Before one ponders deeply into any kind of sādhanā, it is very important to become familiar with it’s ānuśaṅgika dr̥ṣṭi (view). It is the view that indicates the goal. Without a clear goal, an attempt at sādhanā becomes merely meaningless umnatta-pralāpa (insane or incoherent mad slur). Why? Because sādhanā is all about knowing the upāya for attaining the goal (lakṣya) and executing on it appropriately. Hence, an understanding of tāntrika dr̥ṣṭi (view) is indispensable for a practitioner of Tantra. This view is of two kinds: pūrṇa and apūrṇa. The goal (lakṣya) that is indicated by apūrṇa dr̥ṣṭi (incomplete view) is not considered as such when the view becomes pūrṇa (complete), as the former goal now becomes an amśa (part) of the current and larger goal. However, it is important to study both these views as the maturity of sādhanā results in the culmination of apūrṇa dr̥ṣṭi in pūrṇa dr̥ṣṭi.
Tantric ācaryas of dualistic schools of thought (bhēdavāda) introduce to us their premise through the concept of three ratnas (gems) – Shiva, Shakti, and the Bindu. This school is represented by Tantras such as the Kāmika, Raurava, Svāyambhuva, and Mr̥gēndra as also works based on them by scholars such as Aghōraśiva, Sadyōjāta, Rāmakaṇṭha, Nārāyaṇakaṇṭha, and others. It may be generally stated that śāktas primarily prescribe to the non-dualistic (Advaita) view whereas Shaivas garner both dualistic (dvaita) and monistic (Advaita). This ratnatraya is the adhiṣṭhātā for all tattvas and described as the upādāna. Shiva is the kartā of the śuddhatattvamaya kāryātmaka śuddha-jagat, karaṇa is the śakti and bindu is the upādāna. Even in the case of aśuddha tattvamaya jagat, Shiva and Shakti are respectively the kartā and karaṇa whereas Bindu is the ādhāra through nivr̥ttyādi kalās. The other name of Bindu is Mahāmāyā. She is also called Shabdabrahma, Kuṇḍalinī, Vidyāśakti, Anāhata, Vyōma, etc. Those who are desirous of bhoga (enjoyment i.e. bhōgārthī), such sādhakas acquire bhautika dīkṣā (material initiation) to enter the blissful world of Mahāmāyā to attain their desires. But those who are selfless and not interested in such bhoga, acquire naiṣṭhika dīkṣā and attain the great Shiva himself, who is always conjoined with Shakti.
Due to kṣōbha of the Bindu, on the one side, it transforms (pariṇamita) into śuddha-dēha, indriya, bhōga, bhuvana (śuddha-adhvā), and on the other, it also results in the utpatti of śabda. Shabda is of three kinds: sūkṣma-nāda, akṣara-bindu and varṇabhēda. SūkSmha nāda is the very first prastāra of the Bindu and is representative of abhidhēya buddhi. It is described as cintanaśūnya by the scriptures. Akṣara-Bindu is the kārya of the Bindu and is representative of parāmarśa jñāna. The scriptures describe it as anivarcanīya. From the tattvas of ākṣa and vāyu rises the sthūla-śabda (gross sound) which is perceivable by the ears. The above is described in Kālōttara Tantra thus:
स्थूलं शब्द इति प्रोक्तं सूक्ष्मं चिन्तामयं भवेत् |
चिन्तया रहितं यत्तु तत्परं परिकीर्तितम् ||
Thus, sthūla-Bindu is the audible sound or śabda, sūkṣma Bindu is of the form of chintana or thoughts and that beyond even thoughts is called para-Bindu.
Bindu, though jaḍa, is for most practical purposes pure or śuddha. When Vaiṣṇava āgamas of the Pāñcarātra or Bhāgavata sampradāya speak of viśuddha sattva, they refer to this very Bindu. There are two prevalent views in terms of the relationship between Bindu or Mahāmāyā and Paramaśiva:
According to one popular school, Shiva is endowed with two śaktis – samavāyinī and parigraharūpā. Samavāyinī is cidrūpā (pure consciousness), apariṇāminī (non-transforming, ever pure), nirvikārā and svābhāvikī (sahaja or natural to Shiva). She is representative of the śakti-tattva and is ever-present in Shiva. Thus, the sambandha between Shiva and Shakti is tādātmya. The other form of śakti, parigraharūpā, is achetana (or jaḍa) and pariṇāmaśīlā. She is known as the Bindu. Bindu is again of two forms, śuddha, and aśuddha. Bindu, in its pure form, is known as Mahāmāyā. In its impure or aśuddha form, it is known simply as Māyā. Both Mahāmāyā and Māyā are nitya and respectively the upādāna kāraṇas (essential cause) for śuddha and aśuddha adhvas. This is the essential difference between the two. The tattvas of the sāmkhya thought as well the kalā and other kañcukas fall within the aśuddha adhvā as this is all the handiwork of Māyā. It is true that puruṣa (or ātmā) is nitya and different from Māyā but even in puruṣa is present an āvaraṇa named puṁsatva. Tattvas above the Māyā are considered to be a part of śuddha adhvā.
