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This
universe is an amazing place. It is spread out over vast distances, and can be
broken down into the most subtle and miniscule elements. However you look at it,
there is symmetry, natural order and beauty. Our universe has been the object
of worship as well as a study of mankind for thousands of years. Still, through
all of our observations and realizations our universe remains mysterious and
elusive. It cannot be fully captured by the mind or scientific instruments. “I
like relativity and quantum theories…they make me feel as if space shifted
about like a swan that can’t settle, refusing to be measured; and as if the
atom were an impulsive thing always changing its mind.” (Lederman Intro) My
goal in this paper is to show connections between quantum and cosmological
theories and Kashmir Shaivism (eastern philosophy). Science and spirituality
have experienced a great divide over the years. Be it the creationalists and
the evolutionists, or fundamentalists and intelligentsia, common ground is
never fully established. The reason there is so much debate about this is
because both science and religion or spirituality are talking about the same
thing, and when it comes to the truth, nobody wants to be wrong. The issue at
hand is very important: the origin of the universe, evolution of the cosmos,
and essential nature of everything. This paper is going to take a look at both
schools of thought and show how they can coexist and support each other. Science
itself has not been fruitless. Through the millennia, great thinkers have tried
to shed light on the universe’s grandeur. One deep looking pioneer of great
proportion was Albert Einstein. When Einstein discovered and fine-tuned his
theory of relativity he completely redefined the relationship between space and
time, and revolutionized the way that we look at the universe. As a result we
now understand space and time as space-time, both connected like two dimensions
of the same entity. The theory has to do with the speed of light and its
relationship to space, time and matter. It also reveals the relativity of all
observers to their environment and motion. After establishing this. he went on
to incorporate gravity. His famous equation e=mc2 has to do with measuring the value of energy and the mass of matter
with the constant of c squared. C is the speed of light, m is the mass of
matter and e is energy. The following quote shows a new way that scientists now
understand space and time. “The speed of an object through space is merely a
reflection of how much of its motion through time is diverted.” (Greene 50)
Einstein’s theory implicates a universal speed limit. This is the speed of
light. As you get closer and closer to
the speed of light you age less and less. At the speed of light itself you are
no longer traveling through time. By using up all of its motion through time,
this is the fastest that anything can travel through space. So light does not
age and its speed is constant. “A photon that emerged from the big bang is the
same age today as it was then. There is no passage of time at the speed of
light.” (Greene- 51) As you can see this theory makes time and space
interwoven, and it also includes mass. It does this in the discoveries of the
effects of matter on space-time, through the force of gravity. Einstein effectively
wove gravity into the basic fabric of the universe by allowing space and time
to curve and ripple. Thus mass, motion, space-time, warps, and ripples are all
interwoven into this cosmic dance of galaxies, quasars, black holes, comets,
stars, planets and moons. One thing that Einstein showed is that “everything is
relative”. Kashmir Shaivism is a philosophy based on rare scriptures
from Kashmir, India. The Shiva Sutras are the major treatises of this
philosophy. They were revealed to a sage named Vasugupta in a dream at the end
of the 8th century. It is believed that Vasugupta then wrote the
Spanda Karikas (stanzas on vibration)
“to elaborate on the principles laid down by the Shiva Sutras” (Singh
xviii). The Shiva Sutras came into existence to counter the effects of dualism.
At that time, many of the Brahmins (priests) of India were teaching the
plurality of self. Kashmir Shaivism states that there is only one self, and is
thus it is a non-dualistic theory. The most recognized commentaries on the Shiva
Sutras were written by Ksemaraja, a Kashmiri sage and disciple of
Abhinavagupta. Abhinavagupta himself composed the Tantraloka. Ksemaraja also wrote the
Pratyabhijnahrdayam, which is an important text as well. An earlier text from
the 7th century of great importance is the Vijnana Bharaiva
(knowledge of the Lord). This
philosophy describes Ultimate Reality, Manifestation, Bondage, and Liberation.
In this philosophy, the primordial energy known as god, shakti, chiti, or
absolute consciousness, by its own free will, projects within itself this
universe. It is the substratum of everything; the laws of physics, all of the
forces, all matter, space, time, the entire cosmos. It illuminates every
particle. It becomes the universe and is one with it. Throughout this paper I will
refer to as consciousness, spanda principle, divine energy, divine love, god,
and other various terms of endearment. This shakti makes the universe out of
its own being. Everything that exists is essentially divine energy. It is also
known as the spanda principle. This spanda or divine throb is manifest in five
actions: creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment, and bestowal of grace.
Many scientists speak of the way nature, and universal truths conceal
themselves, which is an example of the action of concealment. So what is this
spanda? Swami Muktananda an Indian scholar and yogi describes it like this:
“The nature of this spanda is the readiness of God. The totality of
consciousness to manifest as the outer universe…In its very essence, spanda is
constant vibration.” (Muktananda-154) Essentially this principle is formless
and nameless because it is the source of all forms and words. Either cannot describe it. The next thing
this philosophy shows is our relationship to this energy. The divine pulsation
of spanda and the universe itself exists within the individual in seed form.
