GOKUL RAMKUMAR

20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

Topic 1 Read carefully the following text: “If we try to translate [mysticism] into Indian

terms — mostly based on Sanskrit — we often come across the term rahasyavāda, ‘secret

doctrine’. This is not satisfactory because our emphasis is not on the -ism, nor on the -vāda,

i.e. a doctrine or theory, but on an experience, or a state of being. In this sense other words

from the Indian traditions may be considered and explored: ātmasaks ̣ātkāra, yoga, samādhi,

samāveśa, anubhava, jīvanmukti, bodhi, pratyabhijña and others. Of course, our speaking

about these terms or the mystical experience should not be confused with the experience as

such, and one has to remain constantly aware of the ‘mystical difference’. And yet, the

‘talking about’ should, ideally, emerge from or lead to an experience.” (Bettina Bäumer,

Mysticism in Shaivism and Christianity, New Delhi: DK Print World, 1997, p. xii) Comment

on the text by answering the following questions:

1. On the basis of what you know about mysticism, discuss the relevance of the proposed

Indian translations of the term;

2. What does the author mean when she states that the discourse about mysticism “should not

be confused with the experience as such”? Discuss the theoretical repercussions of such a

vision and the position of the author on the spectrum of ideas about mysticism.
GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

In this paper I am going to be answering two important question. One I am going to start of

by giving an introduction on Mysticism and how it plays an important role in Indian

philosophy and then go around trying to translate a few terms from Sanskrit to English. The

second part which is the main focus of my paper is to try and deconstruct the word from the

experiences. In time over years and years of development we still cannot really distinguish

between the experiences and word we use to compress it and put a linguistics’ form.

Mystical experiences are something that are hard to put into the right words. Mysticism has

a long history it is derived from a Greek word meyo. Which when we translate to our present

day it becomes the sense of a closing wound which has been split open hence healing. I can

draw open this very word and how translation changed the whole idea of this world and

looking at it from a different perceptive. The other way of looking at this is that with the

word meyo it has a particular experiences attached to it but can we say that experience’s is

that word does that single word cover the whole meaning of it contains. Let us look at the

translations will everyone get what it really means it could be a thousand different

interpretations. In an another way of looking at mysticism is restore originally unity. It could

be another interpretation by a different set of people. It also mean something completely

different to what the Greeks said. Again how do we classified this experience’s.

Classicisation is something that we do to put meaning into words. Something times we loos

track that we really need to put meaning into something that rather experienceable put into
GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

words and rather put into our self to mean much greater that putting into words to be defined

by the common people.

When we look at Indian philosophy and Indian text mysticism come across as rahasyavāda

Which basically mean secret doctrine. This could possibly have a lot of different meaning

and interpretation. From what I can draw part from this etymological is that there is long

linguistic connection to these words. I can hear by say that language is a subset of reality is a

subsect, cannot be describe. Language is around you, it is the consequences of our reality.

The very best we can do to define something is incomplete.

To give a quick introduction to a few particular terms in sankrite I will define them in English

 Rahasyavāda - “Secret Doctrine” [rahasyavAda]

◦ rahasya - “a secret / something that should be separated” - √rah - “to separate”

◦ vāda - “a doctrine / speaking” - √vad - “to speak”

 Ātmasākṣātkāra - “Realization of the True Self”

[AtmasAkSAtkAra]

◦ ātma - “the True Self”

◦ sākṣāt - “evident / apparent” - sa ('with') + akṣa ('the eyes'), ie: 'with/infront of the

eyes'

◦ kāra - “a making / doing” - √kṛ - “to make / do / carry out”

GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

To understand what this reality we are what our eyes can perceive and what it cant. We

must first understand our true self

 Yoga - “Union” [yoga]

◦ √yuj - “to join / yoke”

Yoag helps you unite with your body helps you control this energy that we give

out. It helps us connect with our inner self using our body

 Samādhi - “Concentration” [samAdhi]

◦ sam - “together / completely / totally” [prefix]

◦ ā - “hither / unto” [prefix]

◦ dhi - “thinking / the mind” - √dhī - “to think”

Having the ability and power to concentrate to stay together in our mind never to

oose focus.