So far the discussion pertained to the first school of thought. Then there is the second, which considers the same Bindu to be the upādāna for both śuddha and aśuddha adhvā. In this line of thought, Māyā is not nitya but simply kāryarūpā. Bindu is described as having three states (avasthā): parā, sūkṣmā and sthūlā. The state of parā is known as mahāmayā, parāmāyā, kuṇḍalinī, etc. She is the parama-kāraṇa and is nitya-vastu. SūkSmha and sthūla – both these states on account of kāryarūpatā, are anitya. Stirring within the parā Bindu or Mahāmāyā results in śuddha-dhāma (pure realms or lokas), vidyās therein and the associated mantrēśvaras. Thus, the śuddha-lōkas and its inhabitants are all the work of Mahāmāyā. These realms are māyātīta and śuddha. Another state of Mahāmāyā is Māyā – who is the undivided or avibhakta-rūpa of all kalā and other tattvas. It is due to association with these tattvas that the ātman (who is the draṣṭā) becomes the bhōktā known as the puruṣa. Māyā is the primary cause for aśuddha adhvā. Agamas thus describe her not only as jananī (mother) but also as mōhinī (bewitcher). The third and the gross form of Mahāmāya is prakr̥ti, who is triguṇātmikā. She is responsible for buddhi and other bhoga sādhanas as well as other bhoga-viṣayas of the puruṣa. We already talked of how puruṣa became bhōktā due to kalādi tattvas, and now to generate bhoga or bhoga-sādhanas for such puruṣa, Mahāmāyā assumes the gross state of prakr̥ti.
As hinted before, the most prevalent opinion is that Bindu is not inherent or united with Shiva. Bindu is pariṇāmī and hence jaḍa (not of the nature of consciousness). On this very account, samavāya-sambandha of Bindu with Paramēśvara, who is ‘cidātmaka’ (pure-consciousness) does not become possible. Hence says śrīkaṇṭha:
स हि तादात्म्यसम्बन्धो जडेन जडिमावहः |
शिवस्यानुपमाखण्डचिद्घनैकस्वरूपिणः ||
Again, the above view, we want to stress, is the most popular or prevalent view. But there are some bhēdavādins who prefer to establish Bindu-samavāya with Shiva. According to them, the samavāyinī śakti of Shiva is of two kinds – dr̥kśakti or jñānaśakti and kriyāśakti or kuṇḍalinī. Bindu is the other name for kriyāśakti, and Māyā is completely different from it. From the jñānaśakti inherent in Paramēśvara arises jagadviṣayaka jñāna and from kriyāśakti, the creation of the jagat. Though there is notion or knowledge of different objects via the jñānaśakti, actual creation is not possible without kriyāśakti. Jñāna and kriyā śakti are essentially and inherently present in Paramēśvara.
Similar to the arising of the śuddha-jagat on account of the kṣōbha of the Bindu, aśuddha-jagat arises due to the kṣōba of māyā. When Paramēśvara touches the Bindu via his inherent śakti, it results in the kṣōbha of the Bindu. To quickly clarify to those who are wondering what is this ‘kṣōbha’ that we keep talking about – it simply means a disturbance in the otherwise normal state of equilibrium. Thus, the inference here is that it is solely due to the śakti of Paramēśvara that appearance of śuddha-jagat becomes possible. On the other hand, kṣōbha in māyā is not due to the sākṣāt śakti of Paramēśvara.
According to the Tantras, Paramēśvara is the sole kartā of five activities – sṟṣṭi, sthiti, samhāra, nigraha and anugraha, Brahmā and others are simply his agents who carry out his will. It is to accomplish these actions that śuddha adhvā become necessary and thus the need for the kṣōbha of Bindu. Though Paramēśvara is advitīya (without a second) and similar is the nature of his inherent Shakti, due to upādhi-bhēda, there is also the aspect of ascribed bheda or duality. When the śakti of Paramēśvara is avyakta (invisible or unmanifest), he is said to be niṣkriya, śuddha and samvidrūpa. The Bindu in that state is also akṣubdha (in perfect equilibrium) and still as stirring within the Bindu is not possible without the dynamic śakti. The adhiṣṭhātā of the Bindu is Paramēśvara and the state here is that of ‘laya’. It is of relevance to mention here that in the current school under discussion, śakti is one and there is no distinction of jñāna and kriyā within this śakti. Whatever bheda becomes apparent is simply aupādhika. The key inference here is that jñāna is also always kriyārūpa. When such Shakti is done with all her business and is simply stationed in her natural state, Shiva is referred to as śaktimān. Kriyārūpā śakti is present in this state within Shiva as a bud and this is the state of laya of Shiva. When there is unmēṣa of this śakti, she results in the samr̥ddhi of jñāna and kriyā in Shiva and this is termed as the bhōgāvasthā of Shiva. The bhoga of Paramēśvara, termed paramānanda, is not of the form of normal sukha-samvēdanā as there is no possibility of conventional ānanda or bhoga (which are upādhibhūta) within citsattā which is free from all impurities or malas. In this state where śakti is dynamic, Shiva can also be termed sakriya.
स तया रमते नित्यं समुद्युक्तः सदाशिवः |
पञ्चमन्त्रतनुः श्रीमान् देवः सकलनिष्कलः ||
Thus, Shiva is niṣkala in the state of laya and sakala-niṣkala in the state of bhoga. Apart from these, there is another state named adhikārāvasthā which will be discussed a little later, where he is sakala. Again, the fact to be borne in mind is that these states of Paramēśvara are not vāstavika or true but simply aupacārika or namesake. These three states are due to the avikāsa, vikāsōnmukha and pūrṇavikāsa daśā (states) of Shiva’s inherent śakti.
We also need to examine the avasthā-bhēda of the Bindu in relation to the avasthā-bhēda of Shiva and Shakti discussed above. Nivr̥tti, pratiṣṭhā, vidyā, śānti and śāntyatīta – these kalās are essentially different states of the Bindu. Of these, śāntyatīta is said to be the inherent or natural state of the Bindu. This is the layāvasthā of the akṣubdha Bindu. śāntyatīta or para-Bindu is the causal form of all kalās or their layāvasthā. Though shāntyatīta bhuvana is not a Bhōgasthāna, due to its generation at the beginning of creation, it is termed as the bījāvasthā of bhoga.