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From: "Anbumani. S"
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Subject: [agathiyar] FYI - Buddhist Tantras
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For your information.

-Anbu.

TANTRA (From 'Eastern Wisdom' by Michael Jordan)

The 'mantra' is a simple mystical sound device by which an ordinary
person
following either the Buddhist or the Hindu faith may achieve salvation.
This
is not to be confused with a 'tantra' although the two are closely
related
and 'tantrism' was originally known as the 'mantrayana', the 'way of the
mantras'. The 'tantra' is also a mystical & magical device or formula
found particularly in Buddhism where it evolved into two main starnds
referred
as Left-hand and Right-hand Tantrism. 'Tantra' literally means stream or
strand
and refers to the ultimate wisdom said to embrace all human experience
through
the practice of perfection. Its objective is to reach into the
subconscious
mind and activate the spiritual and mystical powers which are latent in
its
depths. According to Buddhist tradition, 'tantra' refers in the
tangible
sense, to a series of ritual and magical texts which were orignally
devised
by the buddha for the evocation of deities and, when used in association
with mantras, to assist the disciple in acquiring occult powers.

At first these Tantric texts were conveyed with considerable secrecy but
after
4th century BC, they became more widely available in India and were
promoted
by the so-called '84 Perfect Ones', a celebrated group of Tantric
scholars who
were versed in mysticism and who later became canonized as saints.

Right-hand Tantrism involves the male dieties of Hinduism and Buddhism,
but
more widely followed in Vajrayana Buddhism and Lamaism is the Left-hand
form.
Amongst the most famous pioneering exponents of this style of Tantrism
in
Tibet was the 8th century 'yogi' and founder of Lamaism, Padmasambhava.
Left-hand Tantrism is also known as 'vamacara' or 'left-hand practise'
and focuses on the worship of the goddess who, by convention, stands
to the left of the male deity.

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