TANTRIC BUDDHISM

-NALINAKSHA DUTr

INTRODUCTION OF BUDDHISM INTO TIBET

It is a matter of common knowledge that a few centuries before

the reign of King Srong atsan·sgam. po. the warlike Tibetans were ex-
tending their sway over Kashgar. Kucha, Karashahr. and Khotan.and had
occupied, though temporarily. these four garrisoned cities by defeating
1he Chinese army. Their occupation of Central Asia upto the borders
of China is amply proved by the existence of a large coJleetion of
Tibetan manuscripts in the Chinese cave temple of Tun-huang. The
dialect of the Central Asian inscriptions of the 7th Century A D. dis-
covered at Niya and other sttes is also intermixed with Tibetan words.
Now there can be no doubt that the Tibetans extended their territory
before the 7th century A. 0, not only to Central Asia but also upto
Baltistan and Gilgit (Bru zha). Here evidently they came across Bud.
dhist monks and monasteries. and realized the importance and wide
popularity of the religion. At this period. the form of Buddhism pre-
valent there was mainly Tantric, and so it is quite likely that Tantric
Buddhism percolated into Tibet before King Srong-btsan.sgam-po eata-
blished it in his realm formally. His Nepalese queen brought with her
the images of Akhsobhya. Maitreya and Tara, that is. the gods worshi-
pped by the Tantric Buddhists, and so it is evident that the form of
Buddhism first introduced into Tibet from Nepal and Central Asia was
Tantric. King Srong.btsan-sgam-po·s descendant Khri-srong-Ide·btsan at
the advice of Santaraksita invited the famous Tantric teacher Padmesam.
bhavI!I from Uddiyana of the Swat Valley on the N. W. borders of
India ( now West Pakistan). In order to re-orient the religion - in his
realm The sect started by Padmasambav8. known as Nying mB plI.'
thenceforth became the recognized and state patronized religion of Tibet.

TANTRIC BUDDHISM IN INDIA

In India, Tantricism has a long history. It may be as old as Vedi.

cism, for in the A thar va veda there are incantations which are believed
to produce supernatural effects. The belief in the efficacy of mantras
has been prevailing in India from time immemorial and it is still pre-
valent widely among the Indians.

The mantras (q;=qJgsang·sngags) do not perhaps always carry a meaning

5
but their correct intonation was and ts still considered and believed to have
an effect. The earliest form of such mantras in the Buddhist literature
is known. as Dharanis (Uli(1l{l gzungs) which are found in very early Mahayana
texts. 'The corresponding compositions in pali are called Parittas (qii~·
yongs-su·skyobs-pa)

, Asang~_.jo t'lis. Bodhisattvabhumi (Ch XVII, p.185) offers .an'expo·

sition . of the term .DharanL He. writes that Oha,ani means that a Bod-,'
Ilisattva' , preserves in his memory phC1rma, Its artha,and the manu"sJoraA'
unllmit~d
. . ,',
period of lime.-,The,first
\ ~- - - -,,'
13nd, secend. Dharma-dharani and A~tha-·
',',: ' , ' -

dharani mean thEIl a Bodhis))ttva remembers the.texts( granthes) .8S well.es

their meaning (\3T~ do;;) ~n~ccount oLtheirsharpand excellent mempry.'
Th'ethlrd is M-mtra·dharani. . by which is mednt that a Bodhisattva Ofit
acqount 9f his cont(ol, oyer meditations. can relieve tha sufferings of,
beings
: : )
by ,utteringJ>pells
- , "I,'
(mantras).
'.
and the• fourth,
.. '
is Ksanti labhaya dharani
(&flr;:a&'l':~H:r-eli(1l{lbzod-pa~thob.'p8)by yvhlch IS l1lear:lt that a Bodhisattva, who
I~ads'
. ~ ~
a highly' r~strained life. JearnssOme spells by which he perf-fcts 1
, ' .

