Sādhana

views updated

Sādhana (Skt., √sādh, ‘complete’). The spiritual practice of Hindu and Buddhist Tantrism; a path to liberation (mokṣa) and power (siddhi/iddhi) distinct from orthodox Vedic practice, which aims to unite the male–female polarity within the body, or to merge the individual self (jivātman) with the highest self (paramātman). Tantric sādhana consists of worship (pūjā) and yoga. The term has also been linked to God-devoted practices, not much more austere or ascetic than self-denial and voluntary suffering.

More From encyclopedia.com