Tantras ("''doctrine''" or "''framework''" or "''system''" ) refers to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The religious culture of the Tantras is essentially Hindu, and Buddhist Tantric material can be shown to have been derived from Hindu sources. And although

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

and

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

Tantra have many similarities from the outside, they do have some clear distinctions. The rest of this article deals with Hindu Tantra. Buddhist Tantras are described in the article on Buddhist Tantras.

Classes of Hindu Tantra

The word ''tantra'' is made up by the joining (''sandhi'' in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...

) of two Sanskrit words: ''tanoti'' (expansion) and ''rayati'' (liberation). Tantra means liberation of energy and expansion of

consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...

from its gross form. It is a method to expand the mind and liberate the dormant potential energy, and its principles form the basis of all yogic practices. Hence, the Hindu Tantra scriptures refer to techniques for achieving a result. The Hindu Tantras total 92 scriptures; of these, 64 are purely ''Abheda'' (literally "without differentiation", or monistic), known as the

Bhairava Bhairava ( Sanskrit: भैरव ) or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva associated with annihilation. In Trika system ''B ...

Tantras or Kashmir Śaivite Tantras, 18 are ''Bhedābheda'' (literally "with differentiation and without differentiation" monistic or dualistic), known as the

Rudra Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. ...

Tantras), and 10 are completely ''Bheda'' (literally "differentiated" or dualistic), known as the Tantras. The latter two (''Rudra'' Tantras and ' Tantras) are used by the Śaiva Siddhāntins, and thus are sometimes referred to as

Shaiva Siddhanta Shaiva Siddhanta () (Tamil: சைவ சித்தாந்தம் "Caiva cittāntam") is a form of Shaivism that propounds a dualistic philosophy where the ultimate and ideal goal of a being is to become an enlightened soul through Shiv ...

Tantras, or Śaiva Siddhānta '' Āgamas''. Tantra are mainly two types: Agama and Nigama. Agamas are those texts in which Goddess asked questions and the God replied. In Nigama texts, God asked questions and Goddess replied. This dialogue between God and Goddess is special feature of Hinduism Tantra.

Origin

In the Nāth Tradition, legend ascribes the origin of Tantra to

Dattatreya Dattatreya ( sa, दत्तात्रेय, ), Dattā or Dattaguru, is a paradigmatic Sannyasi (monk) and one of the lords of yoga, venerated as a Hindu god. In Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhy ...

, a semi-mythological yogi and the assumed author of the Jivanmukta Gita ("Song of the liberated soul").

Matsyendranath Matsyendranātha, also known as Matsyendra, Macchindranāth, Mīnanātha and Minapa (early 10th century) was a saint and yogi in a number of Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He is traditionally considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as well ...

is credited with authorship of the Kaulajñāna-nirnāya, a voluminous ninth-century tantra dealing with a host of

mystical Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in u ...

and magical subjects. This work occupies an important position in the Hindu tantric lineage, as well as in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.

Function

In distinction to the Vaidik ritual, which is traditionally performed out-of-doors without any idols nor emblems, the Tantrik ritual is largely a matter of temples and idols. The Tantras are largely descriptions and specifications for the construction and maintenance of temple-structures together with their enclosed idols and lingas—an example of type of text is the ''Ajita Māhātantra''. Another function was the conservation as state-secrets of texts for use by royalty to maintain their authority through rituals directed to deities controlling the political affairs-of-state—an example of this is the ''Śārada-tilaka Tantra''.

Texts

Tantric texts are usually associated with a particular tradition and deity. The different types of Tantric literature are tantra, Āgama, saṃhitā, sūtra, upaniṣad, purāṇa, tīkā (commentaries), prakaraṇa, paddhati texts, stotram, kavaca, nighaṇṭu, koṣa and hagiographical literature. They are written in Sanskrit and in regional languages. The major textual Tantra traditions with some key exemplary texts is as follows: *

Śaiva Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangi ...

– Sadaśiva (Śivagama), Vāma or

Tumburu Tumburu ( sa, तुम्बुरु, translit=Tuṃburu) is the foremost among the gandharvas, the celestial musicians of Hindu mythology. He is described to perform in the courts of the deities Kubera and Indra, as well as sing the praises of ...