him~tlif in perseverance ( Ksami ) •. Th~ spelis are like 'Iti miti kiti-bhih
k,s~l?ppaflal7i s'(aha -( ~re fJ1re fif.iref~: .nr;:a~Jfit 'tcll~f) •. Though the wordsi
of 'the,
in~t?tras do notcQnvey any, particular meaning .. aBodhisaUva~
-, i:' ,.1 _ . ' •

rf,l~I,izes their intrinsig vCjlue • ..viz., the nature· of their indescribabilitv:

(f"l'~T~mt~ ,tcll1'liiitil J, ,and hence he dqes nqt seek their literal sense":
Frofll,such interpretatiQos, itappeaJs that the~fflcacy of a mantra dep-,
ends more on the, wjll~pow.er of th~ mantra.rEiciter, who knows how
tp control his thoughts. tt;\,an on the actual words composing the spells'
The intQoation and repetition of the spells mlilY, have a value of their,
''" - '\ ) ' ,. "

TANTRICISM
Tantricism is essentiatly an esoteric form of rengion in which
meditation forms cthe core. The meditations were not af the type found
in early Buddhist, texts but needed manyartifical aids un1er close and
direct supervision of a parfectspiritual guide (Uv bla-ma). There are five se-
ctions in the Tantric spiritual culture vix ( i ) rites and ceremonies
(r~<.n byed-pa). (n) meditationa! practices and observences for external and
internal purity ('illif spyodp'fl)., (iii) finger gestures and physical postures (flAT-
phyag-rgys). utterance of spells ( J:T;:~ gsang-.ngaygs); (iv) meditations (~)11
rnal.'byo, ) and (v) higher type of meditations ('aT~~(lI)rr bta-na-med.pa; mal·
'byo,) toreali~e the Olleness of the diverse beings and objects of the
universe. that is. i:f9f rdo-rje).

The minil'num requirements of a Tantrie adept are the knowledge

6
of spells il'1t:f their correct intonation, the various fingerposes and sittin~
Dost1JrBsandvariolisdiagra1'l,' (;'{r.r~~ dkyil.'khor) for the purpose of li'iedita',;
tionsas also for secu'rity fromevifforces and lastlyform'al initiation (arfJ;,qi;
dbang skur) by a spiritUal preceptor', Guru) into form of spiritual' ~ulfure.' "
,
According fGthe . Tantrics, the human boayis the microcosm!
which contains -the-lowest am! highesf form' of conceivable Wotldl9
$xistence. It:can 'be' turned into 8 hellish ora 'heavenly state. 'The
process -by which] 8'htlm8n 'beirigcan be' raised 'spirltuallv Is centred
round the"'fhree veins in the backbone' ("cerebro':spinSI 8,xis)' talliid Jri
Rindu.!fantras! Ida (,ilJT ).1tingaICi (fQ'JI'(!ff) and SUSUlllrfa ( ~); oj
which the corresponding Buddhist' terms are [slana T~,,;;T), . Rasene:
({fAT) and Avadhutika f ar~1Ia~T). Ida is (tn the leff side and 'Pi"ngera
on the fioht side of the central vein Susumna. The two side veiri~
entwine the central' one~ Ida from left to right and Pingala from rigllt'
to left withoitlt touching the Susumna. All the three. two of which In
a spiFal' form rise from the anus (+I(!fl~:m:) to the centre of the eve.'
brows. that is. Pineal Gland (arT~T" In between the two there are
four stations known as lower U"mber region (fCfJr!f\'6!;;). lumber tegion'
( ;'{Rq~). Midd1e ThorasicYeglon (31;;l~a)and' cer~ical region (ffl~ ):
The two side veins in Buddhist Tantras represent knowledge HI''" 'hes.rsb)
and eXJlledient or Gompassion (\3ql~/Cfi\>1IJT thabslsnying·rje). The latter,
is dynamic repres~mting worldly forces' and, the former h.; static (inact!~.~
pure knowledge)~ The central vein Susumna or Avadhutika. representa Bod.,
hicitta or Vajra, in which the functions and effects of the two aid;'-'
veins are united into one, the, parfect unity taking plalle when the
mind force reach"es" through the central vein to the centre oftba eVEh
brows At this point onenflss of; the worldly forces and the Truth i.-
fully realized .. The Tantric adapts ilractise meditation ~ith the artiticial
aids to push UP the mind-force from the lowest (muladhara) to the
highest (ajna) point and thereby achieve perfect knowledge or salvation.
The merging of the two, Prajna and Upaya, at the top in Avadhutika
(Kun-'dar-ma) is represented by . the image of Yabyum in Tibet. It denotes
the perfect Bodhicitta or Vajra, in which' gisappears the distinction betweefl
worldly activity and transcendental knowledge.

