An Anthology of Buddhist Tantric Songs (A Study of the Caryagiti) An Old and Rare Book (Only One Copy in Stock)

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The present study deals with a collection of fifty short poems, composed in a language which represents the earliest form of an Eastern New Indo-Aryan idiom, and belonging to the final phase of Indian Buddhism.

Although the songs were composed perhaps sometime in the 9th 12th century A.D., their authors, known as siddhas, have defied attempts of historians to place them within an exact historical context, just as they in their own time openly defied all religious and social conventions.

This study has been written by a historian of religions. Hence the songs have not been studied from the point of view of historical linguistics, the attention being focused on their religious and literary significance.

Many of the songs depict the daily life of the people among whom the Siddhas lived. The present study provides a systematic analysis of this imagery; but it also attempts to uncover the profound doctrine based on Buddhist concepts of spiritual liberation and yogic techniques, which, at least according to the Sanskrit commentary, is the esoteric message of the songs.

Part I deals with questions of language, authors, dates, and genre; previous studies are reviewed, the 14th century Tibetan translation discussed, the imagery of the songs analysed, and the religious background outlined.

Part II provides a literal translation and a detailed philological discussion of each song, in the light of the Sanskrit commentary of Munidatta and the Tibetan translation. All texts, including the Tibetan translation, are given in full.

Although these songs form a literary heritage of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, this remains the first complete translation and comprehensive study of them to appear outside India. While the book is primarily written for those engaged in Buddhist studies, it will also be of interest to Indologists in general as well as to any reader wishing an introduction to an important but relatively little-studied aspect of man's religious life.

After its publication in 1977, this study of the Caryagiti (CG) was rapidly sold out. The first edition was limited to 500 copies, and only a small number found their way to India, Nepal, and Bangla Desh. Since, however, the songs belong to the literary heritage of these countries, the present reprint may be a useful supplement to existing studies.

In planning a reprint I was encouraged by the reviews which gradually appeared, and which were, on the whole, favourable; further, by the interest in the book shown by colleagues in India and in Bangla Desh; and finally, by the kind offer of my friend Hallvard K. Kuloy to include the book in the series he edits in Bangkok. To all reviewers, colleagues, friends, and publishers - I am deeply grateful.

The reviews which have come to my notice are the following, listed chronologically:

Satya Ranjan Banerjee, Journal of the International Asso- ciation of Buddhist Studies, 1, 1 (1978): 77-79.

Jean Filliozat, Journal Asiatique, 266, 3-4 (1978): 374-375. Alexander William Macdonald, Kailash, 6, 4 (1978): 288-289.

Agehananda Bharati, The Tibet Society Bulletin, 12 (1978): 56-58.

Frederick J. Streng, Religious Studies Review, 5, 1 (1979): 52.

Shib Narayan Ray, Jijñāsā, 1, 3 (1980, B.S. 1387): 373-377 (in Bengali)

K.R. Norman, Acta Orientalia, 41 (1980): 105-109.

Mircea Eliade, History of Religions, 22, 4 (1983): 391-392. J.W. de Jong, The Eastern Buddhist 17, 1 (1984): 96 (brief mention).

Since the first edition was published in 1977, I have become aware of several books and articles dealing with CG which had already appeared at that time. Two are in English and deal with the prosody and language of the songs, viz. Nilratan Sen's Early Eastern New Indo-Aryan Versification.