Is tantra just about exotic sexual practice or does it amount to something more? This lively and original book contributes to a more complete understanding of tantra. It argues that within the different Hindu traditions, it is ritual and ascetic practice which fully explains corporeality. Without minimizing its sexual dimensions, Flood argues that the tantric body is more than just a sexual entity, and cannot be understood apart from the religious traditions and texts that give it form. Through ritual and yogic practice the body is formed into a pattern determined by these traditions, and the practitioner thereby strives to mould his or her life into the shape of the tradition.
Is tantra just about exotic sexual practice or does it amount to something more? This lively and original book contributes to a more complete understanding of tantra. It argues that within the different Hindu traditions, it is ritual and ascetic practice which fully explains corporeality. Without minimizing its sexual dimensions, Flood argues that the tantric body is more than just a sexual entity, and cannot be understood apart from the religious traditions and texts that give it form. Through ritual and yogic practice the body is formed into a pattern determined by these traditions, and the practitioner thereby strives to mould his or her life into the shape of the tradition.
Daugiau informacijos
Contributes to an understanding of tantra's mysteries. Without minimising its sexual dimensions, this book argues that within tantra the body is more than a sexual entity, it is a vehicle for the spirituality that is fundamental to people's minds. This book is useful to students of South Asian cultures and societies, and of comparative philosophy.
| Preface |
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ix | |
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PART I Theory, Text and History |
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Introduction: The Body as Text |
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3 | (28) |
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Tantra, Tradition and the Body |
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7 | (8) |
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15 | (5) |
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20 | (4) |
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Experience and Asceticism |
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24 | (3) |
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27 | (4) |
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31 | (17) |
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The Political and Social Context |
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32 | (5) |
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37 | (5) |
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42 | (3) |
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45 | (3) |
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48 | (23) |
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The Validity of Tantric Revelation |
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50 | (3) |
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The Pancaratra Revelation |
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53 | (2) |
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55 | (5) |
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60 | (2) |
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The Tantric Theology of Revelation |
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62 | (4) |
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66 | (5) |
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71 | (28) |
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The Divinisation of the Body as Root Metaphor |
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74 | (2) |
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76 | (5) |
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81 | (2) |
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Tantra and Erotic Sculpture |
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83 | (4) |
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87 | (12) |
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99 | (21) |
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101 | (5) |
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The Purification of the Body |
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106 | (2) |
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The Bhutasuddhi in the Tantric Revelation |
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108 | (5) |
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The Divinisation of the Body |
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113 | (3) |
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116 | (2) |
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118 | (2) |
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120 | (26) |
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122 | (4) |
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126 | (3) |
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129 | (2) |
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The Ritual Process: Initiation |
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131 | (7) |
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The Ritual Process: Daily Rites |
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138 | (6) |
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The Ritual Process: Behaviour |
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144 | (2) |
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146 | (25) |
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Absolute Subjectivity and Indexicality |
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147 | (7) |
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The Circle of Deities in the Body |
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154 | (3) |
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157 | (5) |
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162 | (9) |
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171 | (14) |
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172 | (2) |
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174 | (2) |
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176 | (2) |
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178 | (2) |
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180 | (5) |
| Epilogue |
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185 | (3) |
| Appendix: The Jayakhya-samhita |
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188 | (6) |
| Abbreviations and Sources |
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194 | (4) |
| Notes |
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198 | (37) |
| Suggested Further Reading |
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235 | (1) |
| Index |
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236 | |
Gavin Flood is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Stirling. He is the author of 'An Introduction to Hinduism' (1995) and general editor of 'The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism' (2003).