What has been stated above briefly may be explained in further

details. The central object of Tantricism is the realization of worldly
existence (~~m: 'khf'r-ba) as nonexistent in reality ( f;;CffIIJ mya-ngan./as.'das-pa)
by means of breath control and regulation (SJIUJlUT;'{j comt>ineq with con-,
centration of thoughts. The philosophy of the identity of Samsara and'
Nirvana was first propounded by Nagarjuna in his Madhyamaka-karika
XXV. 20). The Tantric saints adopted this philosophy and devised the
psycho-physical process of identifying samsara and nirvana with the two
veins on the right and left of the central vein. The right vein Rasana (HHI/
fqw.nr-ro-ma) represents worldly existence (samsara). It is this vein through
which a Bodhisattva exercises his compassion (lOq,~q;1~~~=thabs-la-mkhas pa)
for his own spiritual advancement as well as for the good of the worldly
beings. which really have only conventional existence. Without the
assumption of such existence a Bodhisattva cannot develop his com-
passionate mind. which must have a basis. The left vein Lalana (brkyang-ma)
represen~s ,Nirvana. the culmination of soul-Iessness (3T"fIC's:Jtll-bdag med-ma)
and substancelessness (~;:lItn-stong-p" nyid) of worldly existence_ The
means for attaining Nirvana is knowledge (Prajna) of real state of wor-
ldly objects and beings. A B:>dhisattva develops Prajna through the left
vein .. By means of breathing exercises a Tantric Bodhisattva makes com·
passion and knowledge descend along the two veins to commingle at
the ,bottom of the cerebro-spinal axis and ascend upwards through the
central vein. Avadhuti (=Susumna, to the Brahmarandhra where the
two forces. karuna and prajna. in union. produce the Bodhicitta (iftli
sa-bon) for supreme enlightenment. It is, this seed which fructifies into
Sambodhi. making a fully enlightened Samyak Sambuddha.

In th,e Tantric texts the above mentioned process of the union of

compaSSion and knowledge has been explained by metaphors, similes and
symbols taken from unsophisticated and vulgar language, be Nild~ring to an
averabe reader, who is prone to interpret them literally or etymologically.
For example the term Candali does not mean a woman of Candala caste
but the highest stage of perfection. Candali is a combination of Candra
( moon - 'aql~=(fivun ) and Ali (vowel system-~ill1). It denotes the union,
of Upaya and Prajna or Samsara and Nirvana, producing the Bodhicitta.
for which the term Bija is used. In short Bija is produced by the union of
Candra and Ali~ The saintly authors of the Tantric texts did not ad-
here also to the grammatical rules, particularly those of gender. They
used. as and when necessary to suit the purpose of expressing their
ideas, feminine terms for masculine and vice versa. A few instances
of such uses are given below:-

i. ~~Fn (filfqf-lOqlll-(fiv0J1="'p~-~ (of~~'jf)-~l~if> I

ii. ~l-3Tlfqf-sr~n-wi- ~'jf (of~ -~,~'il I
iii. 3T~ff~.ti)-:qG'i§l~-i[)tm:q~-iftGl (~~)-f:q~
(Pure Mind )·fl!~f'ijJ:l~ffi I
[~~ is renderd in Tibetan in three forms: skye-rdo-rje, dges-pa-rdo-rje,
dgyes-pa-rdo-rjej.

