An Introduction to Tantric Buddhism

The inspiration of the author came from an unusual source. It is known to all students of the Modern Indian Languages that the literature of the early period – particularly in Bengali – comprises a number of songs and Dohàs, dealing with the tenets of the Tàntric Buddhists. To understand and appreciate the meaning of these songs and Dohàs the Tàntric background must be clearly understood. The present study was an attempt towards that direction. This study brought to the notice of the author many new and interesting facts which led him to pursue his study further. As the number of published texts on Tàntric Buddhism is very scanty, the author had to collect his materials mainly from unpublished manuscripts. As there is no possibility of many of these texts being published in the near future, the author has deemed it proper to quote copiously from these manuscripts to illustrate his points and to substantiate his generalisations. This, the author hopes, will give the reader a better opportunity for making his own judgment and also for testing the validity of the statements made and conclusions arrived at. Whether Vedic or Non-Vedic in origin, Tàntricism, both Brahmanical and Buddhistic, represents a special aspect of the religious and cultural life of India. A thorough study of Tàntricism is, therefore, indispensable for a close acquaintance with the special quality of the Indian mind.