Table Of ContentRidia! and Speculation
in Early Tantrism
STUDIES IN
HONOR OF
ANDRK PADOUX
Edited by Tenu ('.ondriaan
Ritual and Speculation
In Early Tantrism
SUNY Series in Tantric Studies
Paul E. Muller-Ortega, Editor
André Padoux
Ritual and Speculation
in Early Tantrism
Studies in Honor of
André Padoux
edited by
Teun Goudriaan
State University of New York Press
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ritual and speculation in early tantrism: studies in honour of André
Padoux I edited by Teun Goudriaan.
p. cm. — (SUNY series in tantric studies)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7914-0897-3 (alk. paper). — ISBN 0-7914-0898-1 (pbk.
alk. paper)
1. Tantrism—Doctrines. 2. Tantrism—Rituals. I. Padoux,
André. II. Goudriaan, Teun. III. Series.
BL1283.845.R48 1991
294.5'514—dc20 91-10169
CIP
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
Preface
—Teun Goudriaan—
Publications by André Padoux
Chapter 1
—Hélène Brunner—
Jhana and Kriyâ: Relation between Theory and
Practice in the ôaivagamas
Chapter 2
—Gudrun Bühnemann—
On Purascarana: Kulärnavatantra, Chapter 15
Chapter 3
—Richard H. Davis—
Becoming a Ôiva, and Acting as One in ôaiva Worship
Chapter 4
—Vrajavallahha Dviveda—
"Having Become a God, He Should Sacrifice to the Gods"
Chapter 5
—Teun Goudriaan—
The Stages of Awakening in the Svacchanda-tantra
Chapter 6
—Sanjukta Gupta—
Yoga and Antaryäga in Pâncaratra
Chapter 7 209
—Minoru Hara—
Päsupata Studies (1)
Chapter 8
—Paul E. Muller-Ortega—
Tantric Meditation: Vocalic Beginnings
Chapter 9
—Navjivan Rastogi—
The Yogic Disciplines in the Monistic êaiva Tantric
Traditions of Kashmir:
Threefold, Fourfold, and Six-Limbed
Chapter 10
—Alexis Sanderson—
The Doctrines of the Mälinlvijayottaratantra
Chapter 11
—Jan A. Schoterman—
The Kubjikâ Upanisad and Its Atharvavedic Character
Chapter 12 327
—Raffaele Torella—
The Pratyabhijnä and the Logical-Epistemological
School of Buddhism
Index 347
Preface
Ritual engagement or abstract speculation about supreme truth?
The title of this book, by juxtaposing ritual and speculation, is expressive
of one of the most intriguing characteristics of the Hindu tradition:
the conviction that philosophy and ceremonial activity are not two
separate compartments—as a modern outside observer might be
inclined to think—but that, on the contrary, they should be applied
in constant interaction so as to fecundate each other. The study
of Tantric literature, especially of the earlier period of remarkable
religious inspiration is apt to illustrate this point in various ways.
The contributors to this book have dealt with several aspects
of the subject in their own way, in accordance with their distinctive
preferences. They have not been asked to follow a particular line
of argument; it seemed better to allow them full freedom within the
range suggested by the general title. The result is a many-sided
orientation from the viewpoint of several Tantric schools; there
may be a certain emphasis on the speculative aspects but the ritual
structure is never entirely lost sight of.
The articles have been arranged in alphabetical order by the
names of the authors. It is a happy coincidence that the first article,
by Hélène Brunner, offers an encompassing study of the relation
between “wisdom" and "action" in the 0aiv3gama tradition, where
these two concepts figure with special prominence, éiva himself has
two saktis called jniina and kriyâ ('wisdom' and 'action').
Brunner argues for the originality of this twofold expansion of
power with respect to later conceptions of three or more éaktis.
The main part of her article is devoted to an inquiry after the
relationship of doctrine and rituals as described in the Ägamas.
It appears, surprisingly, that the two often are in clear disagreement
with each other, the ritual usually being older than the transmitted
philosophy.
Richard Davis and Vrajavallabha Dviveda have approached a
similar topic—the relation between God êiva and His worshipper
in the ceremonial entourage—from different angles. Davis, who
concentrates on the Ägamic tradition, also departs from the two
aspects of knowledge and ritual, from which context he describes
the ideology behind the worshipping priests' divinization. The
latter's temporary assumption of the powers of a êiva is acted out
in the ritual of daily worship that therefore "discloses knowledge
through action." Dviveda, after retracing the ideal of "becoming a
god" to the Brähmanas, gives a description of what actually is done
viii Ritual and Speculation
and recited in various types of worship, with special reference to
the Para form and lower varieties. He refers mainly to the Yoginl-
hrdaya, and to Trika and Krama sources. The chapter was translated
from the original Sanskrit by Gérard Colas of Paris.