B
 IDENTITY OF THE WORLDLY FORCES
AND THE TRUTH

The Buddhist Tantricism may have borrowed the lines of spiritual

practices from the Hindus but it retained the Mahsyanic philosophy of
~en I stong-pa·nyid (Characteristics-Iessness ) or a'tia'l I dtl-bzhin-nyid
( Thatness / Sameness) or fiI~fu~n::ffiT / rnamppar-shes-pa-nyid (Pure
Consciousness apart from Sense-consciousness). In the Guhya-
samoja. an early Tantric text, Vajrs is defined as the Reality or
the highest Truth. It is explained as the oneness of the diverse objects
and beings of the universe. i e. Thatness of the Madhyamiks. It says
that in reality. there is no such distinction as male and female. good
and bad. foul and sweet. The distinction made between one object or
being and another is conventional. Likewise the distinction made bet-
ween a householder and a recluse is conventional. This realization of
oneness of everything of the universe is the aim of a Vairayanist. to
whom the phenomenal world of desires derived through the six sense-
organs is identical with the Reality/the Truth /the Sunyata. As space exists
everywhere and is neither contaminated nor uncontaminated by foul
odour or sweet scent so does the Truth/the Vajra. which remains ever
unaffected by worldly enjoyments or aversion to same. A Bodhisattva
must attempt to develop a mental state (Bodhicitta=Vajra) in which
will vanish the distinction between the two opposite extremes. He should
realize that acts of passion are not apart from the Truth and so It is stated
in the Tantric texts that hatred. delusion and attachment as well as the
practices (dharma) for realizing the Truth and the Truth (Vajra) constitute
the five means of escape from the world of desires (~lilaHj 'dod ps';.khams).

The Guhya-somaja offers a detailad exposition of the oneness of

the diverse universe and the highest Truth. Its contention is that the
universe with its multifarious objects and beings as also their activities
good or bad is an emanation of the Adi-Buddha, Vairocana. Hence. a
persons acts of merit or commission of offences have only a conven-
tional value of their own in this world of existence. though they have
none in reality. It is this fact that the text wants to drive home into
the minds of Tantric adepts and ascetics. The text abounds in passa.
ges depicting the most unsocial and immoral life of a person as well
as the extreme life of asceticism of a Tantric adept to show that in
reality there is no difference between the two modes of life. A few
extracts are given here by way of illustration

9
 SI1011R1GIRr;;: iI~ ~<n~Gl~'if .1t I
It q~t.nfloJ,al f.f~ q;liHal~ It I
mO"~li!l~~lI~f "1c'illfa ~~ il1I:l;r II

ilRiI' ';Q~ fifJi): q;H:rltlf 'if mlSlI~ I

~~ aftl ';Q~ f;:tfflq;crq~ t:1lJ:lG: II
(~ql\il, GOS, P. 20)

[Ttansl, A Tantric ascetic. who can partake of Ufin. and excre-

men' as food becomes spiritually advanced aveni' he kitls living be-
ings; speaks fafsehood. becomes prone to stealing other's properties and
keeps himself immersed in worldly pleasures,

The wise. who is free from all misconceptions. attain Buddhahood

by desiring to enjoy the mother (i e. Prajna or Prajnaparamita) of the
Lord, the Buddha but without cUnging to her ( i.e. wisdom knowledge)
as something to be attained.]

The underlying idea of these extracts is that killing and stealing

are as much conventional (non. existent) as is the acquisition of kno-
wledge (prajna).

