Soteriology of Hindu Tantric Sadhana Part II

The article continues the theme of the tantric sadhana'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 Sahajiya's treatise "The Necklace of Immortality" by Mukundadasa (17th cent.). Bhaskararaya (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 Saivism 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 (sadadhvan) in Tantrism, which is appropriate to consider in the context of pravrtti-nivrtti, analyzed in our previous publication in this journal. A brief overview of the "six paths" is given by Mahesvarananda (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. Yogini Hrdaya) 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.