Tantrik Traditions in Tibet

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The Tantrik traditional lore in Tibet incorporates the most essential details of Indian Tantra and the flowerings of the Tibetan genius. It consists of diverse strands, neatly synthesized in doctrine as well as practice. The present book seeks to trace the story of this synthesis. It is not intended to be an objective assessment, but a personal assimilation of the Tibetan teachings in my own spiritual endeavour, alongside the Vedic and Tantrik background.

I have been helped in this work by a large number of writings, in English, Hindi, Sanskrit and Tibetan. Even here, the benefit that I have derived has been synthetic and syncretistic. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to all the authors who have communicated to me the spirit of the Tibetan teachings. Likewise, for illustrating the book, I have drawn from different sources, collected over several years. I am grateful to all those who have provided this rich material, exceedingly interesting and valuable. For the illustration of Tibetan deities and saints the most important source is the volume on Buddhist Iconography, Satta-pitaka series (Vol. 342), Bhadrakalpika Sutra Pantheon (vol., II) by Lokesh Chandra, published by Aditya Prakashan, New Delhi (1987). I have spent hours, days, months and years contemplating on the excellent reproductions in this volume, contemplating on the spiritual and cultural values of these illustrations. This is an unrivalled treasure of visualization. Words fail to record my indebtedness to this publication.

I have prepared this volume, not so much to communicate the sublime teachings to others as to crystallize in my own mind and heart the contribution of the Tibetan Saints to the spiritual content of the Tantra. I thank my friends Shri Naresh Gupta and Shri Sunil Gupta of the Indian Books Centre, Delhi, for having persuaded me to prepare this volume for publication.

From the Book

The Tantrik traditional lore in Tibet incorporates the most essential details of Indian Tantra and the flowerings of the Tibetan genius. It consists of diverse strands, neatly synthesized in doctrine as well as practice. The present book seeks to trace the story of this synthesis. The book contains two parts. part One is on Tantrik Foundations which includes chapters on Bon and Buddhism; The Indian Background; The Tibetan Genius; Definitive Tantrik Texts; and Path of Enlightenment. Part Two deals with Tantra in Practice. The chapters included in this part are The Tibetan Outlook; Guru-Yoga; Tantra-Yoga; Dhyana; Darsana; and Torch Bearers of Tradition. A glossary and two appendices have been included in the book.