In the same text there are also numerous passages giving 9n ex-
position of the Madhyamika philosophy. One or two extracts 8r. given
below by way of illustration:

311fqlfJ ~ 1111f1 :;; tlJ:lf :;; 'if tlBffi I

OJlq;l~fi:rlf ~'li:'RJfJi<f if)te;;~ ~"
31'Jillfl: ilfitlJ:lf~ w:f(!Jar~ffilGl: I
tlq;fn~l=lJilRFfI (<f iflftl"i~ ~ 'I
31'1~q~i!I, tl~, :;; Jillf1 "' 'if JilQ"'Il I
OJlq;1~qc:1Mr", ,ra Jillf: ~mlla II
( 1Ji!I~lijf. GOS, p. 12 )

ITransl. AU that exist are without origin, hence there are neither
objects nor their iAherent nature. Substancelessness is similar to open
space; this is the firm law of Bodhi. All objects are non-existent and
bereft of characteristics as they are produced from "non-substance"
(:!fu~); this is the firm law of Bodhi. Objects without origin can
neither have existence nor be objects of thought. It is by using the
word "open space" (OJlq;l~) that existence is attributed to it.]

10
 APOTHEOSIS OF PH1LOSOPHICAL CATEGORIES

The important terms used in Buddhist philosophy like f!f;;:U. En~f

~r+1. !il~T1, ,~~a~ and al~~aJ:( (constituents of a being, elements and
sense-organs, stages of spiritual progress. knowledge, and moral purities
and impurities) have been apotheosized into Buddhas, Vajras, Saktis.
goddesses and Bodhisattvas. By such apotheosis it is indicated that
everything worldly issued out of Adi·Buddha. It can be compared to
Vedantic conception of the identity of the universe and the Brahman.

In the Guhya.Samaja and Nispannayogavali almost all Dharmas of

any importance have been apotheosized and their location in the Manda.
las have been determined with description of their forms, colour and
mudra. A few of these are mentioned here:

ELEMENTS (aRj=Khams)

~ra~it is represented by w1:q;:rl I spyan

G\w -do· iil;rit>T /bdag-gj.ma
lff, .do· qllTiitlflfl:!;:rTI gos·dkar,ma
ff't'l. -do- fIf{~aln / dam·tshig. gj·sgrol-ma

SENCE OBJECTS (3T1iJa;:r=skye-mched)

"q is represented by ~tl:q;:r IIn.m.par-8fl8ng·mdz8d

~ -do- ~ijfT<f;t / fin-ahtm- 'byun/Fldan
l1;:a -do- ~lfIaqElt I 'dob-chags-ahBs.'qzin-mll
t~ -do- 3lq1~ I don-pod-rdo-rj8
fqi -do- al&r1RJ I mi-'khrugs,pII

CONSTITUENTS OF A BEING (f'/fl;:a=Phung-po)

"q is represented by ~'{1:q;:r I fnllm-par-snang-mdzad

~;:rl -do- Ril'SJ:I1Q I rin-chen.'byung.ldan
~1fT -do- alf'1arl1' / o'd-dpag-med
UfCfiN -do- 3l111ef~f&I / don-yod-grub-pa
r~l;:r ·do· 3f&r)~~JI mj·'khrugs·pa

DOORS OF ACTION (Cfiqm'{=las-kyi-sgo)

Cfi'Rlis represented by cR1'i!P1 I mam-par-snal,g·mdzad

lf10, ·do- 3Tfq~ll1' I,o·d-dpag.med
f:qQ' .do- al&i'~D I mi·'klilugs-pa

11
 ROOT CAUSES OF IMPURITIES (3ff~~-"l~=dug-gsum)

~1lJ is r~presented by &rl1~HI1I o'd-dpag-med

it{ -do- &er)l-"'li I mi· 'khlugs-pa
1=J)~ -do- atltt-::t I rnam·pal·snang-mdzad

In this way there are apotheoses of the Bhumis (stages of spiritual

progress), Paramitas (perfect virtues), Vasitas (controls obtained by a Bodhi-
satlva) and so forth.

By making worldly forces and factors as emanations of the Adi-

Buddha attempt has been made to impress upon the Tantric adepts
that they should develop such a mental state that they would not dis-
tinguish between samsara and nirvana. In order to realize such one-
nesc; an adept should be well trained in meditation. As a matter of
fact, the Tantrik method produced quick effects anCil helped many saints
to realize the Truth. It also conferred many supernatural powers on
many adepts who could not rise up to the highest spiritual stage.
Many of these succumbed to the worldly temptations and indulged in
drinks and debauchery. It is this class of false Tantrics who debased
the religion and its sublime esoteric practices.

