Kashmir Shaivism tradition is a 20th century umbrella-term for a body of Sanskrit exegetical literature from several non-dualist Shaiva-Shakta tantric and monistic religious traditions, often used synonymously for the Trika-school or the "Philosophy of Recognition" (Pratyabhijnad). These traditions originated in Kashmir after 850 CE, as an adaptation to upper-class Hindu norms of 'wild' tantric Kaula traditions. Trika Shaivism later spread beyond Kashmir, particularly flourishing in the states of Odisha and Maharashtra.

Defining features of the Trika tradition are its idealistic and monistic pratyabhijna ("direct knowledge of one's self," "recognition") philosophical system, propounded by Utpaladeva (c. 925–975 CE) and Abhinavagupta (c. 975–1025 CE), and the use of several triades in its philosophy, including the three goddesses Parā, Parāparā, and Aparā.

While Trika draws from numerous Shaiva texts, such as the Shaiva Agamas and the Shaiva and Shakta Tantras, its major scriptural authorities are the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, the Siddhayogeśvarīmata and the Anāmaka-tantra. Its main exegetical works are those of Abhinavagupta, such as the Tantraloka, Mālinīślokavārttika, and Tantrasāra which are formally an exegesis of the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, although they also drew heavily on the Kali-based Krama subcategory of the Kulamārga. Another important text of this tradition is the Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra, which focuses on outlining numerous yogic practices.

Kashmir Shaivism shares many parallel points of agreement with the lesser-known monistic school of Shaiva Siddhanta as expressed in the Tirumantiram of Tirumular. It also shares this branch's disagreements with the dualistic Shaiva Siddhanta school of Meykandar, which scholars consider to be normative tantric Shaivism. The doctrines of Kashmir Shaivism were very influential on the Shri Vidya tradition of Shaktism.

Kashmir Shaivism is an umbrella-term for several non-dualist Shaiva-Shakta tantric religious traditions that flourished in Kashmir after 850 CE. Trika Shaivism is one of these traditions, named after the use of several triades in its philosophy. Other schools of Shaivism that existed in Kashmir are Kula, Krama, the Pratyabhijnad philosophy, and the "Doctrine of Vibration" (spanda).

Kashmir Shaivism originated in Kashmir after 850 CE, as a domestication of Kaula tantric movements, adapting its views and practices to normative upper-caste Hinduism. As Lawrence notes, " Radical practices were toned down, concealed under the guise of propriety, or interpreted as metaphors of internal contemplations."

One result of this domestication-process was the composition, by monistic Saivite Brahmins, of "increasingly systematic manuals of doctrines and practices on the model of Sanskrit scholastic texts (shāstras). This textual development began with the Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta (9th cent. CE) and the Spandakārikā (9th cent. CE), which are the central texts of the Spanda system, interpreting Shakti as spanda, "cosmic pulsation," the active and creative energy of Shiva.

The Shiva Sutras appeared to Vasugupta in a dream, according to tradition. The Spandakārikā was either composed by Vasugupta (c. 800-850 CE) or his student Bhatta Kallata (9th cent. CE). These were a Śākta Śaiva attempt to present a non-dualistic metaphysics and gnostic soteriology, in opposition to the dualistic exegesis of the Meykandar school of Shaiva Siddhanta, while remaining in agreement with the monistic view expressed in the older and arguably more authoritative Tirumantiram of Tirumular.