Exploring Tantra's Etymology and Evolution

The term ‘ Tantra ’ has a rich and diverse history, spanning millennia across Indian texts, philosophical traditions , and modern interpretations. Let us delve into its etymology and evolution through different periods, examining its profound significance in ritualistic practices and philosophical frameworks.

Tantra and Rituals In Asia
1. In Tantric schools, theory of rituals posits that humans possess an inherent impurity (mala) that binds them to rebirth, which can be cleansed through ritual actions combined with proper knowledge. The process begins with an initiation ritual, diksa, setting the stage for eventual liberation at death.

2. Philosophical differences between dualistic Śaiva Siddhanta and non-dualistic schools like Trika centre on the role of ritual. Śaiva Siddhanta holds that rituals performed with understanding and devotion, are essential to eradicate anavamala, innate impurities. Conversely, Trika emphasises that true liberation comes from jñan, knowledge, specifically the pratyabhijña, recognition of one's true nature.

3. Transgressive or ‘left-hand’ paths within non-dualistic traditions, such as Kali cults and Trika school, incorporate unique elements in their rituals and pujas. These include use of human bones, worship of fierce deities like Bhairava and Kali, ritual possession, and the inclusion of impure substances like meat, alcohol, and sexual fluids in rituals.

4. Transgression is a defining feature of non-dualistic Tantric traditions, distinguishing them from orthodox paths. In these traditions, entities like Yoginis are seen not just as spiritual beings but also as forces within humans, mastering their senses and enhancing their emotions. This interaction leads practitioners to merge their individual consciousness with the divine, transcending purely sexual experiences. In both Buddhist and Śaiva traditions, sexual rites are viewed as methods to broaden consciousness through the experience of bliss.

Modern/Western Era
1. Pierre Bernard, an occultist and businessman in the early 1900s, is credited with introducing Tantra to Americans, though he misleadingly linked it predominantly to sex, leading to the Western Neo-Tantra movement. Tantric traditions consist of various practices and ideas, forming a complex blend rather than a single coherent system.

2. Modern scholarship views Tantra as an esoteric and ritualistic practice, known as Tantrism. There's a significant disparity between its traditional significance to adherents and its portrayal since the colonial era.

3. David N Lorenzen identifies two definitions of Tantra: a narrow definition focusing on elite traditions based on specific Sanskrit texts, and a broad definition encompassing a variety of magical beliefs and practices including Yog and Shaktism.

4. The term 'tantrism,' coined in the 19th century by European Indologists, doesn't exist in Asian languages. Like 'Sufism,' it's an Orientalist creation, used by scholars with limited understanding of Indian spirituality, who saw Tantrism as a marginal practice compared to what they considered mainstream Indian traditions.

5. Teun Goudriaan's 1981 review defines Tantrism as a systematic pursuit of spiritual excellence, aiming to realise and cultivate the divine within, combining masculine-feminine and spirit-matter elements to achieve non-dualistic bliss. It involves specific practices like using mantras, mandalas, mudras, and rituals such as meditation, worship, and initiation. Tantrism is described as a living, monistic system with inherent variations, resisting simplistic definitions.

– Compiled by Ramprasad Murali