Tantric Knowledge
Philosophy, History, Practice

By (author) Gavin Flood

ISBN13: 9798887621135

Imprint: Mandala Publishing Group

Publisher: Insight Editions

Format: Hardback

Published: 08/05/2025

Availability: Not yet available

Description
The most misrepresented of all Hindu traditions, Tantra is a complex interweaving of teachings and practices that pervades Vaiṣnava, Śaiva, Śākta, 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.
  • Mind, Body, Spirit
  • Hindu life & practice
  • General (US: Trade)
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Weight:489.00
List Price: £22.99