·Bla-ma
To guard against ,the pitfalls, to which a Tantric adept is liable.
directions are gi ven in the texts about the duties and functions of a
spiritual guide (guru=acarya=sastri). An acarya specializes in certain
Tantric methods and practices. and so he is directed to take only those
disciples. who ara inclined to the Tantric practices followed by him.
The preceptor is required to put forth his best energies to protect his
disciples from evil forces by mantras ans mandalas and to train them
up in the rituals and forms of worship. in which he is proficient. He
is to watch his diSCiples closely so that they may not slip away from
the right course. He is to impart instruction to them in medltational
exercises and in the philosophy of the oneness of the universe and
the Truth,

Padmasambhava succeeded in training up a number of Tibetan

Lamas who rose to the highest staga of perfection. For his saintliness
and masterly expositions Padmasambhava is revered by the Tibetans
as the Second BUddha. Through the help and guidance of these
Lamas the Tantric religion became popular all over the country_

12
 In later times many of the adepts failed to imbide the true spirit
of Tantricism and abused their privileges. To coun.teract such abuses
in Tibet, Tsong-kha-pa made an attempt to reform the religion by
eliminating the chances of lapses and making monks obse~ve strictly
the ecclesiastical laws of the pre- Tantric period of Buddhism. Tsong.
kha-pa did not decry Tantricism as I!l whole and was fully aware of
its noble ideal and quick method of realization but he felt. that It would
be. difficult for the young trainees to keep the actual object in sight,
and hence the esoteric system might do more harm than good for
the lack of true spiritual guides. For this reason he and his disCiples
started the Ge.lug·pa sect.

MANTRA OF SIX SYLLABLES y-ge-drug-ma

The wide prevalence of Tantricism in Tibet is proved by the fact that

the Mantra \9'~fOTq~i5: I Om-ma-ni-padme-Hu:n is on every body's lips Bnd is
found to be written at all reli,gious sites. The Mantra appears for the first
time in the Sanskrit text Karandavyuha in which the following interpretation
of the Mantra is given: Mani = Perfect Knowledge (Prajna or Vajra)
the producer of Tathagatas. who are seated on Padma=Lotus-Avalo-
kitesvara. The Mantra of six syllables is the innermost core (5C:ll/spying-rjB)
of Avalokitesv&ra. It is also called q~lI'u~f!lfa~m~1 "the queen of
knowledge consisting of six letters". It is believed that its repeated
utterance induces concentration of mind and brings about spiritual eleva-
tion and leads even to the highest knowledge. To the householders
its utterance confers all the conceivable earthly and heavenly blessings.

TANTRIC IMAGES

In India from the 7th century onwards Perfect Kno\l\lledge (Prajna)

derived from the well-known text Prajnaparamjta was deified into a goddess
called Prajnadevi (yum-chan-mo). An alternative name of this goddess
was Tara. thai is. she who rescues beings from the ocean of misery.
Thus Prajna which makes a being a Buddha became the goddess Tara
and was regarded as the mother of Buddhas. In consequence of such
deification there was at this time an exuberance of Tara stotras.

Another very popular god of the Tantrics was Bodhisattva Avalo-

kitesvara the embodiment of amilv (it~/bY8mS-pS) and compassion (q;fDJII
snying-rje). The Bodhisattvas after initiation are askEdto develop Bodhicitta
i,e. the resolution to attain Bodhi and for that to dedicate the life to the
service of others, in other words, they are not only to fulfil the first