 Samāveśa - “Absorption” [samAveza]

◦ sam - “together / completely / totally” [prefix]

◦ ā - “hither / unto” [prefix]

◦ veśa - “entering / an entrance”- √viś - “to enter”

To stay complete and taken in everything.

GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

 Anubhava - “Perception” [anubhava]

◦ anu - “along / after” [prefix]

◦ bhava - “a coming into existence / birth / production” - √bhū - “to be / exist /

occur”

 Jīvanmukti - “Living Liberation” [jIvanmukti]

◦ jīvan - “a being engaged in the act of living” - √jīv - “to live”

◦ mukti - “setting or becoming free / release / liberation”- √muc - “to release”

 Bodhi - “Awakening” [bodhi]

◦ √budh - “to wake up / to know”

Buddia- one who who is awakened

 Pratyabhijñā - “Recognition” [pratyabhijJA]

◦ prati - “against / back” [prefix]

◦ abhi - “to / unto / toward” [prefix]

Each of these words have a unique meaning to it. Most of them have a special and unique

answer / definition.
GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

Are these concepts? Or, different words for the same concept which is by its nature

indiscernible.

If you look closely all these words are looking at the highest goal which is some form of

enlighten. In another way of looking at this is a lot of different groups believe that the highest

form is there particular word. Example yogi see the complete form of our existence as

yoga and relating it combining our body to connect. Most of this points towards one thing

which is moksha. Moksha which means liberation . To free the soul from everything to also

cleanses everything around. Now just to get an idea of things we can see that Hindu

philosophy is based of the self and understanding yourself to get to a higher conciseness. To

see a differences to just look at the word Bodhi which going into Buddhism and talks about

how Gautam reached a point of higher conciseness. They all focus on the point for focusing

on the definition of the experiences rather than the focusing on felling it more and developing

on it within the self. When we look at Buddhism we should we it as part leading is to a higher

conciseness which is Bodhi and they believe that is the highest form of it. Now we can

compare and see how these two groups see these two experience’s as the highest form of

enlighten.

I am going to use this spectrum that on two ends of this line there one side that word is equal

to things and far end of the other side there word not equal to thing . Part of the spectrum

inhabits is one of a pluralism – and writing that even our own theory the very best we can is

still incomplete. This bring up the question of how as human kind that when we entered this

world we were born with having this ability to talk to talk it was more of experience it within
GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

our self and from them on we started to evolve we need to bring on this linguistic ability to us

to bring in context to everything.

Bettina Baumer also talks about what I had mentioned earlier about Part of the spectrum

inhabits is one of a pluralism – and writing that even our own theory the very best we can is

still incomplete. This what I am going to uncover using her book Mysticism In Shaivism and

Christianity to answer the second part of my question. In her introduction she talks

Intuitional dialogues do not bring followers of different religious closer to each other unless a

real spiritual meeting takes places.(Bettina Baumer 1997 pg2)

She talk about how people of different religions are not close because of how in religion we

aren’t connect to our self but to a particular god who talks about all of these enlightenment

experience’s rather than showing us way or helping us search with in Our self.

A mutual transformation takes place which does not allow the followers of a particular

tradition to remain exclusivist, because one realizes that the spiritual reality that one aims at

may also be present in another tradition though in a different form and language. Therefore

dialogue at the spiritual level is one of the most important mean of bring out an

understanding between different people cultures’ and realigns . .(Bettina Baumer 1997 pg2)

Language is not the key but the experience’s itself is what matters and if another person from

a different religion/cast/ class who have had a similar experience’s will understand you

because they felt the same way not the path you went but a similar felling of stillness or I

higher power of concisions.

GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

For us as humans to break the bridge between our physical body and how mind we need

Mysticism present or experienced around us . It will help all us get closer to each more over

to understand each other and to be closer to nature, to be one among everything.

This next example that I am going to use is mystic poem from utpaladeve talking about his

oneness with shiva.

Glory to you, O Sarva

Who are the essence of the right- handed path

Who are essence of the left- handed path

Who belongs to every tradition

And to no tradition at all

Glory to you ,O God

Who can be worshipped in any manner

In any place

In whatever form at all.

(Bettina Baumer 1997 pg5)

This first thing we can notice is how he does not refer to Shiva but he says sarva.

He look at sarva as person to guide him on going towards the right path and how he refers

that’s sarva is present everywhere and how is energy is where every and helping us having an

experience which grow us concisely I t look looks at how the poet is trying use this platform
GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

to portray his mystical experience’s and trying to get a better felling towards it. This is still

incomplete not complete the whole experience because we cant put it into words as it loose it

whole point. The unique part of the poem that struck me was that how the idea of Shiva being

everything and showing how another group of people view him like this. They also state that

he is part of every tradition and also no tradition and that he is god.

We can see how a group of people see the almighty Shiva and it gives us a different

denotation of him than the traditional Hindu ideology that we see him as the destroyer and

only the destroyer. The other sub sect of people see

him as the creator a person who balances everything in our reality. C an we point out and say

one of them is wrong?. Not really each group have there experience’s attached to particulars

words, so telling that they are wrong is denying the experience’s.

The paradox between silence and speech or writing is a constant and inevitable topic of

mysticism. We really cant put an excite definition to Mysticism its beyond our words and

reality. There is a paradox between silence and speech or writing is constant and inevitable

topic of mysticism. , Its not state of extra emotion or an intellectual but a phenomena that

Transends you to another altered state of mind which till date we as humans can not put into

words. It is the personal experience that one person goes through which will be a lot of self

realization and the attainment of attachment comes with the recognition of one true nature .

To just touch upon the fact of attainment its not something that we can work hard and get or

use our human effort to achieve. Its is received through grace , some unexpected

overwhelming, blissful surprise. Its when we have no control over emotion and what ever

your holding back is realised and you have become comfortable with reality.
GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

It looks at us to be in higher state a mystic attaints a pure state with one self with the real

nature , which is divine , where its not accepted nor rejected of anything .

Abhinavagupta refers to this highest stated in his mystical hymns. This is one of the example

There is no need of spiritual progress

Nor of contemplation disputation or discussion

Nor mediation concentration nor even the effort of prayer

Please tell me clearly what is the supreme Truth ?

Listen: neither renounce nor possess anything

Share in the joy of total Reality

And be as you are

To declassify this is to look at the particulars words he used something that I would look at is

supreme truth. This refers to realign and how we question the supreme truth and on the day

of our judgment it will be all clear. We should posses anything should be liberated and freed

from our body and then share the joy of total reality and become as you are .

To conclude this paper I would like to bring up that spectrum that Bettina Baumer talk about

that one side of it you have words which are equal to things and on the other side you have

words which are not equal . The side which she falls into and what her book and her personal

stands is words is not equal to things. That we cant describe our experience’s with words and

it is in complete . We really cant put any linguistic definition to our experience’s so it still is
GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

incomplete . My personal stand on this is also the same that we cant put words to describe

things and for all of us to be on the same spectrum is hard that there are a lot of people,

groups and religious identity that go by the side that words are things . We cant say that they

wrong but there experience’s led them to choose that.

I am writing about who words are not enough to explain experience’s and can’t find the right

words to say it . I am a little confused

GOKUL RAMKUMAR
20165047
Course- LH-E-634- Philosophy - Mysticism, East and West

Instructor: Galina Rousseva-Sokolova, Assoc. prof., JSLH

References
Baumer, Bettina. Mysticism In Shaivism And Christianity. D.K. Printworld, 2002.