3bob Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) excerpt from wiki pedia "Shaiva Siddhanta today[edit] Shaiva Siddhanta today is practiced widely among the Hindus of southern India and Sri Lanka, especially by members of the Vellalar community. It is also prevalent among Hindus of the Tamil diaspora around the world. Prominent Siddhanta societies, temples and monasteries also exist in a number of other countries. The United States island of Kauai, a part of Hawaii, is home to the Shaiva Siddhanta Church, an organization that promotes the union of worldwide Hindus, through a publication called Hinduism Today. This was founded by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927–2001), which is currently under the auspices of Subramuniyaswami's designated successor, Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami (1942- ). This lineage, which traces itself back to the Shaiva Siddhars of Northern Sri Lanka, adheres to the philosophical position that the original Shaiva Siddhanta as expounded by Tirumular, was and is monistic, and propagates this teaching as Advaita Shaiva Siddhanta. The famous songs of the Sri Lankan Shaiva Sage, Shiva Yogaswami, attest to this view of the nature of God, Soul and World as being ultimately one. Theology[edit] Part of a series on Hindu philosophy Orthodox Samkhya Yoga Nyaya Vaisheshika Mimamsa Vedanta Advaita Vishishtadvaita Dvaita Vedanta Bhedabheda Dvaitadvaita Achintya Bheda Abheda Shuddhadvaita Heterodox Charvaka Ājīvika Buddhism Jainism Other schools[show] Teachers (Acharyas)[show] Major texts[show] Hinduism Other Indian philosophies v t e Texts[edit] The texts revered by the southern Saiva Siddhanta are the Vedas; the twenty-eight dualist Hindu Agamas, which form the ritual basis of the tradition; the twelve books of the Tamil Saiva canon called the Tirumurai, which contains the poetry of the Nayanars; and the Saiva Siddhanta Shastras.[11] Early theology[edit] Siddhas such as Sadyojyoti (ca seventh century[12]) are credited with the systematization of the Siddhanta theology in Sanskrit. Sadyojyoti, initiated by the guru Ugrajyoti, propounded the Siddhanta philosophical views as found in the Rauravatantra and Svāyambhuvasūtrasaṅgraha. He may or may not have been from Kashmir, but the next thinkers whose works survive were those of a Kashmirian lineage active in the tenth century: Rāmakaṇṭha I, Vidyākaṇṭha I, Śrīkaṇṭha, Nārāyaṇakaṇṭha, Rāmakaṇṭha II, Vidyākaṇṭha II. Treatises by the last four of these survive. King Bhoja of Gujarat (ca 1018) condensed the massive body of Siddhanta scriptural texts into one concise metaphysical treatise called the Tattvaprakāśa. Later theology[edit] The culmination of a long period of systematization of its theology appears to have taken place in Kashmir in the tenth century, the exegetical works of the Kashmirian authors Bhatta Narayanakantha and Bhatta Ramakantha being the most sophisticated expressions of this school of thought.[13] Their works were quoted and emulated in the works of twelfth-century South Indian authors, such as Aghorasiva and Trilocanasiva.[14] The theology they expound is based on a canon of Tantric scriptures called Siddhantatantras or Shaiva Agamas. This canon is traditionally held to contain twenty-eight scriptures, but the lists vary,[15] and several doctrinally significant scriptures, such as the Mrgendra,[16]are not listed. In the systematization of the ritual of the Shaiva Siddhanta, the Kashmirian thinkers appear to have exercised less influence: the treatise that had the greatest impact on Shaiva ritual, and indeed on ritual outside the Shaiva sectarian domain, for we find traces of it in such works as the Agnipurana, is a ritual manual composed in North India in the late eleventh century by a certain Somasambhu.[17] Monastic orders[edit] Three monastic orders were instrumental in Shaiva Siddhanta’s diffusion through India; the Amardaka order, identified with one of Shaivism’s holiest cities, Ujjain, the Mattamayura order, in the capital of the Chalukya dynasty near the Karnataka, and the Madhumateya order of Central India. Each developed numerous sub-orders. (see Nandinatha Sampradaya) Siddhanta monastics used the influence of royal patrons to propagate the teachings in neighboring kingdoms, particularly in South India. From Mattamayura, they established monasteries in regions now in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra and Kerala..." Edited October 1, 2018 by 3bob 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
s1va Posted September 30, 2018 Shaiva Siddhanta is considered as one of the oldest Shaiva traditions. It started out completely as a dualistic school of philosophy. I have Tirumular Tirumantiram and read parts of it. There is no doubt in my mind at the time it was written, the ideas were dualistic. Later this tradition adopted some of the non-dual concepts from Advaita and also Monistic concepts from Kashmir Shaivism. As per researchers, the Trika Kashmir Shaivism has also taken several concepts, mantras and rituals from the Shaiva Siddhanta. The songs/poems by the 4 greatest devotees of this tradition Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar and Manikkavacakar, called as Nalvar 'the 4' among the 63 Nayanmars are mostly dualistic praising and prayers of Lord Shiva. Nevertheless they are beautiful gems and a pleasure to read. I found the following also in Wikipedia about Shaiva Siddhanta which might explain what I have described above. Quote Shaiva siddhanta,(IAST: Śaiva siddhānta), [1][2] provides the normative rites, cosmology and theological categories of Agamic and Vedic Shaivam combined.[3] Being a dualistic philosophy, the goal of Shaiva Siddhanta is to become an enlightened soul through Lord Shiva's Grace.[4] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted October 1, 2018 (edited) On 9/30/2018 at 12:08 PM, s1va said: S I found the following also in Wikipedia about Shaiva Siddhanta which might explain what I have described above. right and another aspect is the adopted Advaita one as I quoted from the same quote.... Edited October 1, 2018 by 3bob 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted October 8, 2018 a long and in depth read.... https://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=5286 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
