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Nirvana
kalika.
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TANTRIKA INFLUECE.
This chapter as also the subsequent chapters on Installation ceremonies lend additional support to the inference that the present work bears many marks of Tantrika influence. Sir John Woodroffe the famous writer on Tantras has made it abundantly clear that Tantras do not necessarily mean rite with wine and women. Every great religion has had its distinct mode of meditation, path of realization, and the way of attaining final beatitude.
There will be exoteric as well as esoteric doctrines the theoretical as well as the practical portions of the religious philosophy. The Tantra as known has to do more with the practical method of realization rather than the theoretical. There are Shaiva, Shakta, Vaishnava, Ganapatya, Saura, Bhairava, and many other Tantras, still the general nature of realisation is same, they are therefore brought under a common denomination "Tantrika", although each has its distinct philosophy as well as deity. It is not surprising therefore that Jain methods of realisation i. e. the practical portion of it should greatly resemble what is known as Tantra-Marga. The most important doctrine of the Tantrikas for practical realisation is Shat-Chakravedha (passing through six centers or plexes of body.) by concentration. It cannot be said that the Jaina works do not adopt that method for realisation. "Yoga-Shastra" of Hemachandracharya and "Jnanarnava" of Shubhachandracharya describe the Pindastha (Bodily) as well as Padastha-Dhyana (Mantrika). The present work also prescribes Nirmanaska Dhyana. Wherever Mantras are used to
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Introduction.
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