The Vaisnava (PSncarätra) system of meditation and worship
(especially its higher form, internal worship) is the subject of a
thorough scrutiny by Sanjukta Gupta. For the Päncarätra, release
by enlightenment depends on divine grace, but "has to be earned
by constant sädhanä." In sàdhanâ or yoga, the religious ideology
of the school is directly experienced by visual and phonic re
presentation.
Midway between Ägamic Ôaivism and the Trika system usually
associated with Kashmir is Alexis Sanderson's chapter, which throws
new light on the position of the Mâlinïvijayottara, an oft-quoted
but also often misunderstood source of inspiration for Trika adepts.
By force of arguments, Sanderson shows that the reputed monism
of this Tantra in fact has been superimposed on to the text by
its interpreters. The first part of the article contains a useful
summary of dualist and monist positions with regard to the soul
and its destiny.
Paul Muller-Ortega discusses the theory and meditational
practice of the nondual Ôaivism of Kashmir with regard to con
tinuous cosmogonic manifestation as expressed by the sixteen
vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet. He attempts a new interpretive
approach by means of reference to the terminology of "holo-
movement" put forward by David Bohm in his "Wholeness and the
Implicate Order."
Another comparative vista is opened by Raffaele Torella, who
concentrates on the influence exerted on the Pratyabhijnä philosophy
by the rigorous argumentation of the Buddhist logicians. Although
the speculative presuppositions of the two systems seems to be
diametrically opposed—the multiplicity of dharmas versus the cosmic
Self—a "cross correspondence" can be detected in them, as certain
themes developed by the Buddhist logicians are reflected in the
argumentations of the Ôaiva philosophers.
The development of the yogic tradition in the monistic Ôaiva
school is studied by Navjivan Rastogi. He discerns three divisions:
the threefold (later, fourfold) upäya-yoga established in the Mâlinï-
vijayottara, the sixfold Saiva yoga, and the threefold gradation
of gross, subtle, and ultimate applied in the Netra Tantra. Still,
there is a continued fidelity to Patanjali's eightfold system, although
it has been transformed to a specific Trika yoga that culminates in
the ultimate freedom of "supreme agency."
Teun Goudriaan ix
Special aspects of the êaiva tradition are treated by Teun
Goudriaan and Minoru Hara. The former presents a translation
of Svacchanda Tantra 11, 91-126, which contain a doctrine of "stages
of awakening" or stations on the soul's journey to its ultimate
destination. He tries to connect this perspective with statements
from the Mahäbhärata. Hara examines passages from Kaundinya's
commentary on the first of the Pasupata Sûtras, relating to the
qualifications of an applicant for initiation, the interpretation of
yoga as samyoga, and aspects of the theory of the means of valid
knowledge. The treatment of these subjects by Kaundinya reveals
indebtedness to a simple and early form of Sämkhya unrecorded
in the classical sources of that school.
Two contributions, those by Gudrun Bühnemann and Jan
Schoterman, deal with Kaula sources in a philological way. Bühne
mann concentrates on the system of preliminary recitation of a
mantra by the sädhaka who wants to identify with it. To this end,
she gives an annotated translation of one of the most authoritative
sources on the subject, the fifteenth chapter of the Kulärnava. A
quite different text, the as yet unedited Kubjikä Upanisad, is the
subject of Schoterman's contribution. He discusses its remarkably
composite character and convincingly shows the Atharvavedic
nature of its oldest layer. It is a matter of great regret that Schoter
man could not live to witness the publication of this book.
This volume has been dedicated by the authors as a token of
respectful recognition and friendship to one of the foremost French
Indologists of our time, who is among the most devoted and thought
ful expounders and interpreters of the Tantric tradition.
André Padoux was born April 13, 1920, at Peking, where his
father occupied a diplomatic post. After obtaining his "licence ès
lettres" (including a certificate on Chinese) as well as a juridical
"licence" at Lyon 1939, he began the study of political science in
Lyon and Paris, which he finished successfully (in the diplomatic
section) in 1946, despite the interruption caused by World War II.
His diplomatic career took a start with a three years' service as a
member of the French delegation to the UNESCO, in which function
he attended several of its conferences. In November 1949 he was
appointed cultural attaché at the French Embassy in Norway and
Reader in French at the University of Oslo. From 1953 to 1959, he
was active in a similar function in the French Embassy in India
at New Delhi.
In the meantime, he made a thorough study of Indian culture
and literature, especially Sanskrit literature. Already about the year
