Pratyabhijna (Spontaneous Recognition) vs. Gradual Soteriology Models
- Pratyabhijna (Recognition Philosophy) — Recognition as spontaneous, non-mediated, irreversible; does not arise through gradual attainment - vs.
- Pratyabhijna (Recognition Philosophy) — Recognition as spontaneous, non-mediated, irreversible; does not arise through gradual attainment - vs. - Upasana (Sitting Near the Divine) — Requires sustained practice/proximity over time; clearly involves a gradual process
Not a contradiction but a apparent tension that needs resolution. Pratyabhijna claims recognition is spontaneous and irreversible (not gradual). Yet Upasana is explicitly a gradual practice of sitting near, dwelling in proximity, exposure over time.
Are these: (a) Two different pathways (some recognize suddenly, others through Upasana's gradualness)? (b) Two stages of the same process (Upasana gradually prepares the field; recognition then happens suddenly)? (c) The same event described from different angles (the "gradualness" is the obstacle-removal; the "spontaneity" is the recognition itself)?