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The Roots of Tantra
(February 2002)
Katherine Anne Harper - Editor
Robert L. Brown - Editor
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An exploration of the sources of Tantra.
Among the many spiritual traditions born and developed in India, Tantra has been the most difficult to define. Almost everything about it—its major characteristics, its sources, its relationships to other religions, even its practices—are debated among scholars. In addition, Tantrism is not confined to any particular religion, but is a set of beliefs and practices tha...(Read More) |
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Auspicious Wisdom
(October 1992)
The Texts and Traditions of Srividya Sakta Tantrism in South India
Douglas Renfrew Brooks - Author
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Rooting itself in Kashmir Shaivism, Srividya became a force in South India no later than the seventh century, and eventually supplanted the Trika as the dominant Tantric tradition in Kashmir. This is the first comprehensive study of the texts and traditions of this influential school of goddess-centered, Sakta, Tantrism. Centering on the goddess's three manifestations—the beneficent deity Lalita Tripurasundari, her mantra, and the visually stri...(Read More) |
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Ritual and Speculation in Early Tantrism
(June 1992)
Studies in Honor of Andre Padoux
Teun Goudriaan - Editor
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This book illustrates the extent to which we can understand the writings of the leading tantricas whose views regarding the universe and enlightenment developed from ritual practice and yoga. Contributors to this anthology include Helene Brunner, Gudrun Buhnemann, Richard H. Davis, Vrajavallabha Dviveda, Sanjukta Gupta, Minoru Hara, Paul Muller-Ortega, Navjivan Rastogi, Alexis Sanderson, Jan A. Schoterman, Raffaele Torella, and Teun Goudriaan.
<...(Read More) |
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The Aphorisms of Siva
(May 1992)
The Siva Sutra with Bhaskara's Commentary, the Varttika
Mark S. G. Dyczkowski - Translated and annotated by
Paul E. Muller-Ortega - Foreword by
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The Shiva Sutra was revealed to Vasugupta by Shiva in order to counter the effects of dualism. This revelation initiated the hermeneutics of syntheses and exegesis climaxed by the great Abhinavagupta. The Shiva Sutra is the most important scripture in the Trika system of Kashmir Shaivism. As a book on yoga, it explains the nature and cause of bondage and the means to liberation from bondage.
Bhaskara is in th...(Read More) |
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The Yoga of Vibration and Divine Pulsation
(December 1991)
A Translation of the Spanda Karika with Ksemaraja's Commentary, the Spanda Nirnaya
Jaideva Singh - Author
Mark S. G. Dyczkowski - With
Paul E. Muller-Ortega - Foreword by
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Spanda is the vibratory dynamism of the absolute consciousness. In the first section of his commentary, Ksja presents spanda as identical with the essential self of each person. The second section presents a methodology that allows access to the world of spanda yoga. The third section describes the spiritual powers attained by the realization of spanda.
Through modern physics, we have grown accustomed to thinking of physical reality as wa...(Read More) |
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Ganesh
(August 1991)
Studies of an Asian God
Robert L. Brown - Editor
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"This book displays 'state of the art' scholarship on the mythology, literature, iconography, and practice surrounding Ganaa. No single scholar could take on the range of traditions, texts, languages, and practices that are represented here. It is a case of strength through diversities of scholarly background and interests with each study thoroughly grounded in original sources." -- Paul B. Courtright, Emory University
"I liked the wide-rang...(Read More) |
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The Yoga of Delight, Wonder, and Astonishment
(August 1991)
A Translation of the Vijnana-bhairava with an Introduction and Notes by Jaideva Singh
Jaideva Singh - Author
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This book offers 112 dharanas -- 112 meditations or techniques -- for experiencing the extraordinary and paradoxical reality of unbounded consciousness called Bhairava. In her initial question to Bhairava, the Goddess asks him to reveal his own essential nature to her. Bhairava praises her question as pertaining to the very essence of the Tantra, and he praises the transcendent aspect of the Supreme. The Goddess then beseeches Bhairava to teach h...(Read More) |
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The Philosophy of Sadhana
(August 1990)
With Special Reference to the Trika Philosophy of Kashmir
Deba Brata SenSharma - Author
Paul E. Muller-Ortega - Foreword by
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After presenting a general survey of spiritual practice in the different schools of Indian philosophy, the author focuses on the Trika School, popularly called Kashmir Shaivism. He deals clearly and exhaustively with such topics as Shaktipat (the descent of Divine Grace), Diksha (initiation), and the role of the Guru. His treatment of the various paths (upayas) appropriate for the different types of practitioners is especially useful.
...(Read More) |
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The Doctrine of Recognition
(May 1990)
A Translation of the Pratyabhijnahrdayam with an Introduction and Notes, by Ksemaraja
Ksemaraja - Author
Jaideva Singh - Translator
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"In this world there are some devoted people who are undeveloped in reflection and have not taken pains in studying difficult works, but who nevertheless aspire after the enlightenment that blossoms forth with the descent of Sakti. For their sake the doctrine of recognition is being explained briefly."--Ksemaraja
The word pratyabhijna means recognition. All individuals are divine, but they have forgotten their...(Read More) |
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A Trident of Wisdom
(July 1989)
Translation of Paratrisika-vivarana
Abhinavagupta - Author
Jaideva Singh - Translator
Paul E. Muller-Ortega - Foreword by
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"I have prepared a trident of Wisdom in order to cut asunder their bondage." -- Abhinavagupta
This is a long commentary on a short Tantra. One of the most authoritative and venerated texts in Kashmir Shaivism, it deals with the nature of Ultimate Reality and with methods of realization focusing on the theory and practice of Mantra. Abhinavagupta presents his metaphysics of language, of the Word (Vak), and its relation...(Read More) |
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