P¯a˜ncar¯atra

281 Pages·2008·2.71 MB·English

The Roots of Tantra
SUNY Series in Tantric Studies
Paul E. Muller-Ortega and
Douglas Renfew Brooks, editors
The Roots of Tantra
Edited by
Katherine Anne Harper
and Robert L. Brown
State University of New York Press
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
 2002 State University of New York
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The roots of Tantra / edited by Katherine Anne Harper and Robert L. Brown.
p. cm.—(SUNY series in tantric studies)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7914-5305-7 (alk. paper)—ISBN 0-7914-5306-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Tantrism—History. I. Harper, Katherine Anne. II. Brown, Robert L., 1944 Oct. 6–
III. Series.
BL1283.83 .R66 2002
294.5′514—dc21
2001054184
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations vii
Preface by Katherine Anne Harper ix
Introduction by Robert L. Brown 1
P I
OVERVIEWS
1. What Do We Mean by Tantrism? 17
Andr´e Padoux
2. Early Evidence for Tantric Religion 25
David N. Lorenzen
P II
THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF TANTRA
3. Historical and Iconographic Aspects of S´a¯kta Tantrism 39
M. C. Joshi
4. Auspicious Fragments and Uncertain Wisdom: The Roots of
S´r¯ıvidya S´a¯kta Tantrism in South India 57
Douglas Renfrew Brooks
5. The Structural Interplay of Tantra, Veda¯nta, and Bhakti:
Nondualist Commentary on the Goddess 77
Thomas B. Coburn
P III
THE ART HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF TANTRA
6. The Spinal Serpent 93
Thomas McEvilley
v
vi Contents
7. The Warring S´aktis: A Paradigm for Gupta Conquests 115
Katherine Anne Harper
8. Early Evidence of the Pa¯n˜cara¯tra A¯gama 133
Dennis Hudson
P IV
THE VEDAS AND TANTRA
9. Imagery of the Self from Veda to Tantra 171
Teun Goudriaan
10. Tongues of Flame: Homologies in the Tantric Homa 193
Richard K. Payne
P V
THE TEXTS AND TANTRA
11. Becoming Bhairava: Meditative Vision in Abhinavagupta’s
Para¯tr¯ı´sika¯-laghuvr¸tti 213
Paul E. Muller-Ortega
12. Tantric Incantation in the Dev¯ı Pura¯n¸a:
The Padama¯la¯ Mantra Vidya¯ 231
Lina Gupta
List of Contributors 251
Glossary 255
Index 257
ILLUSTRATIONS
Cover: A. P. Gajjar, Yoniand Lingam, 1975. (Private collection)