Differences among all objects exist on a gross level but as you break
everything down to its essential nature there are no differences. The principle
that allowed the universe to form and that sustains it is nothing but that
divine pulsation. “Because the inner principle is of the nature of absolute
existence, there are differences only in its vibration not the principle
itself.” (Muktananda 147) So an individual is in bondage when he experiences
himself as different from god or this spanda principle. This same principle
from which the universe arises is also the self of the individual. “The self of
the jiva (individual soul) is the soul of all, it is everywhere in the form of
the universe because it knows all objects and calls them into existence. The
self of the jiva is everything.” (Vijnana Bharaiva 31) The Spanda Karikas shows
the awareness of one who is liberated in the following quote: “The entire
universe is a sport of universal consciousness. The one who is constantly aware
of this truth is undoubtedly liberated in this very life.” (Spanda Karika 2.5)
When the individual begins to identify with this supreme self he then sees the
outer world as just another expression of his own self. Many people identify
with their body, personality, dreams, even deep sleep state but Kashmir Shaivism
says that the self is the source of our being, that foundational consciousness.
This philosophy is known as the yoga of supreme identity. When one becomes
established in this principle and identifies with it, instead of his limited
self, then that person is self-realized or liberated. To be liberated this
cannot just be a fleeting experience. Your whole existence must be established
in this truth. That person sees himself as the expanse of absolute
consciousness, the vibrant creative force that pervades everything. This shakti
that he identifies with is his essential nature and the essential nature of
everything; it is eternal, composed of being, consciousness, and bliss, it is
also known as divine love. This person no longer sees objects or the external
world as different from his own self. The perceived and the perceiver are one.
“No longer does this person think of the five elements, the senses, or the
sense objects as separate. Through self-realization he knows that all are
one…diversity has existed from the beginning of time. The names and forms of
all things are unique. Although there are differences in the world, there is no
duality in their wisdom, just as the limbs may seem to be separate but they all
belong to the same body” (Jnaneswar 83). In this ancient tradition this
knowledge is passed down from master to disciple in a spiritual lineage. The
master is the means for the bestowal of grace. Through this bestowal an
awakening occurs in the seeker, and through spiritual practices (meditation,
chanting, mantra repetition, selfless service, devotion, etc.) the seeker
becomes established in his / her own true nature (truth). Since the master is
self-realized, he is one with this divine energy, and he is free from the pull
of the senses and the actions of the world. The mirror of his heart is clean
(purified) so it can reflect the god consciousness within. He is a vehicle for
the 5th action of the spanda principle: bestowal of grace. This
principle is called the guru principle and it is the means to understanding
one’s own truth. Science leads us to many insights that not only show a
subtle order to the universe but also intention. This order includes the laws
of physics and definite cause and effect relationships. Just by explaining the
universe in terms of physics and cosmic mechanisms does not take away the
miracle that nature has allowed these to exist. The intricacy of the universe
to function and to form galaxies full of billions of stars with planets capable
of supporting biological life, which in turn is able to discover the same laws
that they exist in, is beyond coincidence. One
realm in which science has not been able to probe is initial conditions of the
universe. What was before the universe and how did that become the universe.
One of the searches of quantum physics is to find the initial conditions at the
moment the universe began. Then the next unexplainable task is how the universe
evolves. How did all the gases and primordial plasma after the big bang form
galaxies? For the smooth primordial plasma mixed with intense heat to connect
on a molecular level through gravity and then with greater mass creating more
energy in “chance fluctuations” would take way too long to form galaxies. This
then proves that there are seeds of galaxy formation within the matter and
energy that existed after the big bang. Not only seeds for galaxies but also
stars, planets and life. These seeds are a natural element of our universe and
their existence cannot be explained by science. What I am trying to show is
that the universe is arranged in a way that resembles intention. For such a
delicate balance of necessary conditions and qualities to exist for one electron
to send messages to another, then the significance of the entire cosmos
existing in harmony points directly to intention and thus purpose. Most
scientists recognize that blind randomness or chance occurrences could not have
established the depth and intricacy of our universe. So the natural question is…why?
“If the universe is the answer, what is the question?”(Lederman sub title) The universe is expanding. We see this in
Edwin Hubble’s discoveries and the implications of special relativity. The Hubble
constant is a measurement of the rate of expansion of our universe. He
attempted to figure this out by measuring the red shift of many distant
galaxies and stars. When light has a red shift it shows that it is traveling
away from you. When it has a blue shift it shows that it is heading towards
you. Red and blue are the two ends of the spectrum of light. Beyond human
eyesight there is infrared (used in radar) and ultra violet (used in x-rays).
