The
Theory
of Rasa and its
Philosophical
Background
Toru
Terauchi
In this paper rasa is an aesthetic idea appearing in the representations of art such as dramas, poems and so on. First of all, this idea is given to us as the rasa sutra in the Natyasastra(NS)1). This sutra is interpreted in various ways by the theotists of rasa because of its brevity. However, we can only see these interpretations from the commentary of Abhinavagupta (AG), Abhi navabharati
(AB), on the NS. While AG is regarded as an authority on aesthetics owing to this AB and the Locana, his commentary on the Dhvanyaloka by Anandavar-dhana, he is also an outstanding philosopher on the Saiva doctrine of Kashmir and has left us a lot of literature. The purpose of this paper is to see the re-lations between the theory of rasa and the Saiva philosophy of Kashmir, or how the doctrine of this school has affected the idea of rasa. Now there is a passage refering to rasa from the Isvarapratyabhijnavivrtivimarsini(IPVV)2),
which is a book in which AG commented on Utpaladeva's karika and his own vivrti, lost now, and to sum this passage up, it goes like this: (1) Rasa rela-tes to camatkara or camatkrti because its basic idea is contained in the context of camatkrti. (2) The taste of rasa belongs to one of the three upayas(means) from the point of view of liberation (moksa).
Utpaladeva, AG's teacher, takes the sense of camatkara in connection with the acts of Siva in the Sivadrsti3) as follows: "The good nature of venerable Si-va, whose form is consciousness, consists of a power fit to accomplish the fi-vefold act, and its delight is camatkara." The five acts brought about by Siva are; manifestation (srsti), maintenance (sthiti), withdrawal (samhora), veiling of Self (vilaya) and grace (anugraha). The first four acts are the cosmic process repeated throughout eternity, it forms a cycle that is called kalpa. Grace ex-presses the love of Viva and is the reason for being which allows the first
-952-(8) The Theory of Rasa and its Philosophical Background (T. Terauchi) four acts to come into play. According to the opinion of Ksemaraja (KR), AG's pupil, it is said that this process corresponds to the esoteric experience of the yogi; srsti is abhasana, sthiti is rakti, samhara is vimarsana, vilaya is bija-vasthapana, and anugraha is vilapana4). This fivefold act is the process by which the yogi acquires the complete knowledge of the real nature of Self. To see these acts in connection with camatkara, KR says that when the yogi is in the state of vimarsana, he experiences casnatkara5). Vimarsana means that objects, which have appeared through the successive acts of the goddess, disap-pear and only the knowledge of them remains.
Camatkara generally means astonishment or wonder, and AG explains it in connection with rasa as follows: "This consciousness without obstacles is ca-nzatkara. Camatkara also occurs from physical effects such as trembling, hor-ripilation, joyful motion of limbs, etc. Indeed, it is defined as an immersion in enjoyment which is uninterrupted satisfaction. Camatkara is the action of mind of a tasting subject who is filled with the vibration of a marvellous enjoy-ment6)." "In any case, rasa is a mental state which consists of relishing and is seized in a perception without obstacles. In the ordinary world, indeed, a consciousness completely released from obstacles is denoted by the different words camatkara, immersion (nirvesa), relish(rasana), tasting(asvadana), enjoy-ment(bhoga), accomplishment(samapatti), dissolution(laya), rest (visranti), etc7)." From this explanation, we can see the rasa and camatkara are similar ideas. Both are mental states without obstacles and consist of delight. An obstacle is a factor that hides one from being absorbed, or to see it in relation to art, from identifying with the events being portrayed. On the one hand, it can be lack of credibility. In this case, one cannot sympathize with the events being portrayed. On the other hand, it is also the case of being swayed by one's own sensation. When a spectator is at the mercy of his own pleasure or pain, this preoccupation breaks his connection with the drama and forms an obsta-cle. AG presents seven such obstacles in the AB.
