THE TANTRIC REVIEW BULLETIN OF TANTRIC LITERATURE
01/2015
THE TANTRIC REVIEW BULLETIN OF TANTRIC LITERATURE 01/2015 Published in Italy by Lodge Sothis Official Lodge of Dragon Rouge – Ordo Draconis et Atrii Adamantis April 2015 Under Creative Commons International License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Cover Image originally in A.Sanderson, Maṇḍalas and Āgamic Identity in The Trika of Kashmir, in Mantras et
Diagrammes Rituels dans l’Hindouisme, Paris, 1986, pp. 169-204
II
The texts we are going to comment on will
AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE
not be restricted to any particular frame or This initiative has been conceived in the
order; we will indifferently present old and
ongoing
to
new works alike, with a definite interest to
contribute to the Draconian Current. Such
compare, analyse and provide suggestions
contributions can be of a practical magical
based on our perception and practise of the
nature or – as in this case – of a theoretical
Tantric tradition.
one, yet not less important.
The Tantric Review will also include specific
The Tantric Review project sees the light as
focuses
integral part of our Lodge’s Tantric Project,
specifically created and edited to support both
which first saw the light in structured and
the novice and the veteran student of the
deeply magical form in 2010 and has since
Tantric tradition.
then been a fundamental pillar of our
If these reflections and reviews will inspire
initiatory work and research. We have since
you, our aim will have been accomplished.
effort
from
Lodge
Sothis
on
particular
concepts:
it
is
then held several long and short-term projects based on the Tantric tradition, both in Italy and in other countries: the Magical Week in Gotland and in Greece, hosted by Lodge Typhon. We also had the chance to hold a public introductory theoretical course to the study of the Tantras in some Italian cities, which gave us the possibility to understand the kind of confusion and misunderstandings surrounding the Tantras likely to arise in the esoteric milieu as well. This publication, available to the Order via the forum, wants to be an overview of texts published on the Tantric tradition, a middle ground
of
sorts
between
reviews
and
commentaries, with the aim of promoting interest,
sharing wisdom and providing
insights to those interested in such endeavours as the different paths of Tantric lore.
Naples-Rome, April 2015
WENDY DONIGER O’FLAHERTY
the study of Indology and Tantras with
Śiva: The Erotic Ascetic
patience and an open mind.
Oxford University Press, 1973
For those interested in the technical aspects of
English
O’Flaherty’s
386 pages
by Professor
method,
the
introduction presents her overview of the
Forty years later, this impressive piece of work
scholarly
Doniger
O’Flaherty
(eminent Indologist at the University of Chicago, where she has taught since 1978) still stands as a landmark in Śaiva studies, especially on a theme of such profound interest as the dichotomy between asceticism and the erotic drive, both on a mundane and on an exquisitely initiatory plane. The author presents in this vast volume an impressive array of sources and textual data through which she explores the references to Śiva as the great ascetic and to his erotic counterpart, Kāma. The structuralist approach O’Flaherty used in this book possesses, in my opinion, a double-edged quality. On one hand, we have a book conceived in the “dry” approach of the structuralist method
- an
analysis and display of motifs and sub-motifs: basically following the procedure in which a theme or a work is broken down in several layers and the interaction of the different layers is crucial in the overall interpretation – which might at a first approach discourage the scholars of religion and – especially – of Esotericism; but, on the other hand, the painstaking and highly erudite work of the author makes this volume worthwhile for all researchers and practitioners who approach
different problems which arise in the study of Hindu mythology, focusing especially on what she sees as its inherent character of paradox and contradiction, often resolved by a transcendental bhakti approach - but after all the very theme of this work is a strong dichotomy (still hard to sublimate from a Western perspective), perhaps the strongest of all: the one between the desire to transcend and the urge of earthly (or allegedly so) desires. Chapter II presents a comprehensive overview of these two recurring themes in early Indian mythology, facing subjects as the power of chastity - exemplified by the «creative tapas» and
the
apparently contradictory erotic
powers of the ascetics (both male and female!) – apparently counterpoised to the importance of procreation. Chapter III is one of the most interesting sections,
as
it
deals
with
the
Vedic
antecedents of Śiva, focusing on Rudra, Indra and Agni, defined as “the erotic fire”, providing excellent textual references to original Sanskrit literature on these less known aspects, or predecessors, of the great Hindu god. The book then follows with a thorough exploration of Śiva’s multiform nature, both
IV
in opposition and identification with Bhramā
on a deep knowledge and possession of the
and, obviously, with Kamā, analyzing in
source material. A further proof that strictly
depth his incarnations as ascetic and dweller
academic material can provide esotericists
of the mundane abode par excellence, the
with a never-ending well of lore and reliable
householder.
information.
