The 3 Malas: 3 Reasons Why You're Not Enlightened

We now turn to a very sophisticated discussion about the reasons why we are not immediately, spontaneously aware of the fact that we are non-dual, pure Consciousness in which the world shines non-differently. If I am Shiva, as this tradition tells me, then why don't I know it? How does Shiva hide himself from himself? To explain the mechanism of self-concealment (and also to point the way to instant liberation), we receive this teaching on the 3 malas, the 3 "impurities." In Shaiva Siddhānta, these malas are seen as substantive (i.e real) and therefore must be actually removed through grace. In Non-Dual Tantra, Abhinava reframes "mala" to mean just "ajñāna", ignorance as you can see in the verse below from the Tantrasāra:

अज्ञानं किल बन्धहेतुरुदितः शास्त्रे मलं तत् स्मृतं पूर्णज्ञानकलोदये तदखिलं निर्मूलतां गच्छति। ध्वस्ताशेषमलात्मसंविदुदये मोक्षश्च तेनामुना शास्त्रेण प्रकटीकरोमि निखिलं यज्ज्ञेयतत्त्वं भवेत्॥४॥

Ajñānaṁ kila bandhaheturuditaḥ śāstre malaṁ tat smṛtaṁ pūrṇajñānakalodaye tadakhilaṁ nirmūlatāṁ gacchati|
Dhvastāśeṣamalātmasaṁvidudaye mokṣaśca tenāmunā śāstreṇa prakaṭīkaromi nikhilaṁ yajjñeyatattvaṁ bhavet (4)

Ignorance alone is the cause of bondage and it is that ignorance which is called impurity by the scriptures. With the rising of the moon of perfect knowledge, that ignorance is uprooted completely ! When Pure Consciousness is revealed as a result of the destruction of all impurities: that is indeed what is called Liberation! Therefore by means of this Tantrasāra, I will reveal that highest Reality!

This is a very radical reframe and it allows for the view that a person can (a) be instantly liberated and (b) can enjoy liberation even while embodied!

Verses from the Paramārthasāra on Mala:

तुष इव तण्डुलकणिकामावृणुते प्रकृतिपूर्वकः सर्गः।
पृथ्वीपर्यन्तोऽयं चैतन्यं देहभावेन॥२३॥

This emission of Prakriti down to Prthvī covers consciousness with (the feeling of) a (limited) body the way the husk covers a grain of rice.

परमावरणं मल इह सूक्ष्मं मायादि कञ्चुकं स्थूलम्।
बाह्यं विग्रहरूपं कोशत्रयवेष्टितो ह्यात्मा॥२४॥

The supreme veil of the (ānava) mala, the subtle kancukas composed of Māyā (kalā, vidyā, rāga, kāla, niyati) (i.e mayīya mala) and the external, physical body (kārma mala) are the three sheaths which cover the Self.

This class is part of our Paramārthasāra series which is an introduction to Non-Dual Tantrik metaphysics in theory and practice. You can follow along with the series here. 

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