, Dakṣiṇa or

**Kularnava Tantra **Amṛteṣaṭantra or Netratantra **Netragyanarṇava tantra **Niḥśvāsatattvasaṃhitā **Kālottārā tantra **Sarvajñānottārā ** Ṣaivāgamas **Raudrāgamas **Bhairavāgamas **Vāma Āgamas **Dakṣiṇāgamas *Śivaśakti traditions – Yāmala (also part of Bhairava tradition) **Brahma yāmala ** Rudra yāmala **Skanda yāmala **Viṣṇu yāmala **Yama yāmala **Yāyu yāmala **Kubera yāmala **Indra yāmala *

Śākta Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti (Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all ...

–

Kālī Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hinduism, Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In t ...

traditions (

, Kālī Viṣṇu,

Kāmākhyā Kamakhya, a mother goddess, is a Shakta Tantric deity; considered to be the embodiment of '' Kama (desire)'', she is regarded as the goddess of sex. Her abodeKamakhya Temple is located in the Kamarupa region of Assam, India."Seated on top ...

Kubjika Kubjika ( sa, कुब्जिक Kubjikā, also known as Vakreshvari, Vakrika, Chinjini) is the primary deity of Kubjikamata, a sect of non- Siddhāntika mantra marga sect. The worship of Kubjika as one of the main aspect of Adishakti was in i ...

, Tārā and Others), Śrīkula tradition **Shakta Agamas **Muṇḍamālā tantra **Toḍala tantra **Cāmuṇḍa tantra **Devīyāmala **Mādhavakula **Yonigahavara, **Kālīkulārṇava tantra **Kaṇkālamālinī tantra **Jhaṃkārakaravīra, **Mahākāla saṃhitā **Kālī tantra **Kālajñāna tantra **Kumārī tantra **Siddhalaharī tantra **Niruttārā tantra **Kālīvilāsa tantra **Utpatti tantra **Kāmadhenu tantra **Nirvāṇa tantra **Kāmākhyā tantra **Tārā tantra **Kaula tantra **Matsya Sūkta / Tārā Kalpa **Samayā tantra **Vāmakeshvara tantra **Tantrajā tantra ** Yoginī tantra *Kula - Kulamārga and Other tantras **Kulārṇava tantra **Mahānirvāṇa tantra **Kulacūḍāmaṇi tantra **Kulārṇava tantra **Guptasādhana tantra **Mātṛkābheda tantra * Vaiṣṇava – Vaikhanasas,

Pancharatra ''Pancharatra'' ( IAST: ''Pāñcarātra'') was a religious movement in Hinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas of Narayana and the various avatars of Vishnu as their central deities.bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

-oriented tantras of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma **Pāñcarātra saṃhitā texts ** Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā **Jayākhya saṃhitā **Pārameśvara saṃhitā **Pauśkara saṃhitā **Pādma saṃhitā **Nāradīya saṃhitā **Haṃsaparameśvara saṃhitā ** Lakṣmī tantra **Vaihāyasa saṃhitā **Śrīkālapraā saṃhitā **Vaikhānasa Āgamas **Gautamīya tantra **Bṛhadbrahma saṃhitā **Māheśvara tantra **Sātvata tantra **Rādhā tantra **Agastya saṃhitā and Dāśarathīya tantra **Īśāna saṃhitā and Ūrdhvāṃnāya saṃhitā *

Mantra A mantra ( Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ...

śāstra ''Shastra'' (, IAST: , ) is a Sanskrit word that means "precept, rules, manual, compendium, book or treatise" in a general sense.Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'zAstra'' The wo ...

