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अर्चनार्चन
Jain Education International
पंचम खण्ड / २८४
should avoid, how to take pilgrimage and so on. Tantra also contains many mythological stories.
Nature of Tantric sadhana
The Indian mind since ancient times seems to be overwhelmingly influenced by certain beliefs which it has passed on generation after generation without any change till today. One such belief pertains to the predominantly painful nature of human life. This belief is held equally by all the schools of Indian thought, orthodox as well as heretic. The fact that human life is fundamentally a matter of dukkha has been the starting point of almost all philosophical enquiries and religious observances. Having started with this presupposition, all the thinkers have ultimately turned to a state which is eternally free from dukkha. This state has been given various names like moksha, mukti, apavarga, kaivalya, nirvana and so on. Tantra, like all other shastras in the spiritual field, concerns itself with dukkha as the starting point, and leads upto moksha through its peculiar ritualistic sadhana.
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Tantra recognises atmasakshatkara i.e., self-realisation as the final goal of the shastra, There are various ways available according to one's capacity and inclination. For instance, there is the way called jnyana-marga nivrutti-marga which may be followed by those whose minds have already acquired qualities like stability, concentration, peace, and vairagya. But such persons who can turn their minds away from worldly enjoyment and attractions and apply it to the understanding of the real nature of the atman are very rare. Most of us do not want to be left to ourselves, to think for ourselves, or to be guided by our own thoughts, because we are not capable of doing atma-chintana. Thus the nivrutti-marga, although it is a sure way to mukti, is of no avail for most of us. We need somebody to show us the way, something concrete which can be felt, which can be experienced and practised and enjoyed. We need some practical activity, not merely an intellectual exercise. Our need is always for a practical sadhana which can lead us step by step towards the attainment of the final goal. Tantra aims at fulfilling this actually felt need of the common man.
Tantra offers a way for every one, not only for the chosen few. It welcomes men as well as women of all casts and creeds to its fold, and offers them a practical discipline to be followed in daily life so that one can gather the virtue and capacity in a progressive manner leading ultimately to chittashuddhi or purity of mind so that the mind can become an instrument fit for atmadarshana. Tantra does not show the way to mukti from a distance. It is not like a sign-post. It is the way itself. It is the way itself. And it is a practical way based on theoretical foundations. It tells us what to think, what to aspire for, what the nature and goal of human life is, and through what
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