The Stanzas on Vibration: The Spandakarika with Four Commentaries, the Spandasmdoha by Ksemaraja, the Spandavrtti by Kallatabhatta, the Spandavivrti by Rajanaka Rama, the Spandapradipika by Bhagavadutpala.

• Author: Padoux, Andre

Translated with an introduction and exposition by MARK S. G. Dyczkowski. Albany: State Univeristy of New York Press, 1992. Pp. xx + 427. $49.50 (cloth); $16.95 (paper).

This translation of the Spandakdrika, the basic text of the Spanda ("Vibration") school of Kashmirian non-dualist Shaivism, and of four of its Sanskrit commentaries is most welcome, since, of the five existing commentaries on this work, one only, the Spandanirnaya of Ksemaraja (not translated here) was available in English. M. D. is well acquainted with the Shaiva traditions of Kashmir, on which this is his fourth book. Of the doctrines and practices of the Spanda he wrote previously an introductory but thorough survey: The Doctrine of Vibration: An Analysis of the Doctrines and Practices of Kashmir Shaivism (Albany: S.U.N.Y. Press, 1987) where he underlined the central position of this school within the larger ensemble of Kashmirian non-dualist Shaivism. That study relied very largely on Ksemaraja's Spandanirnaya and was to be completed and illustrated by the translation of other works of the Spanda: those we have here.

M. D. however does not merely supplement his first study with this one. He often comes back to the same topics, either amplifying or merely duplicating his previous exposition, so that the second hook (itself sometimes repetitive) takes away much of the usefulness of the first one. Neither, in fact, is strictly limited to the Spanda tradition, the contours of which are admittedly not easy to ascertain. But in both books the author touches upon as many aspects as possible of the various forms of Kashmirian non-dualist Shaivism, as if he were afraid lest he not be the first to tackle them.

The introductory part of the Stanzas on Vibration includes a brief but apposite study of the commentators of the Spandakarika (whose authorship he is inclined to attribute to Kallata). Then is given (pp. 61-175) the translation of Ksemaraja's Spandasamdoha ("The Essence of Vibration"), followed by that of the three other commentaries, together, each time, with the English text of the karikas. There follows an "Exposition of the Stanzas" (pp. 177-267), that is, the author's explanations of, or comments upon, the karikas and their commentaries, which is quite useful. In a brief third part ("Aspects of Spanda Yoga," pp. 269-81), the ways of realization or liberation (upaya) are cursorily described: their description is given fifty-five pages in the other book. To this is added...