Soteriology of Hindu Tantric Sādhana Part II

Abstract

The article continues the theme of the tantric sādhana’s soteriology and analyses stages of the spiritual tantric path. Depending on the specific text or school, dif­ferent stages of such a path can be distinguished. We consider the spiritual tantric path, consisting of 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 stages. Three stages of practice are considered by Satyananda Saraswati (purification, “inspiration”, connection). Three stages are also mentioned in the Sahajiyā’s treatise “The Necklace of Immortality” by Mukundadāsa (17th cent.). Bhāskararāya (18th cent.) marks five hierarchical levels of liberation, reducing them to three “city”, or stages of the path (pious life, reverence for the higher Self and reverence for the undifferentiated Abso­lute). Kashmir Śaivism develops a system of four “means”, one of which (the so-called “non-means”, which in turn is divided into two types) opposes the others. G. Kaviraj develops the idea of four stages of the spiritual path (indirect knowl­edge of Self, removal of doubts, direct knowledge and recognition). The Svac­chanda Tantra knows the five stages of the development process. There is also a model of six paths (ṣaḍadhvan) in Tantrism, which is appropriate to consider in the context of pravṛtti-nivṛtti, analyzed in our previous publication in this journal. A brief overview of the “six paths” is given by Maheśvarānanda (14th cent.). The very concept of the “stages” may go against the monistic posi­tions of a number of tantric schools (i.e. Trika), reflecting on the moment of lib­eration, but any such moment is preceded by a long preparatory work. There is another version of the “six paths” (viz. Yoginī Hṛdaya) as the stages of spiritual development and deepening of the levels of tantric hermeneutics. Finally, the septenary model of development (acara) includes the hierarchization of various spiritual systems and actually means the levels of development of an individual.