The Origins of Yoga and Tantra: Indic Religions to the Thirteenth CenturyYoga, tantra and other forms of Asian meditation are practised in modernized forms throughout the world today, but most introductions to Hinduism or Buddhism tell only part of the story of how they developed. This book is an interpretation of the history of Indic religions up to around 1200 CE, with particular focus on the development of yogic and tantric traditions. It assesses how much we really know about this period, and asks what sense we can make of the evolution of yogic and tantric practices, which were to become such central and important features of the Indic religious scene. Its originality lies in seeking to understand these traditions in terms of the total social and religious context of South Asian society during this period, including the religious practices of the general population with their close engagement with family, gender, economic life and other pragmatic concerns. |
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The Origins of Yoga and Tantra: Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century Geoffrey Samuel No preview available - 2008 |
The Origins of Yoga and Tantra: Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century Geoffrey Samuel No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
areas Aryan ascetic Asian associated Atharvaveda Bhairava body Brahmanical Bronkhorst Buddha Buddhist Buddhist and Jaina Central Gangetic region centre century BCE Chapter Chinese complex context cult cultural dating defined deities difficult Dynasty earlier evidence female fierce figures find fire first goddess groups Gupta Hindu Hinduism identified imagery important Indian Indic religions Indo-Aryan Indo-Aryan languages Indus Valley influence Jain Jaina Jainism K¯alacakra kind king kingship ks.atriya Kuru-Pa˜nc¯ala region later liberating insight Magadha Mah¯abh¯arata Mah¯ay¯ana male man.d.ala meditation modern monastic Olivelle one’s origins P¯a´supatas Pali Canon Parpola Pata˜njali perhaps period practitioners R.gveda R¯am¯ayan.a reflect religious renunciate ritual role s¯utras sacrifice Saiva Saivite Samuel Sanderson Sanskrit sexual practices shamanic significant Siva social society South Asia South India Southeast Asia specific spiritual sraman.a st¯upa suggests Tantra Tantric Tantric practice techniques texts textual Tibet Tibetan tradition transgressive Upanis.ads urban village vr¯atyas Witzel yaks.a yoga yogic
Popular passages
Page 230 - in justice to the doctrines of the sect, it is to be observed, that these practices, if instituted merely for sensual gratification, are held to be as illicit and reprehensible as in any other branch of the Hindu faith...
Page 300 - Yayfuinacaru in the following manner :MT "—where the enjoyment of love is being continually intensified and still more intensified by the close embraces (of lovers), by which fatigue is removed, in which hissing sound often appears and in which hairs often stand on their ends, although such enjoyment suffers interruptions as the ardent young couple show their skill in the various processes of conjugal enjoyment with their eyes dilated (with excitement) and with their minds subdued and fascinated...
Page 230 - Sdktas it is scarcely concealed, it is usually nothing more than a convivial party, consisting of the members of a single family, or at which men only are assembled , and the company are glad to eat flesh and drink spirits1, under the pretence of a religious obTnft servance.
Page 135 - I had eaten solid food and regained my strength, then quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.
Page 136 - When my mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the passing away and rebirth of beings.
Page 135 - I recall that when my father the Sakyan was occupied, while I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. Could that be the path to enlightenment?
Page 136 - But he who takes refuge in the Buddha, the Law and the Order, he perceives, in his clear wisdom, the Four Noble Truths. "Suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the...
Page 144 - At the four quarters of the heaven stood the (figures of) 89 the four Great kings/ and the thirty-three gods and the thirty-two (celestial) maidens and the twenty-eight chiefs of 90 the yakkhas; but above these3 devas raising their folded hands, vases filled with flowers likewise, dancing devatas and...
Page 144 - ... devatas playing instruments of music, devas with mirrors in their hands, and devas also bearing flowers and branches, devas with lotus-blossoms and so forth in their hands and 92 other devas of many kinds, rows of arches made of gems and (rows) of dhammacakkas ; * rows of sword-bearing devas and 93 also devas bearing pitchers.