This has convincingly proven that our universe is expanding. This means that if
we follow this expansion back in time we can see all of space shrinking into a
point. So if space and time can be traced back to one point it is reasonable to
think that it needed some propulsion or explosion to expand out into its presently
immense size. That is where the big bang theory comes from. Following back the
devolution of space and time we see it getting as small as an orange, a pea, a
grain of sand. “The big bang is the eruption of compressed space whose
unfurling, like a tidal wave, carries along matter and energy even to this
day.” (Greene 83) Einstein himself believed in a static universe as well as
most scientists until the early 1920’s. He had to actually adjust his theory of
relativity to fit in with the static universe concept. A static universe means
that there is no beginning or end to time or space. Afterwards, he referred to
the changing of his equation to fit in with the static universe model as his
“biggest mistake”. So if you follow back the expansion of the universe to
the beginning you have in one point all of the matter, consciousness and energy
of the entire universe together. About 15-17 billion years ago this amazing
compressed everything decided to expand; it decided to become diverse and take
individual forms. In non-dualistic Kashmir Shaivism it did this with its own
being. The whole universe is the expansion of this one entity. Here we can have
scientific theory coordinate with spiritual truths. This big bang is the initial
pulsation or explosion of divine energy, which formed everything we see today
out of its own self. Imagine this universe as the manifestation of the one
divine consciousness / energy (the totality of consciousness) evolving as the
cosmos upon the screen of itself. Manifesting space-time, matter and the four
forces. Since science cannot define the true nature of this creative energy and
its deepest principle it does not confirm god (absolute consciousness) as the
source. But the important thing is that the concept of the big bang and the expansion
of absolute consciousness can be seen together as not only the origin of the
universe but also the power behind its expansion and evolution. So the next
question is why did the universe decide to manifest. The scriptures say that
the universe is a cosmic dance, the divine sport or play of consciousness. This
consciousness has created a symmetrical and orderly universe that is extremely
subtle in nature. Shaivism states that through the pulsation or vibrations of
god the universe has taken form. These vibrations that are being described are
now a part of one of the latest and most revolutionary theories of science:
String Theory. “String theory is a new look at the microscopic landscape
of the universe. Here all of the
particles of the universe are suffused with tiny strings whose vibrational
patterns orchestrate the evolution of the cosmos”. (Greene 135) The reason it
is still in its theoretical stage is because the strings are so tiny that they cannot
yet be seen. But the implications of the theory not only unify cosmology with
quantum physics, they explain a lot more. The strings actually make up all of
the particles that form atoms and create all of the forces as well. This
happens through their oscillations. “The different vibrational patterns of a
fundamental string give rise to different masses and force charges. The
properties of an elementary particle are determined by the precise resonate
pattern of vibration that its internal string executes”. (Greene 145) Each
string vibrates in different energetic patterns. These vibrational patterns not
only compose all matter but also create the four forces. It is the most
fundamental product of nature, and it is the way that the universe is
fashioned, and evolved. The theory resonates with the spanda principle. For a
moment consider these strings to be god. The vibration resulting from which
forms everything. The only difference from one thing to another is in its
vibration. Yogic doctrines say that even though all things emanate from this
vibration the true principle itself does not change and is not lessened by its
creation. Let me continue with the string theory. Each string is identical and
every elementary particle is composed of a single string. So the only
difference in one particle to the next is the vibrational pattern of the
respective string. The most amazing thing about this theory is that “every
physical event, process or occurrence in the universe is at its most elementary
level due to these elementary constituents.” (Greene 146) This shows one
principle or entity (string) actually taking the form of everything and acting
behind all processes and occurrences. This proves that the universe is composed
of the very entity that creates it. It also shows that on an elementary level
we are one with the universe because we are nothing but the vibrations of these
strings, which also have formed the entire cosmos. String theory is a modern theory that has been gaining more and
more recognition. The reason it is so attractive is because it unifies cosmology
and quantum physics, the big and the small, by solving the issue of gravity and
its role in the consequential quantum “foam” of microscopic undulations. The
focus in my paper is not unification of scientific theories but unification of
science and spirituality. A scientist named Kaluza formed a theory of extra
spatial dimensions in 1919 that was later recognized by Einstein. String theory
now uses this idea and actually depends upon six extra spatial dimensions to be
wrapped up in the tiniest folds of space. These six extra dimensions are
located at every point of our 3 dimensional universe, and they allow the
strings to vibrate in many new ways facilitating the seemingly endless
diversity in our universe. Amidst all of this diversity string theory shows
that the universe is nothing but one entity (strings) whose pulsations create
everything and orchestrate the evolution of the cosmos. In conclusion I see Kashmir Shaivism relating to science
in two ways. One way is through the big bang and the origin of our universe on
large scales. The other way is through string theory and the most fundamental
and essential constituents of matter, energy and force. The concept of the big
bang theory gives us a chance to see everything in one, or the totality of
consciousness. That is one of the views of god in Kashmir Shaivism. It then
shows this totality expanding itself and manifesting as the universe. This
relates to the concept that god formed the universe out of his own being.
String Theory ties into Kashmir Shaivism through the means of creation and
sustenance of everything. That is through the vibrations of strings or god. It
also reveals unity at the heart of matter and energy, by saying that they are
all composed of identical strings. This shows that all differences exist only
in vibration not in the absolute existence of anything. The way that Kashmir Shaivism
shows diversity in our universe is through the varying vibrations of the spanda
principle or god’s own pulsation. When examined at the subtlest level the true
nature of all the apparent differences is god himself. Truly the universe is
his form and that can be shown by both my connections. |