The important theme of the constant tension
Definitely recommended.
between sexuality and control is further developed in Chapter VIII, with an interesting
[A.B.]
presentation of sources on the transformation of desire by self-temptation, as in this enlightening passage: Śiva’s lust for Mohinī deludes him until he spills his seed; then he realizes his delusion, becomes spent, and refrains from his low act, whereupon Viṣṇu praises him for being the only one ever to have conquered his delusion in this way. The release – the shedding of the seed – is not in itself a sufficient cure; it must be accompanied by the conquest of delusion, the attainment of indifference. When this is attained, the devotee who indulges in sexual pleasures is saved rather than dammed by them (pp. 259-260)
Of great interest to the attentive and open minded scholar of the Left Hand Path is also the theme of Chapter IX and its inherent focus on the cyclic nature of urges, may them be mundane or transcendental: in particular I recommend the paragraphs A and B, which revolve around the “dangers” of both Śiva’s excessive chastity and sexual indulgence. In brief, this volume presents a massive source of information, and it can be read as it is or used as reference material: it nonetheless provides scholars and esotericists alike with a clear, learned information based
V
ABHINAVAGUPTA
the concept of ignorance as “stain” in the
Tantrasāra - Essenza dei Tantra
sacred texts, and how to avoid it through
Translated by Raniero Gnoli
different kinds of knowledge. These can be
Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, 1990
obtained through different means, known as
Italian
“the way without means”, which is the
277 pages
enlightment by a single instant and the rarest The Tantrasāra (“Essence of the Tantras”) is generally considered a shorter or abridged version of the much longer and complete Tantrāloka (Light of the Tantras) by the Kaśmiri
philosopher
and
Tantrika
Abhinavagupta, who lived in Kaśmir in the tenth century. The text was published in the Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies no. XVII by Mukund Rām Shāstrī, Bombay 1918. This is Raniero Gnoli’s direct translation from Sanskrit to Italian; Gnoli was Full Professor of Indology at the University of Rome “Sapienza”, internationally known as one of the best Sanskrit and Indian philosophy specialists of the last centuries. The text is
(«Can the evershining Sun shine in a vase? Who, with a noble glaze, in a single instant can discriminate this, then he can penetrate into Śiva»); the following means, known as the
“divine
means”:
according
to
Abhinavagupta, those yogis that cannot penetrate directly the divine, can compenetrate it gazing into its power, made of freedom
and
its
own
reflection;
the
“empowered means” are meant to be used to purify through specific
meditations
the
discursive knowledge, which is actually a way to break representations or to avoid incorrect representations of the mind; the last, “the minimal means”, are those used at the
completed by a full introduction to Kaśmir
beginning of the way, such as the body, the
Śaivism,
external symbols, the rites and the breath. The
the figure of Abhinavagupta, a
comment by the translator and six appendixes (including one about the Sanskrit language and pronunciation) useful to understand the context and concepts presented in the text. In these 22 chapters Abhinavagupta explains the doctrine of the Tantras, which is to him the way of Kaśmir Śaivism, based upon different “schools”, including the Krama and the Spanda. The Tantrasāra is written, as its longer brother, as a manual both for the Master and the Student. It starts explaining
following chapters are about time, space, mantras, different kinds of initiation (dīkṣā) and post mortem rites in the Trika school, which is according to Abhinavagupta the final and most complete school of all traditions. According to him (Chapter 19: “On the Probative Value of the Holy Texts”) every school, being it Śaiva or not, is a good school, suitable for a specific time or type of man, even if the Trika is considered superior. The final chapter, “The Sacrifice according to the
VI
Kula School”, Abhinavagupta explains the six main sacrifices: on the external reality, on the power, on the body, on the sexual union, on the breath of life, on the consciousness. This chapter is mainly an abridged version of specific
principles
and
practices
better
explained in both the Parātriṃśikā and the Tantrāloka, Gnoli using the latter one to integrate the translated text, which is roughly hard to understand originally, being written in the “crepuscular language” typical of many Tantras, especially the ones explaining sexual rites. It’s hard to say if the Tantrasāra can be read by a novice of the Tantras, or if using different texts by Abhinavagupta may result more suitable, and probably there’s no correct answer. As many of the real meaningful texts on the Tantras, it should be read and literally practiced upon many times, giving every time a different (or, more advanced) result. One thing, by the way, should be always said about Abhinavagupta: in the Tenth century, in his Tantrāloka, he already warned the young practitioners about the corrupted gurus that used the Tantras for material gains, especially of the sexual kind. It’s a lesson we should always keep in mind, especially today.