- textbooks on Mantras, metaphysics of mantric sound, related practices and rituals **Prapañcasāra tantra and its commentaries and Ṭīkās **Śāradatilaka tantra by Lakṣmaṇa Deśikendra **Mantramuktāvali of Paramahaṃsa Pūrṇaprakāśa **Mantramahodadhi of Mahīdhara **Mantradevaprakāśikā of Viṣṇudeva **Mantrakamalākara of Kamalākara Bhaṭṭa **Mantraratnākara of Yadunātha Cakravartin **Mantramahārṇava of Mādhava Rāya Vaidya **Tantrasāra of Kṛṣṇānanda āgamvāgiśa * Nibandha - handbooks on ritual worship, sadhana and puja **Kriyākalpataru of śaktinātha Kalyānakara **Kaulāvalīnirṇaya of Jñānānandagiri Paramahaṃsa **śāktanandataraṃgiṇī of Brahmānanda Giri **śāktakrama of Pūrṇānanda **śrītattvacintāmaṇi of Pūrṇānanda **āgamakalpadruma of Govinda **āgamakalpalatikā of Yadunātha **āgamatattvavilāsa of Raghunātha Tarkavāgīśa, and āgamachandrikā of Rāmakṛṣṇa **Tantrachintāmaṇi of Navamīsiṃha **Prāṇatoṣiṇī of Rāmatoṣaṇa Vidyālaṃkāra **Śhivarahasya **Śaivakalpadruma * Saura Tantras * Ganapatya Tantras *Others – supernatural, chemistry, astrology, alchemy, etc.,

Translations

Most Hindu Tantras remain untranslated. One widely translated exception is the Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra, which according to Christopher Wallis, is atypical of most Tantric scriptures. Sir John Woodroffe translated the ''Tantra of the Great Liberation (Mahānirvāna Tantra)'' (1913) into English along with other Tantric texts. Other tantras which have been translated into a Western language include the Malini-vijayottara tantra, the Kirana tantra, and the Parakhya Tantra.Wallis, Christopher; Tantra Illuminated Some translation of Tantra texts 1. The Kulachudamani Tantra and Vamkehwar Tantra, Louise M. Finn 2. Kularnava Tantra, Paramhansa Mishra 3. Kularnava Tantra, Ram Rahim Rai 4. Yogini Hridaya, Vraj Vallabh Dwivedi 5. Yogini Tantra by GangaVishnu ShriKrishnadas 6. Maheshwar Tantra Sarala Hindi Vyakhya Sudhakar Malaviya Chowkambha (Narada Pancrata) 7. Kamratna Tantra, Hemchandra Goswami Tantric Texts Series Arthur Avalon (John Woodroffe) 1. Tantrabhidhanam with Bijanighantu & Mudranighantu - A Tantric Dictionary 2. Shatchakranirupanam (Serpant Power) with 2 commentaries - Taranatha Vaidyaratna 3. Prapachasaratantram (reprinted as volumes 18 & 19) 4. Kulachudamani Tantra - Girish Chandra Vedantatirtha 5. Kularnavatantram edited by Taranatha Vaidyaratna 6. Kalivilasatantram edited by Parvati Charana Tarkatirtha 7. Shrichakrasambhara edited by Kazi Dawa samdup (Buddhist Tantra) 8. Tantraraja Part 1 commentary by Subhagananda Natha 9. Karpuradistotra with intro & commentary by Vimalananda Swami 10. Kamakalavilasa of Punyananda, commentary by Natananadanatha 11. Kaula & Other Upanishads with commentaries by Bhaskararaya & others 12. Tantraraja Part 2 commentary by Subhagananda Natha 13. Mahanirvanatantram with commentary of Hariharananda Bharati 14. Kaulavalinirnayah of Jnanananda Paramahamsa 15. Brahmasamhita with commentary of Jiva Gosvami & Vishnusahasranama 16. Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 1 17. Sharadatilakatantram of Lakshmana Desikendra with commentary Part 2 18. Prapachasaratantram Part 1 19. Prapachasaratantram Part 2 20. Chidgaganachandrika - Swami Trivikrama Tirtha 21. Tarabhakti Sudharnava - Panchanana Bhattacharya Tarkaratna 22. Sataratna samgraha, with Sataratnollekhani - Edited by Panchanan Sastri

Notes

References

*Lakshmanjoo, Swami. ''Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme''. *Dhallapiccola, Anna. ''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend''. * Walker, Benjamin (1983). ''Tantrism: Its Secret Principles and Practices''. Borgo Press. *Wallis, Christopher (2013) Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition. Mattamayura Press.

*Shiva Shakt
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