1. Buddha flanked by skull tappers. Gandhara, Pakistan. Ca. first-
second century .. (Courtesy of The Russek Collection) 12
2. Stone disk with Mother Goddesses. Patna, Bihar. Third century
... (Courtesy of the Archaeological Survey of India) 43
3. Ring Stone with relief of a Mother Goddess. Ropar, Punjab. Third
century ... (Courtesy of the Archaeological Survey of India) 44
4. Steatite stone tablet. Rajgir, Punjab. Third century ... (Courtesy
of the Archaeological Survey of India) 45
5. Anantasayin Vis¸n¸u in yoganidra. Bhitargaon. Fifth to sixth century
.. (Courtesy of the Archaeological Survey of India) 49
6. S´r¯ıyantra 51
7. Ka¯l¯ıyantra 54
8. Indus Valley seal impression Mohenjo-Daro, showing motif of
symmetrically flanking goats with feet on central tree and
mountain. (Courtesy of the Archaeological Survey of India) 100
9. Summerian cylinder seal showing symmetrically flanking goats
with hooves on tree and/or mountain. Uruk Period. (Line drawing
courtesy of Joyce Burstein) 100
10. Indus Valley seal impression showing dompteur motif. Mohenjo-
Daro. (Courtesy of the Archaeological Survey of India) 101
11. Achaemenian seal showing Sumerian dompteur motif with central
male figure flanked by griffenlike composite monsters. (Courtesy of
The Morgan Library) 101
12. Indus Valley painted potsherd showing lion attacking bull.
Mohenjo-Daro. (Courtesy of Arthur Probsthain Publisher) 102
vii
viii Illustrations
13. Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing lion attacking bull from
behind. Uruk period, ca. 3000 ... (Line drawing courtesy of
Joyce Burstein) 102
14. Indus Valley seal impression showing a goddess in a tree with a
bull god and seven vegetation spirits. Mohenjo-Daro. (Courtesy of
the Archaeological Survey of India) 103
15. Sumerian cylinder seal impression showing a goddess in a tree with
a horned god. Third millennium ... (Line drawing courtesy of
Joyce Burstein) 103
16. Babylonian seal showing entwined serpent pair homologized to
human body. ca. 2000 ... (Courtesy of Princeton University
Press) 105
17. Indus Valley seal impression. (Courtesy of the Archaeological
Survey of India) 106
18. Mu¯la¯bandha¯sana. (Digital art courtesy of Joyce Burstein) 107
19. Yoga¯sana Vignana demonstrated by Shirendra Brahmachari.
(Courtesy of Probashi Publishing Company) 108
20. Australian aboriginal ritual view. (Couretsy of International
University Press) 109
21. Saptama¯tr¸ka¯ Panel. Exterior of Cave 4. Udayagiri, Bhopal. Early
fifth century .. (Photograph by Katherine Anne Harper) 120
22. Detail of emblematic banners, Saptama¯tr¸ka¯ Panel. Exterior of
Cave 4, Udayagiri, Bhopal. Early fifth century .. (Photgraph by
Katherine Anne Harper) 120
23. Saptama¯tr¸ka¯ Panel. Exterior of Cave 6, Udayagiri, Bhopal. Early
fifth century .. (Photography by Katherine Anne Harper) 121
24. Detail of emblematic banners, Saptama¯tr¸ka¯ Panel. Exterior of Cave
6, Udayagiri, Bhopal. Early fifth century .. (Photograph by
Katherine Anne Harper) 121
25. Detail of emblematic banners, Saptama¯tr¸ka¯ Panel. Exterior of Cave
6, Udayagiri, Bhopal. Early fifth century .. (Photograph by
Katherine Anne Harper) 122
PREFACE
The study of Tantrism as a specialized academic field has been a relatively recent
phenomenon, perhaps stretching over only the last three or four decades; and, in
the last few years, specialized studies dedicated to this often misunderstood subject
have been published and received with increasing enthusiasm. This book is an
initial study addressing origins in that it attempts to seek out and understand some
of the nascent forms and sources of Tantrism in ancient India. The volume grew
out of two conferences held in the greater Los Angeles area in October 1989 and
March 1995 that were devoted specifically to fleshing out the meager evidence on
early Tantrism. It is a matter of great satisfaction that so many scholars have
worked to address questions concerning the origins and have shaped careful and
detailed responses, particularly given the paucity of material remnants, both ar-
chaeological and textual, known at this time. The reader will encounter various
approaches to the general topic concerning roots and origins; the diversity is the
result of specific disciplines and backgrounds, each scholar bringing unique in-
sights to the general topic. By no means does this volume attempt to be com-
prehensive; the problems involved in uncovering inchoate elements giving rise to
Tantrism and its early manifestations are far too broad to be bound in a single
volume. What we hope to accomplish is to pose a body of new questions and
stimulate new dialogue and research in the field of Tantric studies.
The editors wish to thank the many participants for their excellent con-
tributions and their great patience. In addition, we would like to thank the Society
for Tantric Studies, Loyola Marymount University and the University of Califor-
nia at Los Angeles for various forms of support along the way.
—Katherine Anne Harper
ix