[A.V.]
VII
UTPALADEVA
Īśvarapratyabhijñakārikā»1. What made this
Meditations on Shiva. The Shivastrotavali of
encounter even more peculiar was my state of
Utpaladeva
mind at the time, profoundly immersed in
Translated by Constantina Rhodes Bailly
Tantric workings and meditations: this is what
State University of New York Press, 1995
hits when reading Utpaladeva verses, the
English
immediate feeling of pure poetry flowing
133 pages
directly from sādhana, or spiritual practice
The ways of initiation and inspiration are multifold. Sometimes a life-changing book can reside on the shelves of the “Occult” section of your local bookstore (especially in your early twenties), later on you might find some among rigorous scholarly works, or in the visionary art and music of some talented individuals. As for me, I hadn’t thought I could ever find deep spiritual enlightenment and insights into works of poetry – but, again, we are talking about Tantric authors, for whom no means are unworthy to praise the fantastic journey through the consciousness of My encounter with the peaks of Hindu mystical poetry happened when I stumbled upon the works of Utapaladeva (c.ca 900 – 950 CE), theologian, mystic and philosopher of the Kaśmir Pratyabhijña school of Śaivism and a great example of a gifted tāntrika; in the words of the Italian Indologist Raffaele Torella, Utpaladeva shines as a «passionate and deep mystic in the Śivastotrāvalī as he been
an
epistemologist
inflexible in
dialectic
We find in this small booklet, beautifully translated and introduced by Constantina Rhodes Bailly of the State University of New York,
the
rendition
of
Utpaladeva’s
Śivastotrāvalī (“Garland of Songs to Śiva”), so named by the great siddha’s disciples who gathered in this volume his devotional stotras, or songs. As already mentioned, Utpaladeva’s words strike chords for those who have savored the depths of meditation, as they record «his experiences of what is known in Indian aesthetic theory as sambhoga, the sweet and
separation, union, and what is in between.
had
and experiences.
and the
expansive intoxication of encountering the divine beloved» (Introduction, p. 3). What is beautifully Tantric in this is the concept that to truly achieve union with the divine the mystic, once achieved the highest state of consciousness (turiya or the Fourth State), one mustn’t try to remain there in a static and impossible detachment, but to bring back to the
world
the
wisdom
and
inner
enlightenment, as the liberation does not coincide with «the immersion in a state - how
1
R. Torella, Introduzione to A. Padoux, Tantra, Einaudi 2011, pp. IX – XIX, p. XIX. Translation from Italian is ours.
VIII
high as it might be - , but with the total adhesion to the very movement of Power»2. This is the real gift of initiation and the dynamic nature of the left hand path itself. But even the reader who approaches these verses without having ever experienced Tantric practices might benefit from them; as Rhodes Bailly remarks, the Kaśmiri tradition «places an even subtler and more germane value on Utpaladeva’s poetry, for not only is it said to assist the sādhaka in progressing toward the goal, it plays a part in initiating the whole process.» (Introduction, p. 6). This is a reading that influenced me deeply, and I wish many of you can benefit from these sublime verses as I have.
The only
concluding words that can have meaning are better left to the great siddha himself: With the restless joy Born of rapture and devotion May I perceive, entirely through the senses, The whole world in the form of Śiva And every action to consist of worship
[A.B.]
