The Rādhāsoāmī Theory of Subtle Body as an Expression of Religious Inclusivism
Loading...
Zapart2020_Article_TheRādhāsoāmīTheoryOfSubtleBod.pdf (800.73 KB)
Authors
Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Nature
Abstract
This article looks at the yogic theory of subtle body as a hermeneutical and pedagogical tool used by the Rādhāsoāmī (rādhāsvāmī) tradition to construct an inclusivist strategy for appropriating other religious systems. When constructing the theory of surat-śabd-yoga, the Rādhāsoāmīs took the haṭha yoga of the Nāths as a vital reference point. While rejecting the corporeal techniques of haṭha yoga, they remained influenced by the Nāth theory of subtle body. A thorough modification and expansion of this theory enabled the Rādhāsoāmīs to construct a historiosophy based on a hierarchy of religious paths. The article discloses various manifestations of the inclusivist strategy in Rādhāsoāmī thought, establishes its historical and structural determinants, and examines the process of development of the theory of subtle body into a hermeneutical tool for interpreting rival paradigms of yoga in a manner that portrays them as inferior.
Description
Keywords
Citation
The Rādhāsoāmī Theory of Subtle Body as an Expression of Religious Inclusivism, "International Journal of Hindu Studies" 24 (1/2020), s. 61-86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11407-020-09271-7