PrakÃÂÃ Âa is a concept in Indian philosophy translated by various authors as "light", "luminosity", "shining forth", "manifestation", "splendour", "light of consciousness" and so forth.
In Buddhist philosophy, the term was used to refer to the self-reflexive nature of awareness. In late Yogacara Buddhist philosophy, prakÃÂÃ Âa was used to refer to the true nature of mind, the luminous mind, which is the ultimate truth, the ultimate reality.
In Kashmir Shaivism prakÃÂÃ Âa is identified with God, Ã Âiva. Paul E. Murphy describes it as, "luminous and undifferentiated consciousness," and Paul Muller-Ortega glosses it as "primordial light beyond all manifestations". For the Shaivas, prakÃÂÃ Âa is considered supreme, ultimate, unsurpassable, but as such it cannot be described as pure transcendence, because even though it is above all, it is still present in the manifestation, in every aspect of it. Thus prakÃÂÃ Âa is said to be both transcendent and immanent.
According to Jonardon Ganeri, the concept was introduced by the Buddhist philosopher DignÃÂga (c.480âÂÂc.540 CE). For DignÃÂga and his follower Dharmakërti, the idea refers to Svasaá¹Âvedana, the inherent reflexivity or self-aware nature of consciousness. This means that in the process of being aware of any object, consciousness also illuminates itself at the same time.
Zhihua Yao writes that the concept has older roots in the Mahasanghika school's view of an inherently pure luminous mind.
In late Indian YogÃÂcÃÂra Buddhist philosophy, "PrakÃÂà Âa" is often used to describe a feature of the nature of mind, i.e. the luminous mind which is the ultimate reality in Yogacara idealist metaphysics. The term was used by Indian Yogacara thinkers like PrajñÃÂkaragupta (8th-9th century), JñÃÂnaà Ârëmitra (fl. 975-1025 C.E.) and RatnÃÂkaraà ÂÃÂnti (late-10th century to mid-11th century), both well known scholars at Vikramashila university.
According to PrajñÃÂkaragupta, all phenomena are ultimately prakÃÂà Âa:<blockquote>From the standpoint of the highest truth, nothing shines that is not luminosity (prakÃÂà Âa)...Also, the object shines due to its nature (prakÃÂà Âa (ka) rà «peá¹Âa); it is not illuminated by anything else (PramÃÂá¹ÂavÃÂrttikÃÂlaá¹ÂkÃÂra).</blockquote>In his PrajñÃÂpÃÂramitopadeà Âa, RatnÃÂkaraà ÂÃÂnti says that the self-nature (ÃÂtmabhà «taḥ) of all phenomena is prakÃÂà Âa. He states that all phenomena which are experienced must have radiance (prakÃÂà Âa), which is the capacity to appear (pratibhÃÂsa). Without this capacity for shining forth that consciousness has, nothing could appear to consciousness. For RatnÃÂkaraà ÂÃÂnti, prakÃÂà Âa, the luminous pure mind, which is also a reflexive awareness (svasamvedana), is the only thing which is real, all appearances are illusory and false. This view is termed the nirÃÂkÃÂravÃÂda ("without images", also known as alikÃÂkÃÂravÃÂda) view of YogÃÂcÃÂra. It holds that ultimate reality is a pure luminosity, a prakÃÂà Âa without any cognitive images or appearances. Appearances only arise from cognitive distortions and are always illusory, while the ultimate reality is a radiant imageless consciousness.
JñÃÂnaà Ârëmitra meanwhile sees both prakÃÂà Âa and its manifestations (all apparent phenomena) as being real. For him, something unreal cannot emerge or manifest from something real. Thus, he argues that all ÃÂkÃÂras (mental images, appearances, cognitive aspects) are also real, since they are manifestations of something real, that is prakÃÂà Âa. This view is termed SÃÂkÃÂravada, the view that ultimare reality is radiant (prakÃÂà Âa) consciousness along with its images or manifestations.
The concept of prakÃÂÃ Âa is important in non-dual Shaivism. In Advaita Vedanta, it is known as Svayam prakÃÂÃ Âa.
In Trika Shaivism, prakÃÂà Âa, the uncreated light of awareness, is the essence of God, à Âiva. Its function is to illuminate, to make manifest. However, Kashmir Shaivism declares that the nature of prakÃÂà Âa is "self apprehension" (vimarà Âa), or, to reflect upon itself. Thus, according to Ká¹£emaraja, "If the supreme light were devoid of this free and spontaneous self-referential capacity, it would be powerless and inert". Thus, prakÃÂà Âa and vimarà Âa form a couple at the supreme level, identified respectively with à Âiva and à Âakti. Kashmir Shaivism accords a very important role to the concept of consciousness as light or luminosity. The term prakÃÂà Âa is often glossed and explained through various other terms, including:
Abhinavagupta (c. 950 â 1016 CE), the great exegete of Kashmir Shaivism, says in his Tantraloka that "consciousness is formed of light and beatitude"'
Furthermore, for Abhinava, knowledge of prakÃÂà Âa is central to the Saiva soteriological process. Thus, the Tantraloka states: "by the means of the splendid light that shines in the immaculate heart, one obtains union with à Âiva," and also "the yogi who has had the experience of the great light enters into the condition of being of the nature of à Âiva."
There is no way a personal experience of prakÃÂÃ Âa could be fully conveyed into words, but mystics, both ancient and modern, have tried to do so, because such words carry a powerful spiritual charge. Some of the subjective attributes of the light of consciousness, in synthesis, are: "liquid", "blissful", "immaculate", "blinding", "enveloping" and "weightless". Here are but a few of the many accounts:
==== ==== ' by ' is an intensely devotional text of Kashmir Shaivism. Here are some quotes referring to the light of consciousness :
In his translation of Pratyabhijnahridayam uses such formulations :
A mystical experience of Ramakrishna, representing a turning point for him :
A few accounts of encounters with the uncreated light, by Yogananda :