Reconciling yogas

Book Description

In the eighth century, a remarkable Jaina scholar named Haribhadra embarked on an extraordinary spiritual investigation that transcends religious boundaries. Christopher Chapple presents this visionary thinker's groundbreaking work, which demonstrates how the practice of yoga serves as a universal bridge connecting Jaina, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions.

Haribhadra believed that authentic spiritual truth flows through all faiths, and he discovered in yoga a common language of liberation that speaks across doctrinal differences. Rather than viewing religious diversity as divisive, he saw it as complementary paths leading toward the same ultimate goal of spiritual freedom.

Drawing inspiration from Patanjali's classical eight-limbed yoga system, Haribhadra crafted his own innovative framework of eight spiritual stages. In a fascinating departure from tradition, he assigned feminine titles to each stage, invoking the power and wisdom of goddesses to guide practitioners along their journey.

Chapple illuminates not only the Jaina understanding of spiritual ascent but also introduces readers to two unique forms of yoga practice that exist nowhere else in spiritual literature. The book includes a fresh translation of Haribhadra's original eighth-century text, the Yogadrstisamuccaya, making this ancient wisdom accessible to contemporary seekers.

For those drawn to interfaith spirituality and the unifying potential of contemplative practice, this scholarly yet approachable work reveals how diverse religious traditions can inform and enrich one another through the transformative discipline of yoga.