Across cultures, mysticism shares universal characteristics despite the variety it

comprehends. That explains why the religious mystic is tolerant and

accommodating as far as his attitude to other faiths is concerned. As the mystic
advances in the spiritual path, whatever his affiliations, he realizes that all religions
are one in essence and lead to the same goal. We, in India, are proud of being the
inheritors of a rich culture, presenting a fine synthesis of diverse strands. The
Hindu ethos itself has been largely responsible for this synthesis, conducive as it
has been to free inquiry into the nature of Reality or Truth, and consequently to the
flowering of the mystical sensibility.

The country has built up a rich mystical tradition going back to the Vedic times,
which later absorbed the influence of the Sufi mystics (who in turn were
themselves influenced by the cross-cultural interaction on the Indian soil). Having
had a steady growth over centuries, our mystical literature involves a wide range of
approaches to Reality. This is consistent with our cultural diversity. Of these
approaches, Karma, Bhakti and Jnana are specially characteristic of Hindu
mysticism. Interestingly, they correspond to the types of spiritual life respectively
termed practical, devotional and philosophical mysticism by Christian scholars.