2
Ivi, p. XVIII-XIX.
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KṢEMARĀJA
śakticakravibavaprabhava,
Spandasaṁdoha
Kṣemarāja in eleven different ways, including
Translated by Enrica Garzilli
in them some influences by the Krama
Istituto Universitario Orientale, Napoli 1989
“school”
Italian
as
his
by
guru
Abhinavagupta, was initiated probably in
44 pages
almost all the “schools” of non-dualistic
Spandasaṁdoha (“Totality of Spanda”, which can be roughly translated as “vibration”) is a text by Kṣemarāja, probably the most important author of the Spanda school of nondualistic
(Kṣemarāja,
explained
Kaśmir
Śaivism.
The
original
Sanskrit text was published in the Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies no. XVI by Mukund Rām Shāstrī, Bombay 1917, hereby presented in its first translation into a western language by Enrica Garzilli, later editor of the International Journal of Tantric Studies, formerly
Affiliate
Researcher
at
the
University of Delhi, Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions, Lecturer at Department of Sanskrit and Indian
Kaśmir Śaivism), substantially defining the Spanda as movement in the subject itself, vibration, «the wave in the sea of knowing», the dynamic energy of consciousness, the pure action. The Krama influence is particularly evident in the tenth and eleventh interpretations, in which the use of the śaktis (“powers”) is explained. The Spandasaṁdoha is a very difficult text, that can be read and progressively understood by novices having a good confidence with other Śaiva sacred texts, but it’s undoubtedly a text full of philosophical and practical hints for the devoted tantric student.
Studies and Editor-in-Chief of Harvard Oriental Series, Opera Minora (Harvard
[A.V.]
University). The Spandasaṁdoha is a comment about the first stanza of the main Spanda text, the Spandakārikā (“The stanzas on vibration”), which is on its own a comment on the first “official” Śaiva sacred text, the Śivasūtra. The author commented the first stanza, as he wrote in the last pages, because «the content of the entire treatise is a unique phrase which comprehends the whole». Practically, the text is
especially
about
the
first
verse
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SHASHIBHUSAN DAS GUPTA
many scholars of the Left Hand Path with
Obscure Religious Cults
several gems of information and – especially
Firma Klm Private Limited, 1946
worth of notice – following a thorough
English
historical and doctrinal structure. Another
436 pages
merit of the Indian scholar is reserving a part of the book to an overview of the Baūl sect of
Creativity surely is a pillar of magical and spiritual endeavours, but when tracing back and trying to really get to the core of systems of thought and spiritual world views, Lodge Sothis – and Dragon Rouge a whole – have always stressed the importance of primary sources. Reality is much more interesting than immature fantasy trips or endless, useless strifes on vague genealogies. Tantra makes no exception to that: what the popular Western approach would like it to be is by far less interesting the myriad of facets it possesses. Shashibhusan Das Gupta (1911-1964) in this great classic from 1946 (which constituted his doctoral dissertation) presents us with a wonderful primer to the less known schools and sects of tantric Hinduism and Buddhism. In particular, we have thanks to his researches a comprehensive outlook on the esoteric
Bengal, the “tantric bards” of Indian culture, singers and cantors who shunned pedantic academic treatises of the Divine, preferring to devote their endeavours into chanting the word of the Transcendental. Worth of notice is also the lengthy examination of the problems and speculations on the complex problem of Dharma in Indian thought. Das Gupta’s systematic approach makes the huge load of information easy to absorb even for the uniformed reader, and the amount of data which is here presented can easily be consulted in separate parts, as the themes are many and manifold. Commenting on each part would deserve a commentary volume in itself, so I strongly suggest all scholars and practitioners of Tantra to get hold of this pivotal book and use it a life-long reference for their studies and inspiration.
stream of doctrines, such as the rarely touched-on Buddhist and Vaiṣṇava Sahajiyā
[A.B.]
cults (and the transition between them); an extensive share of the book is dedicated to the legendary Nāth siddhas, miracle workers and extreme yogis widely mentioned in Western occult literature but seldom appropriately studied in all their fascinating aspects: this volume surely presents a comprehensive research on the matter, which could surprise
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