Although the main principle of both Kashmir Shaivism and Vedānta is monism (advaita), pure monism, yet there are many important differences in their teachings. For example, Vedanta masters teach that karmayoga means yoga in action. They believe that you must practice niḥṣkama karmayoga, which means that you are to perform all the actions of the world without asking for any reward. They say that by acting in this way you are carried toward the existence of the Real Being, the Real Nature of Self.
From the Kashmir Shaivism point of view, however, karmayoga means something else. it does not mean carrying out all of the activities of the world. yoga in action is pure yoga and nothing else. pure yoga is one-pointedness, and this one-pointedness must be developed in three ways.
You must develop one-pointedness in the existence of your being. This is one-pointedness in the state of parā vāk (supreme speech). You must also develop one-pointedness in the state of madhyamā vāk (medium speech). And finally, you must develop one-pointedness in the state of vaikharī vāk (inferior speech), in the state of ordinary speech.
In Kashmir Shaivism, we begin with the central way, the way of madhyamā vāk. Kashmir Shaivism explains that yoga in action means that when you are seated in a bus, or when you are walking on the road, you must observe silence. Walk silently, sit in the bus silently. Do not talk to anybody. Continue your practice of contemplating Lord Shiva as you were instructed by your Guru, without talking to anybody. This is how you begin. It is not possible at first to practice yoga while talking. In the beginning, you have to start with silence.
This yoga in action is tremendously powerful. For example, if you were to continue your practice of contemplation for just fifteen minutes while walking, the benefit will be the same as you would acquire if you were to continuously practice contemplation in your meditation room for two or even three years. This is because yoga in action makes your practice of contemplation more firm, solid, and substantial. This is why Kashmir Shaivism stresses on yoga in action, and not on that yoga which is inactive.
In the practice of yoga in action in madhyamā vāk, you begin with silence. And when you rise from madhyamā, you will rise in the parā state of Shiva. This parā state will occur, however, only when you have completed your activity. For example, while practicing your contemplation, you take a ten mile walk, five miles going and five miles returning, after which you go home, where you sit in meditation. At this point, you will automatically enter the parā state of yoga in action and this will carry you rapidly to that state of Transcendental Being.
In the practice of yoga in action in madhyamā vāk, you begin with silence. And when you rise from madhyamā, you will rise in the parā state of Shiva. This parā state will occur, however, only when you have completed your activity. For example, while practicing your contemplation, you take a ten mile walk, five miles going and five miles returning, after which you go home, where you sit in meditation. At this point, you will automatically enter the parā state of yoga in action and this will carry you rapidly to that state of Transcendental Being.
You must enter into the parā state of yoga in action automatically. you cannot make it happen.
If it does not happen, then you will have to begin again practicing contemplation in action. It is by the strength of yoga in action that you enter into the parā state of yoga. If your contemplation in action is spontaneous and break-less, then you will automatically enter into the parā state of yoga. If, on the other hand, your contemplation breaks at any time while practicing, then when you sit for meditation, contemplation on parā will not take place and you will have to begin again. This is called karmayoga.
When you are established in the yoga of action in parā vāk, then, after some time, you have to travel from parā vāk to vaikharī vāk. Practicing yoga in action in vaikharī vāk means that you are to remain established in your own being while talking, while laughing, while carrying out all of the actions of the world. This kind of yoga in action in vaikharī vāk is not possible unless yoga in action in madhyamā vāk and yoga in action in parā vāk are complete.
The sign of their being complete is that whenever you practice yoga in action in madhyamā vāk and afterwards you sit and meditate, you enter into parā vāk, you are inside, residing in your own Nature. Establishing yoga in action in vaikharī vāk is the completion of the course of yoga in action. Here, you remain established in your own Being in all the activities of the world. It is said that Lord Krishna was perfectly established in yoga in action in vaikharī. He was very active, doing everything while remaining established in his own nature.
The first difference, therefore, between Kashmir Shaivism and Vedanta is in their different understanding of karmayoga. This difference, as you have seen, is very great, with the Vedantins believing that karmayoga means doing all actions without asking for their reward and our Kashmir Shaivism teaching that yoga in action means doing all actions while maintaining a break-less contemplation of God.
Another difference between Kashmir Shaivism and Vedanta concerns the existence of individual being and Universal Being. The Vedantins explain that individual being is manifested only when Universal Being is reflected in the mirror of the individual intellect. They say that Universal Being is reflected in the intellect (buddhi) and that reflection becomes the existence of the individual being (jīva). Kashmir Shaivism, however, does not recognize this explanation, arguing that it is without any basis. As Universal Being is absolutely pure and perfect and individual being is filled with imperfections (malas) and covered by veils, it is not buddhi that will reflect Universal Being, but rather, it is Universal Being that will reflect buddhi. It is the purer and more refined reality which will take the reflection of that which is less pure and refined and not the other way around. Buddhi cannot hold Universal Being.
Kashmir Shaivism explains that when Shiva is reflected by his pure will in the mirror of his freedom (svātantrya), this is the existence of the universe and the existence of individual being.
Furthermore, in the theory of the Vedantins, it is not clearly explained how, if the world were not existing, buddhi, in which Lord Shiva is to be reflected, could exist at all. How could the intellect (buddhi) exist before the existence of the world? Therefore, individual being is the reflection of Lord Shiva in His svātantrya shakti. This is the existence of the universe.
The third area of difference between Kashmir Śaivism and Vedanta concerns the essence, the substance, the basis of this universe. Vedanta holds that this universe is untrue, unreal. It does not really exist. It is only the creation of illusion (maya). Concerning this point, Kashmir Shaivism argues that if Lord Shiva is real, then how could an unreal substance come out from something that is real? If Lord Shiva is real, then His creation is also real. Why should it be said that Lord Shiva is real and His creation is an illusion (maya)? Kashmir Shaivism explains that the existence of this universe is just as real as the existence of Lord Shiva. As such, it is true, real, pure, and solid. There is nothing at all about it which is unreal.
The fourth important difference between Kashmir Shaivism and Vedanta is that Vedanta does not recognize kundalini yoga. The Vedantins say that kundalinī yoga is meant for those who are treading on the inferior path of yoga. From the Kashmir Shaivism point of view, however, kundalini yoga is the most important yoga in this system. Kashmir Shaivism explains that there are three paths of kundalini yoga: para kuṇḍalini yoga, cit kundalinī yoga, and praṇa kundalini yoga. Parā Kundalini yoga is supreme Kundalini yoga. It is functioned by Lord Shiva with the universal body, not the individual body. Cit kundalini yoga is Kundalini in consciousness. Prāṇa kundalini yoga is kundalini in breath.
The fifth significant difference between Kashmir Shaivism and Vedanta concerns the question of who is fit to practice this monistic teaching. Vedanta holds that this teaching can only be practiced by “worthy people” such as brahmins with “good qualities.” In fact, Shankaracharya holds that Vedanta is meant only for sanyasins and not others. From the Vedantic point of view, women and other castes are not allowed to practice the Vedantic system. This point of view, however, is not recognized by Kashmir Shaivism. Kashmir Shaivism teaches that this monistic thought can be practiced by anyone, man or woman, without the restriction of caste, creed, or color. In fact, Kashmir Shaivism teaches us that this thought can be practiced more fruitfully by women than by men.
