Shaivite Kali: One Hundred and Eight

Both aim for the same goal—to bring what lies hidden in the mind's darkness into the light of consciousness; the difference is only in method—Freud achieves this through analysis, the yogi through meditation.

From this perspective, one can say there exists a remarkable parallel between citta and the unconscious mind. Citta is the deep, flowing layer of consciousness; the unconscious mind is the same—that part of consciousness which cannot be seen but is felt. Just as the seeds in citta are the cause of action, unconscious memory and instinct are the root causes of behavior. Both declare that man's true life lies not on the surface of consciousness but in its depths; and liberation means purifying that deep stratum.

Citta, ālayavijñāna, and the unconscious mind—these three concepts point to the same fundamental reality in different philosophical languages. They teach us that the human mind is not merely thought or intellect; it is a deep, living current where past and present, personal and collective, waking and sleeping all flow together. That deep stratum is man's true center, and its purification is liberation—what the yogi calls cittanirodha, the Buddhist calls ālayaviśuddhi, and the Western psychologist calls psychic integration—the complete unity of consciousness.

The Tathāgatagarbha philosophy is that inner-directed and spiritual current of Mahāyāna where liberation is not some external destination—liberation means realizing one's inherent Buddha-nature. The term "Tathāgatagarbha" consists of two parts—Tathāgata (another name for Buddha) + garbha (inner treasure/womb/seed). That is, within the heart of every being lies the seed of Buddha—a pure, awakened consciousness—naturally present from the beginning. This Buddha-nature need not be newly created; it exists from the primordial beginning (prakṛtisiddha), merely covered by the dust of ignorance (avidyā) and kleśas (passion, hatred, delusion, etc.). Just as clouds cover the sun—the sun doesn't extinguish, it merely becomes hidden—similarly, the Buddha-nature within us doesn't become impure, it simply remains veiled; when the clouds of kleśa are removed, it spontaneously blazes forth.

In this perspective, the goal of spiritual practice is not "becoming something new" but seeing what already exists—recognizing one's true nature. Therefore, Tathāgatagarbha declares that suffering and bondage are not our real identity; these are adventitious coverings—they have come and attached themselves, hence they are removable. Liberation means:

Removal of coverings—taking away the layers of ignorance and kleśa,

Manifestation of true nature—the luminosity of inherent compassion-wisdom becomes unveiled.

Here three levels become clear—

True nature: Buddha-nature or "dharmadhātu"—pure, non-dual, nothing supernatural; the pure essence of consciousness.

Coverings: Ignorance-kleśa, saṃskāras, false concepts—which are not inherent in our nature, hence removable.

Practice: The path by which coverings diminish and true nature is unveiled—śīla (ethics), samādhi (meditation), prajñā (wisdom)—and specifically in Mahāyāna, bodhicitta (the resolve for awakening for the welfare of all) and the practice of the unity of compassion-wisdom.

How does this theory connect with our daily life?

When we remain in mindful awareness, we see that anger and hatred come and go, but within them remains an unchanging, observing clarity. Tathāgatagarbha says—that clarity itself is our Buddha-nature.

When we practice compassion, we are not merely performing moral actions; the natural pulsation of our inherent nature—the spontaneous expression of our bodhisattva heart—awakens.

When we allow the rigid divisions of "self/other," "exists/doesn't exist," etc., to soften in the light of wisdom, coverings fall away and true nature becomes luminous.

Philosophically, Tathāgatagarbha does not contradict Madhyamaka's understanding of śūnyatā; rather it declares—emptiness doesn't mean absence, emptiness means the absence of adventitious coverings and the unveiling of pure nature. For this reason, many say Buddha-nature = the luminous presence of emptiness. In Yogācāra terms, when ālayavijñāna (storehouse consciousness) becomes purified of kleśa-seeds, Buddha-wisdom manifests spontaneously—this is the practical meaning of Tathāgatagarbha.

The framework of practice in this philosophy becomes very natural—

Śīla: Non-violence, truth, non-possession in conduct—the grossest level of coverings becomes loosened.

Samādhi: Concentrated meditation (śamatha) and insight (vipaśyanā)—the mind becomes clear, clarity becomes stable.

Prajñā: Direct perception of the selfless-interdependent nature of all dharmas—the root of coverings is severed.

Bodhicitta/Compassionate action: The division of "self-other" melts, natural compassion becomes an unobstructed stream.

Thus, Tathāgatagarbha gives this confidence—"Buddha-nature exists within me"—and simultaneously awakens responsibility—"The ignorance-kleśa that veils this luminosity must be cleared." This is not conceptual consolation but experiential guidance: remove the clouds, and the sun will shine by itself—no new sun needs to be created.

The Tathāgatagarbha philosophy declares—you are fundamentally Buddha; suffering is not your nature, but a covering. Liberation doesn't mean changing yourself into something else; liberation means knowing with your own eyes that pure, compassionate, awakened nature which you have always been. This knowing is awakening; this awakening is Buddha-nature.

This philosophy follows the same fundamental principles as Advaita Vedanta.

These three philosophies—Madhyamaka, Yogācāra, and Tathāgatagarbha—are three aspects of the same truth. Madhyamaka teaches that the nature of reality is empty and non-dual; Yogācāra shows that this reality is consciousness itself; and Tathāgatagarbha realizes that this consciousness is actually Buddha-being itself—inherent awakened bodhi. Thus, combining these three streams, Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy teaches us—the world is not false but the luminous play of consciousness, where emptiness, mind, and Buddha-nature are merely expressions of one supreme unity.

