Tantric Knowledge: Philosophy, History, Practice

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In this thorough text, Hindu Studies scholar Gavin Flood provides an introduction to tantra: what it is, where it fits into the history of South Asia and beyond, what its links are to Hinduism and Buddhism, and how contemporary tantra transforms the older tradition.

The most misrepresented of all Hindu traditions, Tantra is a complex interweaving of teachings and practices that pervades Vainava, Saiva, Sakta, and Smarta traditions. Its roots can be traced back to Vedic times and its influence has spread to Jainism, Buddhism, and beyond.

In Tantric Knowledge, Gavin Flood demystifies tantra, illustrating how it is more than just esoteric teachings, but is in fact the very fabric of the Hindu worldview. While sex and secret ritual are an element of some practices, tantra encompasses much more than that. Tantric ideas have shaped core Hindu practices such as temple building, worship, mantra, yoga, ayurveda, meditation, and guru-disciple relationships. It is a part of everyday life.

Tantric Knowledge also highlights how tantric traditions claim to possess knowledge about the nature of the universe, the nature of ourselves as human beings, and how we fit into the wider cosmos around us. Tantric knowledge is what the texts and traditions profess. The study of these traditions raises interesting questions of both historical and existential importance.