The Advaitist

Trika or Kashmiri Shaivism is a system of monism based on the Shivasutra attributed to Vasugupta. The name is derived from Trikashasana or Trikashastra. Trika believes that pure consciousness is the spiritual substance of the Universe. It is a system of pure monism which postulates a single reality with two aspects, one Transcendental and the other Immanent. The former is unmanifest while the latter pervades the universes of the manifest universe. As per Trika, consciousness eternally alternates between two phases, governed by the law of karma: a. transcendental or period of potentiality (pralaya) during which all manifestations are dormant b. immanent or active phase (srishti) which is a phase of manifestation A cycle of Pralaya and Srishti, known as Kalpa is supposed to last 4.32 billion years. As far as the nature of manifestation is concerned, Trika postulates that there is only reality  but that it has two aspects, hence the manifestation is real. Trika uses thirt...

Brahman is the Ultimate Principle: "He, from whom proceeds the creation, preservation, and reconstruction of the universe". Brahman is the instrument and material cause of all manifest phenomena. It is the Uncaused Cause and eternal. In its transcendental aspect, which is beyond the comprehension of human mind, it has two states - one in which it is at rest, and one in which it is active. Its passive condition  is called Asat (non-being) or  that subtle condition of nature when the infinite varieties of forms are submerged in in the eternal source. This is Pralaya, the condition of universal dissolution. Its active condition is called sat (being) when it has three attributes - sat (being), chit (consciousness), Ananda (bliss). The immanent aspect of Brahman has two inseparable form: Nirguna - without qualities existing as pure spirit (Atman) Sagua - with qualities existing as pure matter (prakriti)