The Recognition Sūtras: a complete translation and explanation of the 1,000-year-old spiritual masterpiece the Pratyabhijñā-hr̥daya by Rājānaka Kṣemarāja

One thousand years ago, in the valley of Kashmir, a great Tantric master named Kshemaraja wrote his masterpiece: the Pratyabhijnahrdayam, which means "The Essence of the Recognition Philosophy". This text was a concise primer, written to introduce spiritual seekers to the Recognition philosophy in less formally philosophical, more approachable language. What Kshemaraja created turned out to be one of the world's great spiritual masterpieces, breathtaking in its brevity but stunning in its power. It came to be considered equivalent to scripture itself by later generations, because of its undeniable inspiration. This book expounds the subtleties of this spiritual and philosophical classic. One of the most powerful and revelatory spiritual masterpieces of world history, the Pratyabhijnahrdayam is one of the primary sources for the study and practice of nondual Tantrik Yoga, and it has never been accurately translated or fully explained until now. One thousand years ago, in the valley of Kashmir, a great Tantric master named Kshemaraja wrote his masterpiece: the Pratyabhijnahrdaya, which means "The Essence of the Recognition Philosophy". This text was a concise primer, written to introduce spiritual seekers to the Recognition philosophy in less formally philosophical, more approachable language. What Kshemaraja created turned out to be one of the world's great spiritual masterpieces, breathtaking in its brevity but stunning in its power. It came to be considered equivalent to scripture itself by later generations, because of its undeniable inspiration. This book expounds the subtleties of this spiritual and philosophical classic. One of the most powerful and revelatory spiritual masterpieces of world history, the Pratyabhijnahrdayam is one of the primary sources for the study and practice of nondual Tantrik Yoga, and it has never been accurately translated or fully explained until now. Front Cover 1 Title Page 2 Half Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Frontispiece I 7 Preface 8 How to Read This Book 10 Acknowledgments 12 Frontispiece II 15 Introduction: History and Context 16 Frontispiece III 25 Spiritual Introduction: The Heart of the Tantrik Way 26 Prologue 36 Chapter One 50 Chapter Two 88 Chapter Three 98 Chapter Four 120 Chapter Five 138 Chapter Six 152 Chapter Seven 160 Chapter Eight 172 Chapter Nine 216 Chapter Ten 232 Chapter Eleven 250 Chapter Twelve 270 Chapter Thirteen 308 Chapter Fourteen 314 Chapter Fifteen 320 Chapter Sixteen 332 Chapter Seventeen 338 Chapter Eighteen 346 Chapter Nineteen 404 Chapter Twenty 422 Epilogue 466 The Twenty Sutras (in Sanskrit and English) 470 Appendix: Critical Edition of the Sanskrit Text 478 List of Primary Sources Cited 498 Endnotes 500 Glossary 524 Bibliography 527 Index 530