4. The Unity of Wisdom and Compassion: In Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy, prajñā (wisdom) and karuṇā (compassion) are not separate from each other; rather they are deep reflections of one another—two sides of one truth. Prajñā is that knowledge which realizes the true nature of reality—that all objects, concepts, and experiences which appear separate are actually manifestations of śūnyatā (emptiness). And compassion is the living response of that realized knowledge—where this non-dual understanding naturally transforms into boundless empathy and love for all beings.

Prajñā teaches—the world is not a collection of independent entities but an uninterrupted flow of interdependent arising. One who understands this truth knows that the division we imagine between "self" and "other" is actually a projection of the mind. Through this understanding, the boundaries of "self" dissolve, and a deep sense of unity with all beings arises. Here compassion spontaneously emerges. Because when I know that another's suffering is my own suffering, helping or loving is no longer a duty—it becomes the natural expression of one's true nature.

On the other hand, without compassion, prajñā remains incomplete. Mere intellectual understanding, if it doesn't manifest in action for the welfare of beings, remains lifeless. Therefore, in Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy, the bodhisattva ideal embodies the unity of prajñā and karuṇā—having attained the knowledge of emptiness, he doesn't abandon suffering beings but, in the light of that knowledge, plunges into the ocean of compassion for the liberation of all.

The perfect union of these two forces is Prajñāpāramitā—that is, "the supreme perfection of wisdom." Here prajñā is no longer a concept; it is that living experience where knowing and loving, emptiness and compassion, knowledge and action—all become one. Prajñā provides illumination; compassion transforms that light into warmth and life. Prajñā sees truth; compassion brings that truth to life.

This is why the Mahāyāna sūtras declare—"Compassion without wisdom is blind, and wisdom without compassion is empty." Prajñā liberates the heart; compassion fills the heart. The union of these two gives rise to complete bodhi—where Buddha-nature becomes perfect not only in knowledge but also in love.

In Mahāyāna philosophy, prajñā and karuṇā are not separate practices; they are inherent in each other. Prajñāpāramitā means that ultimate state where knowledge and love together manifest in the luminosity of awakening—where knowing means loving, and loving means knowing.

5. The Ultimate Goal of Philosophy: Mahāyāna philosophy teaches—all beings are mutually interdependent, no separate existence exists. Knowledge (prajñā) and love (karuṇā) are two aspects of the same consciousness. Liberation is not personal but universal. The ultimate goal is the realization of non-dual consciousness, where the distinction between knower, knowledge, and known dissolves.

Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy is such a profound spiritual perspective where Buddha-nature is not some distant destination; it is the inherent possibility of every being. Liberation doesn't mean withdrawing from the world but seeing the world itself as the play of non-dual consciousness—where every being, every feeling, every breath is the luminous expression of that one eternal bodhi.

Now let us see how Krama Kālī reveals the same truth. In Krama philosophy, Kālī is the unity of time and consciousness—she transcends "kāla" (time), yet manifests herself through time. She is that supreme power who creates, sustains, and dissolves in every moment, yet remains herself unmoved, eternal, above everything. Abhinavagupta declared, "Kālakālikā tattvamekam"—kāla (time) and Kālikā (the Goddess) are fundamentally one principle. That is, time itself is her body, and consciousness her soul. Kālī is thus the luminosity of the eternal within the movement of time—she is the cosmic breath of creation, with manifestation at one end and return at the other.

The inherent similarity of these two philosophies lies precisely here—just as Prajñāpāramitā gives experience of non-dual consciousness through emptiness, Krama Kālī reveals that same consciousness in its eternal form through the transcendence of time. On one side, emptiness means the dissolution of all boundaries and divisions; on the other, Kālī's transcendence of time means the manifestation of permanence within change. Both teach that consciousness itself is complete, itself the knower/knowledge, itself the knowable—it need not be sought separately anywhere.

Prajñāpāramitā declares, "Emptiness itself is fullness," and Krama Kālī reveals, "Time itself is eternity." In the Buddhist vision, all forms are reflections of emptiness, and in the tantric vision, all time is the luminosity of consciousness. On one side, in the depths of silence, the arising of prajñā is seen; on the other, in Kālī's rhythm, the dance of that same consciousness is heard.

Their experiential methods are also remarkably similar. Prajñāpāramitā is realized in the silent center of meditation—where the mind becomes still and knowledge returns to its source. Krama Kālī is realized in the unity of time-consciousness—where past, present, and future merge into one eternal "now." The center of both is non-dual realization—where duality dissolves and only one consciousness remains.

According to Shivopadhyay, Krama Kālī and Prajñāpāramitā are not separate religious concepts; they are two aspects of the same supreme Goddess—one manifested in the transcendence of time, the other awakened in the silence of emptiness. Just as Prajñāpāramitā is the Mother-form of wisdom, Kālī is the Mother-being of consciousness. Both are "consciousness-itself"—knowing themselves, containing themselves, and themselves the foundation of all knowables and experiences.

Though Prajñāpāramitā and Krama Kālī are manifested in different streams, their essence is one—that supreme truth of non-dual consciousness where emptiness and fullness, time and eternity, silence and dance, knowledge and power—all become one in one infinite Self-nature.

This comparison is not merely symbolic or formal—it is the expression of a profound philosophical bridge that unites all branches of the Indian tantric tradition at the center of one unified consciousness-principle (Unity of Consciousness).