Dissing Da’s “Deconstruction” of Kashmir Shaivism

Adi Da (a.k.a. Franklin Jones, Bubba Free John, Da Free John, Da Love-Ananda, et.al.), who passed in 2008, was, in my opinion, the greatest guru since Ramana Maharshi. I’m a huge proponent of Da’s spiritual teachings (as evidenced by the “stamp” of his teachings on mine)--but I have major disdain for some parts of his teachings, particularly those that disparage (and misrepresent) certain other spiritual traditions.

In this article, I’m going to focus on Da’s deconstruction of Kashmir Shaivism, because, from my perspective, his “deconstruction” of this great tradition is grossly error-ridden, and so I’m moved to rebut it.

In Da’s text “Santosha Adidam”, he describes the Four Ways, or Means, of Kashmir Shaivism thus:

“The ‘Individual Way’ (or the Way of ‘absorption in the Object’) is the first (or most “inferior”) step in the progressive path of Kashmir Shaivism, and it corresponds to the Devotional and Yogic disciplines associated with the fourth stage of life in both its ‘basic’ and ‘advanced’ phases).

The ‘Energetic Way’ (or the Way of ‘absorption in Energy’) is the second (or somewhat more advanced) step in the same path, and it corresponds to the fourth stage of life in its fully ‘advanced’ phase and to the fifth stage of life as a whole.

The ‘Divine Way’ (or the “superior Way of ‘absorption in the Void’) of Kashmir Shaivism suggests the process (and the potential for Realization) that coresponds to the sixth stage of life.

The ‘Null Way’ (or the most “superior’ Way of ‘absorption in Bliss’) in Kashmir Shaivism suggests the fulfillment of the process (or the actual achievement of the Realization) that corresponds to (or is potential within) the sixth stage of life.”

Those who have studied (and grok) the foremost texts on Kashnir Shaivism (such as Jaideva Singh’s “The Doctrine of Recognition” and Deba Brata SenSharma’s “The Philosophy of Sadhana”) will rail at Da’s specious descriptions of the Four Means.

For example, the “Energetic Way” (Saktopaya) implies communion with, and conductivity, of Shakti. It is the same “Way” of Spirit-reception, or of Shaktipat Yoga, that Da practiced in his own sadhana (detailed in his autobiography “The Knee of Listening”). Interestingly enough, prominent Kashmir Shaivism scholars (such as Jaideva Singh), include Jnana Yoga practices, such as Ramana Maharshi’s Self-enquiry, in this Way, which does not mesh with Da’s categorization and description.

Da has little understanding of (or else purposely misinterprets) the “Divine Way” (Sambhavopaya). The Divine Way (or Way of Sambha, or Siva) implies the practice of uniting, temporarily, the “vine” of one’ soul (contracted Siva) with “vine” of Shakti in one’s spiritual Heart-center (Hridayam). This is facilitated through the practice of motiveless presence, or “choiceless awareness” (the Krishnamurti term that Jaideva Singh uses to describe this Way’s sadhana). This Way has nothing to do with absorption in the Void; and, in fact, Jaideva Singh castigates Madhyamika Buddhism for its quasi-apotheosis of voidness.

The “Null Way,” as Da has it, is a misnomer. This Way (Anupaya), is the No-Means Way, which means the Way of effortless, Di-vine Be-ing. Contrary to what Da says, this is a Seventh-Stage Way that involves no inversion of attention into the Heart-root, but is itself the Way of standing free (or un-contracted) as spontaneously united Attention (or Awareness) and Energy (or Shakti-Bliss). This Way does not involve dualistic absorption in Bliss, but is non-dual Be-ing-Consciousness-Bliss itself.

Da summarizes Kashmir Shaivism thus: “The tradition of Kashmir Shavism (like the tradition of Saiva Siddhanta) is entirely a fourth-to-fifth stage Yogic (and Devotional) tradition (and a religious tradition associated with the first five stages of life.”

I summarize Da’s description of Kashmir Shaivism thus: It indicates that he is either philosophically challenged with regard to explicating Dharmas other than his own--or that he intentionally engages in straw-man arguments and one-upmanship in order to bolster his own self-proclaimed status as the First and Only Seventh Stage spiritual master. Anyone who has studied Kashmir Shaivism and read Da’s “The Knee of Listening” will reject Da’s diminishment of this great tantric tradition, for it couldn’t be clearer that Da’s sadhana, which was all was all about uniting himself with the Shakti (culminating in his permanent union with it in his Vedana Temple Awakening in 1969) is the very same sadhana that Kashmir Shaivism is all about.