Why Engage In Sadhana?

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The GOAL of Sadhana is called Sadhya, or - more commonly - SIDDHI.

Siddhi, in its broadest sense, simply means "accomplishment," and

denotes any successful result. If you attain the result of your

Sadhana, you are a Siddha ("accomplisher") of that Sadhana. Thus, when

the French-studying Sadhaka becomes fluent in the language, he is a

Siddha of French. When the marathon-training Sadhika successfully

crosses the finish line on the big day, she is a Siddha of the

marathon.

 

In the spiritual sense, the term Siddhi is often associated with

Tantra, and is used to refer to "magical" powers gained by practicing

special, intensive rituals to gain control over another, cause them

harm, levitate, communicate telepathically, etc. (Incidentally, none

of this is considered "supernatural" in Shaktism; but merely

"supernormal." Again, Shaktism teaches that we are, each of us,

everything that is - we *are* Shakti, we *are* Shiva, if only we can

learn to tap into our own essential Divinity).

 

Sadhana is the means by which we achieve this "tapping in." And as we

transcend our human nature, on the way to becoming One with God/dess,

why should we be surprised if we pick up a few more-than-human

abilities along the way? It is only natural!

 

The highest Siddhi is Unity with Brahman, by merging with It,

expanding into It, or - according to some doctrines - simply achieving

some degree of association with or proximity to It. (For example,

certain Bhakti schools do not desire to "merge" with the Divine;

rather, they yearn for an eternity of devotion, serving their beloved

Deity. This goal, in the eyes of some other schools, is "merely" a

very High Heaven, which may last a very long and blissful time indeed,

but which must eventually be left behind for further births, and

eventual Unity, which is the true and highest Bliss.)

 

On to the question that titles this Post: Why engage in Sadhana?

 

In a recent post, I wrote that, because we are human beings, we must -

by definition, really - ultimately lose everything that we are,

because we all must die. And when we die, we WILL lose all of our

attachments -- our homes, families, friends, possessions,

nationalities, identity; our very body and mind -- whether we're

"ready" or not. Clinging to any of these things has never preserved

them for anyone.

 

Then what happens? We get a new body -- in a different family, a

different place; perhaps of a different color, and/or a different

gender. And we go through it all again: A new home, new family, new

friends, possessions, loves, fears, accomplishments, identities. And

then we die, and lose it all again.

 

Sadhana is the means by which we can take control of this vicious

cycle. As human beings, Hinduism teaches, we are fools to allow

ourselves to be ruled by mere urges and desires and low emotions

(greed, envy, jealousy, gluttony, pride, etc.). According to Shaktism,

a human birth is a rare and valuable gift from the Goddess - one that

should not be wasted on entirely transitory possessions and desires.

It is all right to enjoy what life has to offer along the way, She

says (after all, it is all Her body). But we should not confuse the

appetizers with the main course. We must always remain ultimately

focused on our true task in every existence - which is realizing Her,

not only intellectually, but in actual experience.

 

The "Kularnava Tantra" notes: "The Jiva-atma [individual soul] passes

through lakhs [hundreds of thousands] of existences, yet only as a

human can it obtain the Truth. It is with great difficulty that one is

born as a human. Therefore, s/he is a self-killer, who, having

obtained such a birth, does not know what is for her/his own good."

 

The Kularnava goes on to make a *very* important point. It explains

that such "self-killers" are not only the obvious -- those people who

are wrapped up in their worldly preoccupations and desires.

Self-killers are also those who spend their time debating the fine

points of religion rather than sitting down and practicing them.

 

As the Tantra beautifully puts it, these people have "tumbled into the

deep well of the Six Philosophies." They have become "idle disputants

tossed on the bewildering ocean of the Vedas and Shastras. They study

day and night and learn words." But "mere words and talk cannot dispel

the delusion of the wandering. Darkness is not dispelled by the

mention of the word 'lamp.'"

 

Sir John Woodroffe puts the same thought in this way: "Mere talk about

Vedanta is nothing but a high form of amusement. If more than this is

to be achieved, definite Sadhana is necessary."

 

Now some people, failing to understand such warnings, have concluded

that study and reading about their religion is a trap. But that is not

the message here; there is no celebration of "know-nothing"-ism. The

secret of both these passages is the word "mere" - study and reading

and discussion *alone* will not yield Moksha. They are a means to

understanding and a source of direction in Sadhana - but they are not

the thing itself.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

 

(Next time: How does Sadhana work?)