The yogi enloys camatkara in his esoteric experiences, and such a state is also briefly indicated in the Sivasutra. The Sivasutra says in verse 1-12 that the stations and stages of yogi constitute a fascinating wonder. KR comments
-951-The -951-Theory of Rasa and its Philosophical Background (T. Terauchi) (9) on this sutra, saying: "As a person is struck with wonder by seeing something extraordinary, even so there is a fascination for the great yogi who notices in mute wonder an expansion (in the power) of his entire complex of senses, 'as they come fully under the influence of the inner Self which is a mass of con-sciousness and is full of unique, pre-eminent and ever-new delight( camatkara) of I-consciousness which blossoms forth in the experience of the various obje-cts of perception. The yogi has this experience in himself that is full of unin-terrupted joy-a joy with which he never feels satiated. This fascinating wonder betokens the various stations and stages on yoga which means com-munion with the Highest. Reality8)."
The Sivasutra is a treatise on-Yoga and has three -sections. The first section is a description of sambhavopaya, the second of saktopaya, and the third of anavopaya. In addition to these upayas, this school accepts anupaya as the highest means, but anupaya is a means without means and is hardly called means. Jayaratha says in his commentary on the Tantraloka 1-142 that when sambhavopaya is in its highest maturity, it becomes anupaya. Accordingly, the practical upayas can be classified into the three types. This threefold upaya is also found in the Vijnanabhairava (VB), and AG is quoting the first half of verse 72 of the VB from the IPVV. Upaya is a means whereby one gets rid of males (dirt or ignorance brought about by maya) and becomes fit for aquiring the real I-consciousness. The VB mentions 112 dharanas or types of yoga, and each of them belongs to one of the three upayas9). Anavopaya is known kri-yopaya because kriya, as in the repetition of a mantra or in the practice of
rituals, plays an important part. S'aktopy a a is known as jflanopya and is con-cerned with the practice of Buddha vikalpa. This Buddha vikalpa is achieved through three ways i. e. mantrasakti, sattarka and Buddha vidya, which, by the way, are connected with each other. By the constant Buddha vikalpa, one transforms his mind into the Supreme I-consciousness of Siva. The last sam-bhavopaya is regarded as the most important and is called icchopaya, since it is related to Iccha Sakti (Divine Will Power). The iccha of an aspirant being united with Bhairava-consciousness is Svatantrya Sakti(Absolute Will Power of Siva). The sambhava state is obtained when one identifies with S'ivq without
-950-(10) The Theory of Rasa and its Philosophical Background (T. Terauchi) any thought-process or any particular effort, but simply by an orientation of will power towards the inner reality. If one starts from anavopaya, one will be led to saktopaya, and saktopaya leads to sambhavopaya.
Verse 72 is an example of taste(rasa) arising from the pleasure of eating good food and drinking, and in the next verse, there is an example of aesthetic rapture derived from song and so on. Verse 73 says that when the yogi is mentally one with the incomparable joy arising from or other aesthetic presen-tations, then of such a yogi, there is an expansion of mind through identifica-tion because he becomes one with that(i. e. the incomparable joy). Sivopadhyaya comments on this verse as follows: "Identification, following from the contact with sakta, causes the expansion of the yogi's mind, and the yogi enters into a state consisting of Brahman. This state also occurs in sambhava10)." In short, aesthetic enjoyment is s aktopaya leading to s arnbhava state.
Upaya is a means whereby one liberates oneself from the limited conditions caused by ignorance. AG briefly explanes liberation, saying: "Liberation is no-thing but the awareness of one's true nature11)." According to the system, our nature is the mirror of Siva-consciousness. Siva or the Ultimate Reality is Cit and consists of Light and Self-consciousness (prakasa-vimarsa-maya). Light is the principle of Self-revelation. Self-consciousness is the awareness of that Light and betokens the Kartrtva Sakti of Siva by which the entire universe appears as I or Siva. Accordingly, if one is aware of identifying oneself with Siva, one will be liberated from all restraint. AG summerizes the idea of rasa and says that rasa is simply a feeling -a feeling, however, which is generalized12). Generality is a state devoid of any relation whatever with particular interest or the limited Self, i. e. a state consisting of one's true nature. If so, one is also able to be liberated by the enjoyment of rasa, even though it is' not
endu-ring. (The notes omitted)
(Lecturer, Kinki University)
