The True Goal of Tantra

What was the original goal of Tantra?

When we look back to original teachings of Tantra we see that the goal of practice was entirely spiritual. The early texts of Tantra were spiritual scriptures. They were teachings and manuals aimed at guiding aspirants towards the ultimate goal of liberation.

In those texts you won’t find teachings for how to improve your sex life, or how to heal your inner wounds through erotic massage. 

I mean, you could say that the spiritual practices do result in some degree of healing and personal growth.

But that is never the expressed intention of the Tantric practices.

Shiva and Shakti discuss the goal of Tantra

In the Tantric text known as the Vijñana-Bhairava-Tantra, dating from around the year 850 CE, we have a nice account of what Tantra is truly about.

Written in the form of a dialogue between Shiva and Shakti, in the opening verse Shakti asks Shiva, “What is the true nature of reality?”

And Shiva replies… “Bravo dear one, you have asked about the essence of Tantra.”

The rest of that scripture then goes on to describe concepts and practices to know the answer to this question.

So here then, we see that the goal of Tantric practice, originally according to the early texts, is to find the answer to this question…. That is to understand the true nature of reality.

Pure wisdom as the goal of Tantra

In another early text of classical tantra, the Tantrasāra, the 11th century Tantrik master Abhinavagupta describes the goal of Tantra as shuddavidya, Pure Wisdom, which can be achieved by cultivating sat-tarka, discernment and insight.

In the words of Abhinavagupta…

Accurate discernment (sat-tarka) alone is a direct means to that [goal of Awakening and Liberation]. It alone is Pure Wisdom (śuddhavidyā), and it is refined in many ways, such as through Tantrik worship (yāga or pūjā), fire-offerings (homa), mantra-repetition (japa), disciplined observance (vrata), and yoga.

– Tantrasāra, chapter four. Translated by Christopher Wallis (2019, May 15th)

Abhinavagupta’s concept of Pure Wisdom is aligned with the Vijñana-Bhairava-Tantra’s goal of understanding the true nature of reality. That is to say, when you do eventually understand the nature of true reality, and I guess that’s what we’re all on the path towards, then you can be said to have, or be, Pure Wisdom.

Tantra is really a path of yoga. Yoga means union, and is a term that can be applied to many spiritual traditions and practices, that have as their goal union with Divine consciousness, becoming one with the Divine.

So Tantra is really about achieving that ultimate goal of liberation, of self-realisation, of becoming one with Divine consciousness.

More than one goal of Tantra?

However, Tantra also acknowledges that there may be other goals of practice, secondary to that primary goal of liberation. These other goals can be related to more material things, and other aspects of daily life as a human.

Rama Kantha, a Tantrik guru from around a thousand years ago, wrote that there are two goals of all tantrik practice… a higher goal and a lower goal.

Here are his words from his text the Sārdhatriśati -kālottara-vṛtti, translated by Christopher Wallis…

These [Tantra] teachings are given to those qualified to pursue both the higher and lower aims of human existence.

– Rama Kantha, Sārdhatriśati -kālottara-vṛtti (from Wallis, 2013).

Christopher Wallis, in his commentary of this text, suggests that the higher goal is for liberation, while the lower goal is for worldly enjoyment and prosperity.

Both these goals are embraced in Tantra, which relates to some of what we have looked at earlier about practicing Tantra for the benefits of your personal healing, your relationships, and the general well-being of your daily life.

However, it is interesting to note that, Rama Kantha also says in this text that if practice is directed towards the lower goal, it isn’t Tantra. It only truly becomes Tantra when we also incorporate that spiritual element of the higher goal… that is when we practice with some sort of desire or aspiration for awakening our consciousness to more awareness of something Divine.

This including of the lower aims of human existence is something that sets Tantra apart from many other spiritual traditions. Tantra teachings recognise that as humans we have to give attention to our body, and all that that entails. It’s important to include our physical body, and all of its feelings and sensations, as part of the journey towards enlightened awareness.

Embodied liberation as the goal of Tantra

In the tantrik text called the Pratyahijñana-hrdayam, written about 1000 years ago, the great Tantrik practitioner and scholar Rajanaka Kshemaraja, teaches that the goal of Tantra is “embodied liberation.”

According to Kshemaraja the aim of Tantrik practice is to achieve a state of jīvanmukti, a continuous unbroken state of liberation while still being in the body and living the full range of human experience.

When one discovers this joy of awareness, and stabilizes the realisation that awareness is one with body, etc – even while they are [still] perceivable – that state is jīvanmukti: “embodied liberation”.

– Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam, translated by Christopher Wallis (2017)

So Tantra is not just about becoming liberated… it is to become liberated while also still living our daily human life, and partaking of all the usual everyday things that make us human.

I think these ancient teachings about the goal of Tantra are perfect for today’s modern life.

We can live a spiritual life, whilst still embracing our human nature and the material things of the world around us. Through Tantra we can strive for “embodied liberation”, a spiritual awakening whilst still being very present and connected to our body, our senses, our emotions, and all the biopsychology that goes with being alive as a human being.

You may also be interested in these other posts about Tantra…

About YuTantra / What is Tantra?

Tantra Basics Part 1: Meanings and Origins

References:

Wallis, C. D. (2013). Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition. (2nd ed.). Mattamayura Press.

Wallis, C. D. (2017). The Recognition Sutras: Illuminating a 1,000-Year-Old Spiritual Masterpiece. Bilingual Ed. Mattamayura Press.

Wallis C. D. (2019, May 15th). How a Nondual Tantrika Practices (Tantrasaara Chapter Four, Part 3). hareesh.org. https://hareesh.org/blog/2019/5/14/how-a-nondual-tantrika-practices-tantrasaara-chapter-four-part-3?rq=how%20a%20nondual%20tantrika%20

Wallis C. D. (2022, May 31st)). Vijnana-bhairava-tantra: introduction and first two verses. hareesh.org. https://hareesh.org/blog/2022/5/30/vbt-intro-and-verse-one?rq=VBT