Sādhanā
Sādhanā, literally "a means of accomplishing something", is an ego-transcending spiritual practice. It includes a variety of disciplines in Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Muslim traditions that are followed in order to achieve various spiritual or ritual objectives. The historian N. Bhattacharyya provides a working definition of the benefits of
sādhanā as follows: ... religious
sādhanā, which both prevents an excess of worldliness and molds the mind and disposition into a form which develops the knowledge of dispassion and non-attachment.
Sādhanā is a means whereby bondage becomes liberation. Iyengar in his English translation of and commentary to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali defines
sādhanā in relation to
abhyāsa and
kriyā:
Sādhanā is a discipline undertaken in the pursuit of a goal.
Abhyāsa is repeated practice performed with observation and reflection.
Kriyā, or action, also implies perfect execution with study and investigation. Therefore,
sādhanā,
abhyāsa, and
kriyā all mean one and the same thing. A
sādhaka, or practitioner, is one who skillfully applies...