Christianity
Islam
Judaism
Hinduism
Buddhism
The Spiritual Journey
Spiritual life is often described as a journey — from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom, from ignorance to awakening. Every tradition maps stages of growth, from the Christian via purgativa to the Buddhist path of gradual training, revealing a shared conviction that transformation unfolds over time.
Across the World's Religions
Christianity
- Pratique
- Via purgativa, illuminativa, unitiva — stages of spiritual growth
- Key Text
- Philippians 3:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Psalm 84:5-7
Islam
- Pratique
- Suluk — the spiritual journey; stations (maqamat) of the soul
- Key Text
- Quran 29:69, 73:20
Judaism
- Pratique
- Mussar (ethical self-improvement); stages of spiritual ascent
- Key Text
- Psalm 84:5-7; Proverbs 4:18; Mesillat Yesharim
Hinduism
- Pratique
- Four ashramas (stages of life) — student, householder, retiree, renunciant
- Key Text
- Bhagavad Gita 6:5; Manusmriti 6.1-2
Buddhism
- Pratique
- Gradual training (anupubba-sikha) — sila, samadhi, panna
- Key Text
- DN 2 (Samannaphala Sutta); MN 27; AN 3.88