva Siddhanties however developed different theories of development that were not sanctioned by the established monasteries.