13
 five perfections (paramitas) but also to exercise amity and compassion
to all beings. So long they exercise these two functions they retain the
notion of the world (samsara) and its beings and objects. By gradual
extension of the scope of amity and compassion towards all beings of
the four corners of the world, they realize the sameness of all beings.
Through this realization they are in a fit and proper mood to acquire
perfect knowledge (prajnaparamita) or the Bodhi. In early Buddhism there
is the prescriPtion for monks to practise' four immeasurabless" (&cQi111ll=
&5r+11I11' trad-mild-pa) viz. love (~~1), compassion (q;~1). joy at others' success
(~~QTldga'-ba) and equanimity (\3~cnlbtang-snyoms). A monk is required to
extend these four mental states towards all beings including his enemies
and thereby realize that he is identical with others. Out of tlese four
immeasurables, the Mahayanists picked up only the first two. All of
these are meant for adepts only who are struggling to rise above
worldly discrimination. The Tantrayanists retained the underlying princi-
ples and magnified their importance and deified them as Avalokitesvara
who is believed to have preferred to remain a Bodhisattva in order to
be able to render service to all worldly beings through the exercise of
amity and compassion. Consequently he continues to be ever in Samsara
and does riot aspire to attain Nirvana or Sunyata in which case he
would cease to be active. He therefore represents worldly altruistic
activity. All Bodhisattvas aspiring to attain Bodhi must at first go through
this training of exercising universal amity and compassion. which practices
are called Expedient (upaya) in Tantric texts. In other words. he engages
himself in altruistic functions in the world. It is after attaining perfec-
tion in these that he may unlike Avalokitesvara aspire to attain perfect \
knowledge (prajna) represented by the goddess Tara. It follows there-
fore that the worldly means (Upaya) end or merge in perfect knowle-
dge (Prajnaparamita) when one is said to attain Bodhi and become a
Buddha. This merging of Upaya in Prajna is the ideal of the Tantra-
yanists, who, however as explained above. widened the scope of worldly
activities but retained the underlying principle.

In Hindu Tantra also there is similar conception. Sakti. the fe-

male goddess, is represented 8S the cause of liberation while Siva. the
male god, represents the forces of bondage (samsara) corresponding to
Tara and Avalokitesvara respectively of the Buddhist Tantra. These two
parallel conceptions in the Hindu and Buddhist Tantric systems brought
about the coalescence of the two systems in South-east-Asia. In India
particularly it is one of the many causes for the merging of Buddhism in
Hinduism leading ultimately to the disappearance of Buddhism from

14
 [With this introductory paper by Professor Nalinaksha Dutt we
open in these pages a symposium on the Tantras: the different systems
and their contents, their origins and affinities. Contributions on the various
issues and facets will be published from time to time.

Dutt is categorical about exchange of ideas between mystics of

different schools. Buddhist and Brahmanical (later Hindu), Some Western
scholars (e g. lama Anagarika Govinda: Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism.
london, 1959) reject the possibility of exchange between Buddhist and
Hindu systems as in their opinion the nature and the purpose of the
two are fundamentally different. Such scholars reject the description of
the deity Prajna as Sakti (e g. Snellgrove: Hevajra Talllra, london. 1959).
On the otherhand some WeSfern scholars describe the female consolt
of Buddhist Tantra as Sakti without any reservation (e. g. Hoffmann:
The Religions of Tibet. london. 1961, Marco Pallis: Peaks and Lamas,
New York.1949. and Nebesky-Wojkowitz: Oracles and Demons of Tibet,
london. 1956).

Scholars who reject the possibility of the two Tantras influencing

each other do not notice the coalescence in South-East Asia and the
active exchanges between mystics of India and Tibet independent of
their denominational labelS, as pointed out by many Indian scholars
( e. g. Bagchi: Studies in the 'Tantras, Calcutta, 1939).

Recently exchanges between Indian (Buddhist as well 8S Hindu) and

Chinese (Tao) esoteric systems have been emphasized (e.g. Needham:
Science and Civilisation in China, Cambridge, 1954-56 and Suniti Kumar
Chatterjee's Address at the XXV International Congress pf Orientalists,
Moscow, 1960). Dutt's . 'A Note on Mahacinatara" is appended at the
end of this issue of the Bulletin.

Our obituary on Dr, Benoytosh Bhattacharyya also contains rele-

vant matter.-NCS]

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